Now Hiring: Plant Pest Survey Technician

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources is hiring a Contracted Seasonal Employee for the position of Plant Pest Survey Technician. The position will involve work for the Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) Program, assisting the Plant Pest Survey Coordinator in surveying locations throughout Massachusetts for introduced insect pests and plant pathogens. For details, click here. Deadline to apply is March 11, 2009.

ALB Newsletter, Vol. 1, Issue 4

Issue 4 of the ALB Newsletter, with the latest Asian longhorned beetle news, links, events and volunteer opportunities in Massachusetts, is available here. To get the newsletter as soon as it comes out, sign up here.

ALB: Before and After

Tree removals in the parts of Worcester most heavily impacted by the Asian longhorned beetle infestation have been underway since January. For an idea of how seriously the beetle has impacted Worcester, here are a pair of shots from Granville Ave., showing the same view both before and after the trees were taken down. Click on each image to see it in original size:



(Photos by Kenneth R. Law, USDA APHIS PPQ)

Phase-out period for prohibited plants has ended

The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources regulates a list of Prohibited Plants, more than 100 non-native species that are considered invasive or noxious weeds. These plants are prohibited from sale, trade, distribution, and related activities in our state. As of January 1, 2009, the following ornamental species, which had been under a phase-out period, now fall under the same regulations as the other species on the list:

• Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii)
  
• Bell’s honeysuckle (Lonicera x bella) [L. morrowii x L. tatarica]
  
• Bishop's weed; goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria)
  
• Burning bush; winged euonymus (Euonymus alatus/alata)
  
• Creeping Jenny; moneywort (Lysimachia nummularia)
  
• Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii)
  
• Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)
  
• Morrow’s honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii)
  
• Norway maple (Acer platanoides)
  
• Sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus)
  
• Tatarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica)
  

You can see the entire prohibited plant list sorted by common or scientific name, or download a print version here.