Entire towns in South Bristol, Middlesex and Italia, as well as parts of Bristol and Naples, have been placed in oak wilt quarantine areas.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation found oak wilt-infected trees on public and private properties in these quarantine areas. State officials say the disease can destroy the health of forests.
DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton said in a prepared statement that oak wilt can have devastating impacts on private and state lands.
“Oak trees are an important part of our environment and local economies, and DEC is committed to working with communities, landowners and industry partners to protect these important resources,” Lefton said.
What is oak wilt?
Oak wilt, first discovered in Wisconsin in 1944, is a disease caused by a fungus that blocks the water-conducting vessels, or xylem, of the host tree, eventually causing leaves to wilt and fall off.
Infected red oak trees usually die within a few weeks of infection.
How does oak wilt spread?
The disease spreads through interconnected root systems and beetles that pick up fungal spores from the fungal clumps of infected trees and transport them to other oak trees.
Humans may also be to blame.
The spread of oak wilt has been linked to the movement of firewood and other wood products, which is why the quarantine was implemented. That’s why oak logs and branch fragments are prohibited from leaving the quarantine area unless their two-dimensional fragments are smaller than one inch. The movement of other types of wood is also restricted unless it is 29 inches or larger in length for identification purposes.
Restricting the movement of oak out of quarantine areas helps limit the spread of oak wilt while DEC officials treat infected sites and monitor the area for additional infections.
Where is oak wilt found in Ontario County?
DEC officials said they discovered the discolored oak trees during an aerial survey last July.
Oak wilt has been confirmed at seven sites in the Italian towns of Middlesex, South Bristol and Naples, four of which are on private land and three of which are in the DEC’s High Tor Wildlife Management Area.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation discovered oak wilt on some oak trees in the Goto Management Area, as well as other locations in Ontario County.
The infected oaks and some neighboring asymptomatic oaks were cut down.
To prevent further spread, treat tree stumps with herbicides to kill the roots, and chop or burn logs and branches to prevent the growth of fungal spore mats.
DEC officials will monitor the stumps for resprouting as well as symptoms of oak wilt in neighboring oak trees. Aerial investigations surrounding positive tests will continue for at least the next five years.
The disease was discovered in 2016 in a rural area in the town of Canandaigua.
How long will the oak wilt quarantine last?
It’s hard to say, although there are cases to look back on.
Oak wilt was first discovered in 2008 in the town of Glenville, Schenectady County, New York.
Over the past decade, DEC officials have managed five sites of infection in the Glenville area, which included the removal and disposal of 203 oak trees on 23 properties.
No new infections have been detected since 2018, prompting the lifting of quarantine. DEC will continue to monitor oak trees in the area for signs of new oak wilt infections.
Learn more about oak wilt disease
For more information, visit the DEC webpage or email foresthealth@dec.ny.gov.
Other invasive species to watch out for in the Finger Lakes
According to the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Association and DEC, the spotted lanternfly discovered in Ithaca, Tompkins County, in the fall of 2020 is causing significant concern. It can wreak havoc on grapevines, hops, and maple, walnut, and fruit trees.
Hemlock woolly adelgid is another one. This pest, deadly to eastern hemlock trees, was discovered in the Canandaigua Lake watershed in the fall of 2014.
The gypsy moth is another one. Severe defoliation was seen in several areas of the Lakes catchment in 2020, including South Bristol and Middlesex. Canandaigua also suffered damage.
The Watershed Association also warns boaters about the need to prevent damaging invasive species such as black algae from being transported into the lake.
For more information, visit https://dec.ny.gov/ or https://www.canandaigualakeassoc.org/.
Mike Murphy covers Canandaigua and other Ontario County communities and writes the Eat, Drink, Be Murphy food and drink column. Follow him on X @MPN_MikeMurphy.
This article originally appeared in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Oak wilt detected in Ontario county. The whole town is quarantined
