A different sort of "Beetlemania" is set for the Massachusetts State House next week, where a screening of the new documentary "
Lurking in the Trees" will be held. The film tells the story of the recent Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) infestation in greater Worcester. Some experts fear that the infestation, which has already cost 25,000 trees, may be discovered in other cities and towns across Massachusetts and New England.
Lurking in the Trees presents Worcester as a town that could be anywhere in America, filled with people who are seeing the devastation of forest pests on a personal level and rising to the challenge of protecting the entire region’s vital natural resources.
The screening is being sponsored by Worcester legislators Senator Harriette Chandler, Senator Michael Moore, Representative Jim O’Day, Representative John Binienda, Representative John Fresolo, Representative Vincent Pedone, and Representative Robert Spellane; Lt. Governor Timothy P. Murray, Commissioner Richard Sullivan of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation; Commissioner Scott Soares of the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources; the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; and the Nature Conservancy. Held on Monday, January 10th, the screening will be followed by a briefing and question-and-answer period, and is open to all legislators.
“This event will not only educate legislators from across the Commonwealth about the ALB in Worcester but it will address the relevancy of this infestation for every community by answering such question like how would this sort of devastation impact your city or town; is the ALB likely to spread to your community; what will be the overall economic impacts on Massachusetts and New England at large?” said Representative Jim O’Day. “Legislators will greatly benefit from information provided by the experts, advocates, and allies sponsoring this event.”
“The devastating effects of the ALB infestation are not isolated or limited to Worcester and Central Massachusetts,” said Senator Harriette Chandler. “As the state deals with this growing problem, it is important for all of us to consider what it means for our communities and what the economic and social effects will be on individual towns, cities, the Commonwealth, and beyond.”
“The loss of trees really means something to everybody,” said Jordan Levy, WTAG radio talk show host. “You don’t have to be a big-time environmentalist to get this message. All you have to do is drive down some of the streets that don’t have any more trees, and see the whole difference in your lifestyle.”
While Greater Worcester is working to prevent ALB from spreading further decimating the tree population, the beetle remains a threat to New England forests. The Nature Conservancy, a leading conservation organization that protects ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people around the world, will be airing Lurking in the Trees on television stations across the country in an effort to warn residents to keep an eye out for the pests.
To order a copy of the DVD, visit the Lurking in the Trees website.Lurking in the Trees is a production of The Hamburger Company. Its sponsors are The Nature Conservancy, the United State Department of Agriculture - Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the Grantham Foundation for the Environment, the United State Forest Service and the Continental Dialogue on Non-native Forest Insects and Diseases.
Source: Press releaseLabels: Asian longhorned beetle, insects, outreach
Introducing the Pocket Guide to the Asian longhorned Beetle, an easy way of putting everything you need to know about ALB right in your pocket. Built from a single sheet of paper, the guide is folded and fit together with a simple cut along the dotted line. This guide was developed by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, and features information you can use to identify ALB, ALB tree damage, host trees, and similar species.
