A review of the use of cypermethrin on the Welsh Government Woodland

EstateMichelle van-Velzen

Senior Sustainable Forest Management and Environment Manager

It’s the small things that matter …

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Use of cypermethrin and alpha cypermethrin

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A review of the use of cypermethrin and alpha-cypermethrin on the Welsh Government Woodland Estate•Alternative methods•Risks •Costs & benefits•Timescales

Review panel & wider groupListening to stakeholders

Review group will recommend:

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short term actions for the next business plan period (FY14/15) ie. Changes which can be made that fit with current resources and immediate business need

long term framework for the control of pine weevil and beetles in Natural Resources Wales’ management of the WGWE eg long term forest planning, operational planning, choice of tree species and silvicultural systems

medium term plan for the three year corporate plan period (’14 to ‘17) eg continuing to improve knowledge, efficacy and use of alternatives

Legal positionVoluntary certificationObligations & commitments

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Pollution prevention

Pollution reduction

Reducing chemical usage

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5/14/14 1

Cypermethrin use and finding alternatives

Jointly prepared by Forest Research, UPM Tilhill, Forest Enterprise

& Scottish Woodlands on behalf of the forest industry

Presented by Dr Roger Moore, FR, Northern Research Station

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Content

•  Forestry in the UK (key facts) •  Introduction: Hylobius challenge •  Plant Protection Overview •  Current Plant Protection •  Strategy: Search for alternatives •  Research Trials •  New Insecticide Approvals •  Future Work •  Summary

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Key facts about UK Forestry

•  We are managing plantations rather than natural forests

•  Our windy oceanic climate, with cool wet winters and poor soils esp. in the uplands lead to stability issues and windblow

•  Forests are largely even-aged & large-scale clearfelling and replanting remains the norm

•  Hylobius populations are usually much higher than elsewhere in Europe

•  Pesticides are still essential to sustainably re-establish forests

•  Weevil treatment involves treating restock trees with targeted applications for 2 years (on a 40-45 year rotation)

•  This is very different from European and Scandinavian forests

Forestry in the UK (key facts):

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Clearfell

‘Parents’ fly to CF site and mate (eggs laid April - August)

‘Offsp

ring

’ develo

pm

en

t: eg

g to

ad

ult (1

to 3

yrs)

Felling leaves behind cut stumps that

Hylobius breeds in

Hylobius breeds in any cut/dying conifer stump or root !

Adult ‘Offspring’ emergence & feeding damage on site

Introduction to the Hylobius problem

Hylobius Life Cycle- Breeding in Conifer Stumps

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On emergence Hylobius adults eat the bark/ wood of young trees !

•  Periodic ‘pulses’ of emergence over a 4-5yr period

•  3-120 weevils emerge from each stump (av. =30)

•  Average clearfell of 700 trees/ha ! 2,100- 84,000 emerge/ha

Introduction to the Hylobius problem

•  Most tree species are attacked- incl. BLf

•  If the stem is girdled the tree will die

•  Damage peaks ! in spring, autumn or both

•  1 weevil can kill an unprotected tree

•  Plant c 2500 trees/ha ! 1-35 weevils/tree

•  Populations higher in UK than Europe

•  Restock trees- treated 5-25% die (av 10%),

- untreated c 80-100% die

•  Plants MUST be protected to establish

Hylobius- Adult Emergence & Feeding

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Introduction to the Hylobius problem

•  Without protection or a reduction in weevil populations in the UK we will not be able to sustainably re-establish our forests

•  Currently we need pesticides to provide sufficient plant protection to allow crop establishment

•  We are working towards •  Using less pesticide •  Using pesticides with a lighter environmental footprint •  Improving our Integrated Pest Management (IPM) systems

(reliable and cost-effective)

•  This will provide economic, environmental and social benefits

Hylobius Management Approaches

Plant Protection

Insecticide Protection

Physical Protection

Biological Control

Weevil Control Knowledge -based

approaches

?!

Advice: how to avoid weevil damage and efficiently use resources (minimise insecticide use ! reduce costs ! where possible)

3 Categories:

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Ph

ysi

cal

Pro

tect

ion

•  Pre-Plant Treatment - Nursery Alpha-Cypermethrin – electrostatically applied

•  Post-Plant Treatment - Forest Cypermethrin – aqueous spray

•  Barriers & Coatings (minor use eg Weenet)

•  Nematodes - Forest Steinernema carpocapsae

•  Fallow period – 1 to 5 years (the longer the better !!)

•  Hylobius Management Support System (DSS) Restock planning tool

•  Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF)

Current Plant Protection….. In

sect

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pla

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* Boxes indicate categories of plant protection

.... & Management Approaches to Combat Hylobius Damage

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Current Management (Insecticides)

Electrodyn

Insecticide Plant Protection

Top-up Spray

Pre-planting (nursery) Post-planting (field)

Insecticide applied in controlled cabinet- v low risk (op. & envt) Insecticide field applied- low

concns & highly targeted …dyes

Knapsack Drench Gun

! provides 3-7 months tree protection in field

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Current Management (Biocontrol)

Nematodes

Biological Protection (Biocontrol)

size

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Current Management (Knowledge-based Systems)

1.  The introduction by FES of a 5yr ‘fallow policy’ in Scotland in c.2000- (damage avoidance)

2.  The knowledge that CCF reduced Hylobius damage risk and later…….

3.  The development of the ‘Hylobius Management Support System’ (intro. 2007) ~ a web-based DSS provides ‘site-specific’ damage prediction prior to planting

Hylobius Management Support System (HMSS), Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF) & Fallow

These approaches assist managers in using resources efficiently (incl. insecticides) but do NOT provide control in their own right

FR studies of Hylobius Population Dynamics (1993-2000) led to:

Site restock strategy/ management intensity ! to the level of ‘risk’

Ensures that

-  low nutrient sites -  increased herbicide use

-  only possible on 25% of sites- stability issues

•  No single non-chemical management method is suitable for all situations

•  Managers adopt an integrated pest management approach, considering the full range and combination of options

•  The use of a fallow period has negative economic impact to private investors

•  Currently, on most sites, some form of protection using insecticides remains essential.

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Current management - summary

SPRUCE

PINE

Fallow Insecticides HMSS

Insecticides HMSS Fallow Insecticides

HMSS Nematodes

Nematodes Insecticides

Lowland Pine DSS Insecticides

This map is based upon Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office © Crown copyright and database rights 2014 Ordnance Survey 100019741.2014

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Strategy: the search for alternatives

In late 2009 the Hylobius Plant Protection Group (HPPG) was formed to facilitate this forest industry collaboration & to provide joint funding of a large ongoing research programme.....

Immediate term • Find suitable alternatives for pyrethroid based pesticides to reduce

potential environmental risk & discomfort to some operators. Longer term

• Further develop long term sustainable integrated pest management (IPM) strategies (using HMSS, biocontrol & physical plant protection) to focus the most environmental & cost effective solutions on an individual site basis

ITS AIMS ARE

Over £500k spent since 2010

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"  Trial 1- trials of a wide range of insecticides "  Trial 2- optimise pre-plant rates of two promising candidate insecticides "  Trial 3- further trials of other types /forms of previously untested insecticides "  Trial 4- optimise pre- & post-plant treatments rates (alone & in combination) "  Trial 5- tree tolerance/ phytotoxicity of two promising candidate insecticides "  Trial 6- trials of barriers, insecticides, biocontrol & weevil repellents "  Trial 7- insecticide efficacy when mixed with TUS dye markers (also incl wax barriers)

2010 2011 2012 2013

Trial 1

Trial 2

Trial 3

Trial 4

Trial 5

Trial 6

Trial 7

Majo

r/ larg

e s

cale

tri

als

Hylobius PPG & FE Partnership Trials 2010-13

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Hylobius PPG and FE Trials

Trials 1 to 7: Standard insecticide protection products being compared to new approaches & products

20 Sites, 214 Treatments, 64K Trees

Standard insecticide treatments

Alternative insecticide treatments

Physical barriers

Bio-control

Trial Results- New Protection Products

•  Neonicotinoids*- Acetamiprid & Imidacloprid •  Wax (full) •  MultiPro Paper sleeves

Good Protection (equivalent to pyrethroids)

•  Met52 (fungal) •  Flexcoat •  Hylobius repellents

•  Spinosad •  ! Wax

Medium Protection Poor Protection •  Neem* •  Weenet*

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Left: Neonicitinoids performing well

Right: Neem treatments performing poorly- phytotoxic Above: Weenet

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Trial Results- New Protection Products

•  Neonicotinoids- Acetamiprid & Imidacloprid •  Wax (full)* •  MultiPro Paper sleeves*

! Wax trt- damage above wax

Full Wax trt- good

Plant Sleeve- good

Repellents- phytotoxicity?

Good Protection (equivalent to pyrethroids)

•  Met52 (fungal) •  Flexcoat •  Hylobius repellents*

•  Spinosad •  ! Wax*

Medium Protection

Poor Protection •  Neem •  Weenet

New Protection Products ->>

•  2014 Research Trials Planned •  Around 60 treatments planned between trial sites •  Growth experiments for waxed trees •  Efficacy trials for new:

•  Repellents •  Attractants •  Barriers •  Pesticides

•  2014 Operational Trials •  Wider rollout of acetamiprid, wax and tubes •  Nursery pre-treatment (imp systems under development) •  Development of top-up spray (mixing & filling)

•  HMSS / IPMS Development •  Carry on development of MSS to support full suite of

products in low, medium and high densities

Future Nursery Pre-Plant Treatment

•  Alternative pesticides (Acetamiprid) •  New Nursery spraying systems •  Ability to adapt to future products

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Gazelle approvals

Gazelle & Admire / Merit resp.) showed significant promise in 2010 trials. But both are neonicotinoids which have been linked to harm of bees

Gazelle shows no risk to bees and thus the HPP group took this active ingredient forward and gained approval for off label nursery based application during 2011

In 2012 an extension of use (EoU) was gained for forest based top up sprays

Our use is NOT on flowering plants & applications are highly targeted- further reducing the risk to bees

•  Physical barrier – Norsk Wax •  Has shown greatest promise of all

barrier methods •  Considerable research and

operational delivery work needed

Future Nursery Treatment (Wax)

•  Wax Research •  How much wax is needed

•  !, ", full

•  Application optimisation •  Species •  Size •  Seed / veg. prop.

Future Nursery Treatment

Future Nursery Treatment •  Protection vs. Growth

Future Nursery Treatment

•  Wax, Sitka & GB climate •  Cracking on flexion •  Freeze thaw •  Rapid Sitka root collar growth

•  Physical barrier – MultiPro sleeve •  Has shown promise •  Currently limited to stock type •  May not be suitable for maritime GB climate

Future Nursery Treatment

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Future work

•  Refine operational deployment of acetamiprid •  Improve efficacy and reliability of forest top-up sprays •  Further refinement of controls incl. use of dye markers, Electrodyn,

mixing and filling •  Continue work to identify other alternatives, to reduce risk of

resistance developing

•  Further investigate use of repellents and attractants •  Investigate the use of wax treatments and paper ‘hats’

•  Investigate the use of fungal control agents (eg M.anosopliae)

•  Improve the functionality and accuracy of the HMSS and increase its user base

•  Develop models of Hylobius spatial and temporal dispersal to assist forest planners to reduce levels of Hylobius colonisation on clearfell sites

Ph

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More time is required to develop the following approaches

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Why do we need renewed derogation?

SUMMARY 1

•  Hylobius weevils threaten conifer restock sites if they are not controlled.

•  Hylobius populations are higher in the UK than elsewhere in Europe (especially Sweden and Finland), so what works there may not work here.

•  Despite continuing efforts to develop non-chemical approaches, and a commitment to reduce or eliminate pesticide use, currently the vast majority of situations still require the use of insecticides.

•  Other current plant protection tools are either not control methods in their own right or do not work well in particular parts of the UK or under particular conditions.

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Why do we need renewed derogation?

SUMMARY 2 •  Cypermethrins are legal to use in the UK, and expert

regulators judge they can be used safely in forests, but they are not permitted under voluntary FSC certification scheme but are under PEFC.

•  Hylobius can lead to the complete loss of planted trees making forest management unsustainable.

•  Research indicates the potential of acetamiprid as a less hazardous replacement for the cypermethrins, but additional time is required to complete operational trials and develop application technologies.

•  More time is needed to refine IPM systems and reduce reliance on pesticides.

•  Although cypermethrin use remains legal in UK forests, a temporary extension in FSC derogation is required for voluntarily certified estates.

Cyfoeth Naturiol CymruNatural Resources Wales

Bob Vaughan

Rheolwr Cynllunio Amgylcheddol Strategol

/ Strategic Environmental Planning Manager

• Sheep Dip• Pesticides in Forestry Use• Monitoring• Forward Look

Introduction

Sheep Dip

• New body - 1st April 2013

• Welsh Government sponsored body

• Sustainable Development is our central organising principle

• New body - 1st April 2013

• Welsh Government sponsored body

• Sustainable Development is our central organising principle

Sheep Dip

• Animal Husbandry

• Organophosphate (OPs) - chemical warfare agents

• Pyrethroid – Cypermethrin

• One Drop in 30 Olympic Size Swimming Pools

9 Parts per Trillion (ng/l)

X 30

Cypermethrin

Forestry Use

Pine Weevil potential Impact of £5m in UKSeedlings at riskPre-planting application plus top up sprayingDerogation for use up to this year.You must reduce reliance

Monitoring

• Incident in 2007

• 2009 – study at 59 sites

• Little evidence of pollution – but 2 sites with pesticide impact

• Monitoring in 2011 & 2012

• No breaches of EQS –but some detection.

Restock trees

Ephemeral ditch

Monitoring

• Sheep Dip• Pesticides in Forestry Use• Monitoring• Forward Look

Review