Activities and Products

2012

• Developed a consensus letter, signed by 15 organizations, supporting Senate Bill 1673, the Safeguarding American Agriculture Act of 2011.

2011

• Developed a consensus letter, signed by 18 organizations, regarding enforcement of ISPM 15.
• Developed a consensus statement, signed by 17 organizations, in support of ongoing invasive species management programs.
• Developed a consensus letter, signed by 16 organizations, on Maintaining Funding for Vital CPHST Programs
• Developed a consensus letter, signed by 18 organizations, on Farm Bill actions to address forest pests
• Convened an Address P. ramorum Webinar on August 15, 2011 to hear updates from APHIS on some of the major regulatory changes the agency envisions may be needed to address P. ramorum and on the development of a guidance document on addressing positive P. ramorum finds in wildlands.
• Developed a poster to present at the August 7-11, 2011 National  Plant Board meeting on the Address P. ramorum Initiative, and the next steps and outcomes from the February 2011 P. ramorum workshop.
• Finalized “A Decision-making Guide for Invasive Species Program Managers” to assist senior level program managers and policy makers in establishing priorities and making choices for invasive species management programs in May. The guide was later updated in November with case studies and a presentation.
• Created a set of consensus recommendations on APHIS and USFS FY12 appropriations which were signed by 15 and 15 organizations respectively.
• Developed a consensus letter, signed by 21 organizations, in support of the Coalition for Urban Ash Tree Conservation’s Emerald Ash Borer Management Statement
• Convened a Workshop on APHIS/National Plant Board P. ramorum Regulatory Program Review and USFS Framework for Sudden Oak Death in Wildland Forests
  February 15-16, 2011 in Washington, DC.
• Developed a consensus letter, signed by 29 organizations, to USDA APHIS PPQ in support of the proposed elimination of the current exemption for wood packaging entering the country from Canada and recommending that APHIS continue to pursue a method to control movement of pests domestically that would replace the patchwork of federal quarantines and state and local regulations

2010

• Developed a consensus letter, signed by 17 organizations, urging the Obama Administration (addressed to the Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality) to implement five cost-effective practical actions to protect our forest resources.
• Developed a consensus letter, signed by 18 organizations, asking USDA APHIS to tighten regulations on firewood imported from Mexico and (in more limited situations) Canada.
• Developed a consensus letter, signed by 11 organizations, providing USDA APHIS PPQ with detailed comments on the proposed Draft Standard Integrated Measures Approach for Plants for Planting in International Trade.
• Developed a consensus letter, signed by 19 organizations, encouraging USDA APHIS to expeditiously review the ANPR comments in hopes that a regulatory strategy and other appropriate approaches to reduce the risk of wood packaging infested with exotic forest pests moving in domestic commerce be developed.
• Placed Lurking in the Trees on the National Educational Television Association's ACCESS feed, thereby helping ensure that it would air on many public television stations.
• Created a set of consensus recommendations on APHIS and USFS FY11 appropriations which were signed by 17 and 15 organizations respectively.
• Convened the sixth Continental Dialogue meeting October 5-6, 2010 in Waltham, MA to continue efforts to link state and local actions to Continental Dialogue efforts to enhance national policies and strategies, enlist communities in the battle against non-native insects and diseases impacting their trees, and identify and agree on needed actions for Continental Dialogue to take in 2011.
• Held a Steering Committee retreat on June 3-4, 2010 in Boulder, CO to develop the agenda for the upcoming Dialogue meeting.

2009

• On behalf of 12 organizations submitted a consensus letter to OMB urging expedited review of APHIS proposal on Q-37.
• On behalf of 18 organizations, submitted a consensus letter regarding support for USDA-APHIS' efforts to overhaul the Quarantine 37 rules governing plant imports, and the "Not Authorized Pending Pest Risk Analysis" (NAPPRA) proposed rule specifically.
• Created a set of consensus recommendations on FY10 APHIS and USFS appropriations which were signed by 21 and 18 organizations respectively.
  • Met with OMB on FY11 funding needs for APHIS.
• On behalf of 19 organizations, submitted a consensus letter to Secretary Vilsack on USDA APHIS' withdrawal of its interim rule regarding agricultural quarantine inspection user fees.
• Met with new Obama administration USDA officials with focus primarily on Q-37.
• Created and began promoting "Lurking in the Trees," a documentary on Asian Longhorned Beetle impacts in the Northeast.
• Continued to promote and update the Don't Move Firewood campaign.
• Continued to produce newsletter editions and share them with the full Dialogue.
• Finalized the Plum Pox success story document as a tool for Dialogue participants, particularly for distribution during appropriations/funding requests.
• Convened the fifth Continental Dialogue meeting on October 27-28, 2009 in San Francisco, CA to continue efforts to link state and local actions to Continental Dialogue efforts to enhance national policies and strategies, enlist communities in the battle against non-native insects and diseases impacting their trees, and identify and agree on needed actions for Continental Dialogue to take in 2010.
• Held a Steering Committee retreat on June 23-24, 2009 in Washington, DC to develop the agenda for the upcoming Dialogue meeting.

2008

• Developed a consensus letter to USDA regarding the domestic spread of wood-related invasive pests by solid wood packaging that was signed by 16 organizations.
• Crafted consensus recommendations on FY09 APHIS and USFS appropriations which were signed by 16 and 14 organizations respectively.
  • In addition, the organizations lobbying for appropriations spent significant time coordinating on their efforts.
• Submitted a package of Dialogue related information and recommendations to the Obama Administration Transition Team in a meeting.
  • Included a consensus letter to Obama transition team signed by 21 organizations.
• Created a consensus letter related to the Draft 2008-2012 National Invasive Species Management Plan and submitted it with 13 organizational signatures.
• Created the award winning Don't Move Firewood website and secured formal support from 11 organizations. Website transitioned into a multimedia campaign.
• Developed initial newsletter for all Dialogue participants.
• Developed a resolution for the US Conference of Mayors and recruited sponsors and co-sponsors (including the mayors of Anchorage, New York, Chicago, Seattle, Sacramento, Honolulu, and Ann Arbor). The resolution was unanimously adopted at the U.S. Conference of Mayors annual meeting.
• Held the fourth Continental Dialogue meeting on November 12-13, 2008 in Grand Rapids, Michigan which provided the group with the opportunity to tie local-level challenges and solutions to national policies and strategies, enlist communities in the battle against non-native insects and diseases impacting their trees, and identify and agree on needed actions for Continental Dialogue to take in 2009.
• Convened a Steering Committee retreat on September 25-26, 2008 in Warrenton, Virginia to set the stage for the upcoming Dialogue meeting.

2007

• Developed consensus recommendations on Federal Regulations Governing Imports of Living Plants (Q-37) which were then submitted to APHIS and formed an ongoing area of emphasis for the Dialogue.
• Crafted consensus recommendations on APHIS and USFS appropriations which were signed by 16 and 14 organizations respectively.
• Continued public polling efforts to refine understanding of regional differences in attitudes and to build the background information needed to launch Don't Move Firewood campaign.
• Organized the third Continental Dialogue meeting on December 12-13, 2007 in Washington, DC to share updates on implementation efforts and agree on activities for 2008.
• Convened a Steering Committee retreat on October 2-3, 2007 in Elkridge, Maryland to set the stage for the upcoming Dialogue meeting.
• Held the second Continental Dialogue meeting on January 23-24, 2007 in Atlanta, Georgia to confirm the Dialogue's vision and goals, identify key areas of focus, and develop detailed strategies for advancing those opportunities.

2006

• Initiated public polling efforts (e.g., surveys; focus groups) to identify best ways of communicating about forest insects and diseases and public awareness of the issue.
• Held a Steering Committee retreat on September 5-6, 2006 in Elkridge, Maryland to build on the work of the first Dialogue meeting.
• Developed the "Failure to Change" analysis paper for the Steering Committee.
• Convened the first Continental Dialogue meeting on June 20-22, 2006 in Potomac, Maryland to engage diverse stakeholders in exploring and planning for a collaborative effort to address non-native forest insects and diseases.
• Recruited a diverse Steering Committee to oversee the effort.