Oregon Forest Pest Detector Online Course

Exotic invasive forest insects and diseases are a leading cause of damage to natural and urban forests.

Local, state and federal governments often spend millions of dollars trying to eradicate the most damaging insects in order to preserve forest and tree health.

Benefits of Early Pest Detection

Early detection and rapid response are the first lines of defense to eradicate pests before they become established and difficult to control. First detectors are often natural resource professionals and volunteers who happen to notice something unusual while on the job.

Oregon Forest Pest Detector Summary

The College of Forestry's Oregon Forest Pest Detector (OFPD) training course prepares you to identify and report high-priority exotic forest pests. The teaching is designed to be engaging and interactive by featuring videos, narrated presentations and interactive tools.

The OFPDprogram currently focuses on detection of the emerald ash borer (EAB), Asian longhorn beetle (ALB), and goldspottedoak borer (GSOB).

Upon completion of the OFPD training, you may wish to attend a workshop in your local area where you can practice your skills at identifying and analyzing damage from forests pests. You can find upcoming Pest Detector workshops here.

OFPD Learning Objectives

By the end of the online OFPD course you will learn:

The impacts and consequences of invasive species to Oregon trees and forests
Key forest insect threats: the emerald ash borer (EAB), the Asian longhornedbeetle (ALB) and goldspottedoak borer (GSOB), and the impacts they could have on Oregon forests and urban landscapes
How to recognize EAB, ALB and GSOBin various life stages and distinguish from look-alike insects
How to recognize signs and symptoms of these pests
How to report a potential invasive pest infestation for the most rapid response; and what happens when an insect is found

Who Can Benefit from Becoming a Forest Pest Detector?

Eradicating pests can be the key to saving trees and natural and urban forests. Therefore, the OFDPcourse can be a helpful resource for a wide variety of backgrounds, including:

Arborists
Foresters
Landscape contractors
Cargo distribution center employees
Neighborhood tree volunteers
State park and campground personnel
OSU Extension volunteers
Watershed council members
Anyone in the restoration community

Oregon Forest Pest Detectors' Obligations and Responsibilities

There are no obligations. Having taken the course, you will be equipped with skills that you can apply in the course of your day-to-day work or volunteer activities. With these skills, you will become a team player in Oregon's early detection and rapid response strategies for forest insect threats.