Jun 17, 2009 6:46 pm US/Eastern
Worcester Tree Devastation Could Get Worse
WORCESTER (WBZ) ―
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The Asian Longhorn beetle has infested tens of thousands of trees in the city of Worcester.
WBZ
In certain Worcester neighborhoods, the buzz of tree grinders and zing of saws are part of the soundtrack of spring 2009.
It's a season that has forever changed the landscape.
"It looks so empty. Almost like a new area with no planting of trees, " said one resident, sweeping what would have been a shaded sidewalk six months ago.
And it's going to get worse.
As survey crews continue to examine hardwoods, they're finding more evidence of
Asian longhorned beetles. First detected last summer, the insects have forced the
removal of more than 20,000 trees in Worcester.
"As our climbers continue to work, they found 17 yesterday. We'd like to get as many as we can, like to get all of them removed," said Clint McFarland, who heads the Asian longhorned beetle project in Worcester County for the US Department of Agriculture.
The trees must be cut down and chipped by the end of the month when the beetle becomes more active, often burrowing out of one tree to infest another.
Some 400 infested trees remain standing in three towns.
"It was wiped away, and you can see, where it was tree-lined, it's nothing."
Rick Rushton and other Worcester city councilors were just briefed by the federal officials managing the beetle battle.
CHEMICALS MAY HAVE SPARED SOME TREES
He's among those who have questioned why chemical treatments weren't applied in an effort to save at-risk trees.
"One of the things we missed because of lack of resources was the ability to inoculate the trees," Rushton said. "That won't happen again -- next year we have to make sure we put enough pressure on to inoculate the trees."
Federal officials say that will happen next spring, still considered early in this protocol. The chemical treatments must be applied in the spring to be effective.
In the meantime, officials say they're tracking and fighting the spread the only way they can -- one tree at a time.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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