Expansion of a Regional Outreach Plan - Walnut ALERT - to Slow the Movement of Thousand Cankers Disease

Black walnut, Juglans nigra, is native to the eastern United States, where it is important economically and culturally. Its wood is widely used for furniture and woodworking, and its nuts are commonly used in recipes. This native tree has recently been impacted by thousand cankers disease (TCD), which was introduced from the western United States into the native range of black walnut. The disease is caused by a fungus Geosmithia morbida which is vectored by the walnut twig beetle, Pityopththorus juglandis. In the native range of black walnut, TCD has been confirmed in six states (Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Virginia). State quarantines have been enacted in all confirmed states, as well as other states, to curtail the spread and impact of this deadly disease. Unfortunately, the general public in the affected areas or the potentially-affected areas is not fully aware of the problem, its potential impact, or mitigation efforts. Several years ago, a regional Outreach Plan to develop and implement outreach tools and programs (web-based materials, educational displays, pamphlets, posters, fact sheets, technical papers and presentations, workshops, field days, news media outlets, etc.) to inform growers, industry, scientists, regulators, and the general public of the issues surrounding TCD in the native range of black walnut, as well as to train students to be more knowledgeable in the workforce, was developed. The purpose of this poster is to describe the expanded Regional Outreach Plan to slow the movement of TCD.