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.
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.
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.
By the end of the online OFPD course you will learn:
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:
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.
Forestry and Natural Resources, Assistant Professor of Practice - https://extension.oregonstate.edu/people/dan-stark