... final report on Southern Pine Beetle assignment
The WFPET was deployed on June 7, 2015 and was assigned to be working out of the Suffolk County Fire Training Academy in Yaphank NY located on Long Island. Funding for the team was provided by the North East Forest Fire Compact and the Mid-Atlantic Forest Fire Compact. Several NY DEC employees were assigned to the team as liaisons and subject matter experts. Bill Fonda, Rob Cole, Jessica Cancelliere and John Wernet were primary points of contact.
Today (Thursday 6/11) was the last full day with the remaining Team members. It was spent mostly with administrative tasks, finalizing products, and report compilation.
However we did have the opportunity to talk with two homeowners very near the training center we were working out of. After observing several “red-tops” we investigated and ultimately talked with one owner who had 3-5 SPB trees and the other one had 12-18 trees. While providing information we found that their reluctance to cut the trees was not the cost of $700-$800 per tree (yes per tree, welcome to Long Island), actually this might be a bit less if several were taken down at one time. The problem was the tree cutting ordinance of the Town Of Brookhaven. For a first time violation for cutting down a tree without a permit it would be a $500 to $2,000 fine and 15 days in jail. To just apply for a permit it costs$300…ouch! We wrote a letter to our host suggesting that DEC seek to broker an agreement with the Town of Brookhaven (and other similar towns) to waive the application fee if a SPB spot has been identified and confirmed by a DEC employee or a trained town employee. Training for town officials was also suggested.
We feel this is a CRITICAL action to work towards because without it we feel a majority of the pine component of this small community and other similar ones will be devastated.
To the right is a list of many of the “products” we developed…
The team discussed the importance of sharing many of the prototype products developed with the various partners here in the Pine Barrens on the Island especially if many were not going to be further developed by the DEC as during our talking with these partners they were asking for this type of material.
This will find its way in the final report but we also feel strongly that a Southern Pine Beetle Task Force be created to help leverage each cooperators strengths and resources to help with the situation. As the beetle moves off state, federal and locality lands onto private lands more and more the challenges of education and on the ground accomplishments will become more and more challenging.
The pictures below are from Virginia in an area very much like what there is the potential for here on the Island. When citizens are being directly impacted, when it hits home so to say they will demand support and guidance beyond the current capacity of the cooperators now working together.
As this will be our last daily report we want to thank the DEC AND ALL who have welcomed us and supported our efforts. We just hope that our work will make your job a bit easier when it comes to communicating and educating those being impacted now and who will be later. Good luck and PLEASE keep in mind the capabilities of a National Wildfire Prevention and Education Team as you work this “incident”.
