There are four logical categories of tasks: Planning and Coordination, Site selection, Field Monitoring and Data Analysis and Decision-Support System. The following tasks are broken down under these categories.
Planning and Coordination – This task includes all activities related to maintaining a collaborative approach with our Russian partners in short- and long-term planning of each year’s work in the context of achieving our strategic goal. This includes such things as participating in scheduled Working Group meetings in April and December, and planning the next year’s work, attending Advisory Council meetings in June and December, organizing and holding technical workshops, and other forms of communication to keep Component 2 focused and able to take advantage of the latest results during Component implementation.
Site Selection – This focuses on tasks 3 and 4 and is related to understanding more about the factors that influence habitat selection by forest insect pests and the use of technologies such as GIS that assist in reducing the total geographical area that must be monitored. We believe that this information will be vital in reducing the total area in Siberia and the Russian Far East that will need pheromone traps to monitor populations of pest species.
Field Monitoring – This task includes all field data collection studies regardless of the pest or where the study is conducted. It assumes that data collected will be recorded and submitted to the appropriate center for entry into the Component 2 database.
Data Analysis and Decision-Support System – This includes all computer-based activities including but not limited to data management, analysis, summarization, modeling, and development of decision support systems.
i. Planning and Coordination. The purpose of this task is to maintain a high level of coordination and cooperation between the Component 2 team and all other partners participating in Component 2 and also with USAID. This includes all forms of communication and reporting, such as Working Group meetings, seminars, workshops, telephone, fax, and email. Planning needed to develop annual Plans of Work is also included here and many of the activities described above will also contribute to Work Plan formulation. Finally, it will include monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting of results. Technical Assistance: Component 2 Coordinator, C2 Working Group Leader, Heron Group. Other Resources Needed: Communication costs, meeting facilities, transportation, travel to Russia from United States, translation costs. Deliverables: Annual workplan, two Working Group meetings per year, one seminar per year, reports including monthly, quarterly, and annual. Timetable: Annual workplan drafted in May for June Advisory Council meeting. Agendas and logistics completed in advance of Working Group meetings scheduled for April and December. Year Two Indicators and Targets: Working Group and Advisory Council meetings held in timely manner; workplan and reports completed on time.
ii. Public Awareness. This task will include activities to make the general public aware of the work being conducted in Component 2. It will include newspaper releases, TV and radio interviews, brochures, scientific papers , presentations and posters. The project expects all participants in Component 2 to actively take part in these activities and the Component Coordinator to support this activity and report on accomplishments. Deliverables will make the general public aware of progress and hopefully will result in protection of pheromone traps in the forests. By informing the public about the issue, the methodology will be readily accepted in Russia. Technical Assistance: Component 2 participants. Other Resources Needed: Communication and publication production costs. Deliverables: Information that describes component activities to reduce the threat of large outbreaks of forest insect pests. Timetable: Public awareness plan developed and at least two public awareness documents or activates disseminated in Year Two. Year Two Indicators and Targets: Public awareness plan prepared and approved; documents prepared and disseminated on issue of reducing the threat of large outbreaks of forest pest insects. Development of baseline of information on current knowledge of issue.
iii. Delineate Regions of Siberian Forests. Component 2 staff will apply principles for delineating regions of Siberian forests near the Yenissey River (from the Evenk Autonomous Republic in the north to the Republic of Tuva in the south) and in Irkutsk Oblast according to the risk and severity of defoliation caused by the main forest pest species. The areas will be classified into regions with different susceptibility to defoliation. The classification will be based on climate, vegetation and landscape characteristics and will take into account historical data on the frequency of outbreaks and level of defoliation. The purpose of this classification is to develop a basis for region-specific strategies in monitoring the abundance of insect defoliators populations. Map of risk areas will contribute to better planning for placement of traps to detect moth population increases. Technical Assistance: Institute of forest SB RASc., Forest protection center of Irkutsk oblast. Other Resources Needed: Communication and map production costs. Deliverables: Maps of Krasnoyarsk and Irkutsk indicating areas showing potential risk of defoliation by insect forest pests. Timetable: Maps of Krasnoyarsk and Irkutsk completed by May 2002. Year Two Indicators and Targets: 1 Map of Siberian moth outbreaks completed.
iv. Identify Habitat Quality. An algorithm for delineating regions with various habitat qualities for the Siberian moth in selected leskhozes will be developed. In the first year, the project developed a map of habitat quality for the Siberian moth in Bolshaya Murta leskhoz of Krasnoyarskiy Krai. This map is based on GIS analysis of historical defoliation maps and various landscape characteristics. In Year Two, the Component 2 team plans to build a similar map for another leskhoz with high risk of defoliation by the Siberian moth. The map will assist by showing high quality habitat thereby reducing labor that will need to sample insects in lower quality sites. Technical Assistance: Institute of forest SB RASc. Other Resources Needed: Communication and map production costs. Deliverables: A map of Siberian moth habitats in Motyginskiy and/or Yeniseiskiy leskhozes. Timetable: Map will be ready in May 2002. Year Two Indicators and Targets: Completed map detailing moth habitats in the Central part of Krasnoyarsk Kray.
v. Compare Moth Captures in Various Habitats. The relationship between moth counts in pheromone traps and habitat quality will be tested in a field experiment. In each of three habitat classes, there will be 20 pheromone traps placed in June and collected in July. Traps will be spaced at least 2 km apart, and their location will be recorded with GPS. Identification of prime habitats will contribute to reducing the number of traps needed to detect moth populations. Technical Assistance: Institute of forest SB RASc. Other Resources Needed: Traps and pheromones, transportation of traps and field personnel. Deliverables: A report describing the numerical relationship between moth counts and habitat quality. Timetable: Field experiment will be completed and analyzed by August 2001. Year Two Indicators and Targets: Identification of prime habitat conditions for population growth.
vi. Comparison of Siberian Moth Counts and Larval Density in Krasnoyarsk Krai. Pheromone traps will be placed in 30 sampling plots used by the Krasnoyarsk Center for Forest Protection for monitoring larval density of the Siberian moth. The Krasnoyarsk Center will carry out sampling of larvae in May-June and in September-October as part of its routine monitoring program. Three pheromone traps will be placed near each of these permanent plots separated by at least 1 km. Traps will be placed at the end of June and collected three weeks later. The resulting knowledge of numerical relationship between moth captures and larval counts will increase confidence in trap predictability. Technical Assistance: Forest protection center of Krasnoyarski Kray. Other Resources Needed: Traps and pheromones, transportation of traps and people. Deliverables: Data on the numerical relationship between moth counts of the Siberian moth and larval density on trees. Timetable: Experiment will be completed in November 2001. Year Two Indicators and Targets: Report on data collected in Krasnoyarsk on larval and moth density.
vii. Compare Siberian Moth Counts and Larval Density in Irkutsk Oblast. Pheromone traps will be placed in 30 permanent plots to monitor larval density of the Siberian moth in Irkutsk. The Irkutsk Center for Forest Protection will carry out sampling of larvae in May-June and in September-October. Three pheromone traps will be placed near each of these plots separated by at least one kilometer. Traps will be placed at the end of June and collected three weeks later. Technical Assistance: Forest protection center of Irkutsk oblast’. Other Resources Needed: Traps, pheromones, transportation of traps and people, GPS Units. Deliverables: Data on the numerical relationship between moth counts of the Siberian moth and larval density on trees in Irkutsk. Timetable: Experiment will be completed in November 2001. Year Two Indicators and Targets: Report on data collected in Irkutsk on larval and moth density.
viii. Monitor Siberian Moth in Primorskiy Krai. Based on data obtained during the first year, the Component 2 team plans to extend the pheromone technology to other regions. Siberian moth populations will be monitored in the Primorskiy Krai with pheromone traps in the second year. The project will place approximately 100 pheromone traps in an area to be selected in the Primorskiy Krai and will monitor populations of Siberian moth and compare results with those obtained elsewhere. Results will validate concept that the methodology can be used in different regions without modification. Technical Assistance: Forest protection center of Primorskiy Kray, Far-East Institute of Forestry. Other Resources Needed: Global Positioning System (GPS); supplies (traps, pheromones); training of trappers in GPS methodology and in trap assembly; transportation of trappers. Deliverables: Data on moth counts in pheromone traps collected. Timetable: Placement of traps will be completed by June 30, 2002; trap collection will be completed by August 20, 2002. Year Two Indicators and Targets: Report on response to pheromone traps by different populations and difference in population numbers.
ix. Pheromone Monitoring of Siberian Moth and Gypsy Moth in Areas with Continuous Pest Distribution. The Component 2 team will select 250 sites to place pheromone traps in an area of approximately 150x250 km. This will be a continuation of activities started Year One. This area is located to the west from the Yenissey River, from the line Krasnoyarsk-Achinsk in the north to the city of Abakan in the south. Sites will form a semi-uniform grid with an intertrap distance of 10-15 km. The grid will closely follow the system of roads. At this site, two pheromone traps will be placed: one for Siberian moth, the other for gypsy moth. Trap placement and removal will be performed by trappers who will be selected (by recommendation) from employees of the forest service or from personnel and students of forest institutes, colleges, and universities of Krasnoyarsk. Spatial location of each trap will be recorded by GPS. In addition, vegetation characteristics will be recorded. Each trapper will serve 50 trap sites (i.e., 100 traps). In August, traps will be removed, moths counted, and all specimens will be sent to the Sukachev Institute of Forest for quality control. Moth captures should reflect densities of moths in different areas. Technical Assistance: Institute of forest SB RASc. Other Resources Needed: GPS units; supplies (traps, pheromones); training of trappers in GPS methodology and in trap assembly; transportation of trappers and other field personnel to trap sites. Deliverables: Data on moth counts in pheromone traps collected. Timetable: Traps placed in Year One will be collected by August 20, 2001. Traps to be placed in the field in Year Two for sampling will be completed by June 30, 2002. Year Two Indicators and Targets: Report on data on Siberian and Gypsy Moths in Krasnoyarsk Kray and Republic of Khakassiya.
x. Remote Monitoring and Prognosis of the Black Fir Sawyer Beetle. A mass outbreak of the Siberian moth Dendrolimus superans sibiricus Tschetw. occurred in Central Siberia in the mid-1990s and resulted in a mass outbreak of the Black Fir Sawyer Monochamus urussovi Fisch. According to the field survey conducted by Krasnoyarsk Center for Forest Protection, the area of the fir-sawyer outbreak currently occupies almost 120,000 hectares of taiga stands. The same survey also indicated that the damaged area is expanding to neighboring fir stands. The main objective of this task is to forecast the direction of the dispersal of the Black Fir Sawyer populations and to see if they can be managed by prescribed cuttings and/or fire. Containment of this pest to dead and dying trees will prevent additional mortality of live trees adjacent to the old Siberian moth outbreak areas. Technical Assistance: Institute of Forest SB RASc., Forest protection center of Krasnoyarskiy Kray. Other Resources Needed: Forest inventory data, satellite imagery, GPS Units. Deliverables: Maps showing of area of infestation and dispersal of fir sawyer; methods for control of spread. Timetable: Maps will be available in June 2002 and control methods by December 2002. Year Two Indicators and Targets: Report on the assessment of the influence of Black Fir Sawyer beetle on adjacent forests.
xi. Data Analysis and Decision Support System. Spatially referenced data on moth catches in pheromone traps will be converted to GIS format and analyzed using geostatistics. As a result, the project will detect potential problem areas where interpolated moth counts are high. In these areas, a denser grid of traps (5-10 km) will be planned for the following year. Sampling of larvae (or eggs masses for the gypsy moth) will be planned in areas with very high moth counts. Thresholds for placing intensive grids of traps and for larval sampling will be determined from additional experiments on the relationship between moth counts in traps and larval density in the next generation. Results obtained will be used for mapping potential risk of defoliation in forests. Results of data analysis are the focal point of all fieldwork to test the methodology. Results will confirm hypotheses of methodology or not as the case may be. Technical Assistance: Institute of forest SB RASc, Heron Group. Other Resources Needed: Computers, GIS software, geostatistical software. Deliverables: Maps of moth counts in pheromone traps; interpolated maps of moth counts; maps of potential risk areas. Timetable: Data analysis will be completed in December 2001. Year Two Indicators and Targets: All data entered and analyzed by target dates.
xii. Refine and Maintain Website. A free-access database on the abundance of forest pest insects will be developed. A website has been developed for Component 2. Results on sampling of forest pest insects will be integrated in a regional database using Microsoft Access and will be available from the web site. In the future, maps on pest abundance and trends in population numbers in monitored regions will be added. The website will serve to document progress in achieving expected results across the entire Component. Technical Assistance: Institute of forest SB RASc. Other Resources Needed: Computers, GIS software, database software. Deliverables: Web site with database access and maps. Timetable: The site will be placed on the web in December 2001. Year Two Indicators and Targets: Database operational and latest results available.
xiii. Inter-Regional Seminar on Forest Pest Monitoring. An inter-regional school seminar on methods for monitoring forest pests will be conducted. The Component team will invite leaders of regional Centers for Forest Protection of Siberia and Far East, interested personnel working in forest protection, and leading scientists in the area of monitoring of forest pest insects to attend. Using results and experience of Year One, the project will teach new methods of pest monitoring, data management and analysis, and methods for decision-making on pest control. Seminar results will be published in Russian. Annual seminars will continue during the project and will be organized in cooperation with the World Bank. Proceedings will document current status of monitoring and will be used as a textbook for forest protection staff in Siberia. Technical Assistance: Institute of forest SB RASc. Other Resources Needed: Partial travel compensation for participants, renting space for the meeting, proceedings publication and distribution. Deliverables: Seminar organized, proceedings published. Timetable: The seminar is planned for December 2001. Year Two Indicators and Targets: Proceedings published on schedule.
