Prevent caterpillars from damaging pine forests

(Baonghean) - The pine forest caterpillar disease is developing strongly in Nghi Loc district and spreading to districts such as Dien Chau, Quynh Luu, Hung Nguyen, and Yen Thanh. In this situation, the Provincial People's Committee has just issued a telegram directing localities to prevent the disease and avoid the risk of widespread spread.

Checking caterpillars damaging pine forests in Nghi Tien commune, Nghi Loc district.

This year, the caterpillar epidemic appeared early in the pine forest area of ​​Nghi Yen commune (Nghi Loc). Starting from the forests of Khoanh 2, Sub-zone 961, it then spread to the forests of Vi Ba area flowing to National Highway 1 as well as the forests of Dong Choi, Ru Sat, Khe Chanh, Ru Nho with a density of 150 caterpillars/tree. Up to this point, Nghi Yen commune has more than 600 hectares of infected pine forest, of which 30 hectares are individually infected with a density of over 250 caterpillars/tree, 594 hectares are heavily infected with a density of over 150 caterpillars/tree. In addition to Nghi Yen and Nghi Tien communes, the caterpillar epidemic has spread to Nghi Hung communes (184 hectares), Nghi Dong (nearly 200 hectares), Nghi Quang (28 hectares), Nghi Lam (28 hectares), Nghi Van (114 hectares), etc. Currently, pine caterpillars are growing and developing in the 4th generation, with more than 1,500 hectares of pine forest infected with caterpillars in the whole district.

Faced with the complicated developments of the caterpillar epidemic, the Nghi Loc District Forest Protection Management Board has organized inspections and implemented measures to suppress the epidemic by manual methods and spraying machines. However, due to the complex terrain, erratic weather and lack of funding, the suppression of caterpillar epidemic has not been really effective. Up to now, only about 46 hectares of pine forest have been sprayed with pesticides. Mr. Tran Van, Head of the Technical - Planning Department, Nghi Loc District Forest Protection Management Board, said that up to this point, the board has spent about 1.2 billion VND to spray pesticides to kill caterpillars. However, due to heavy rain, the spraying was not effective. The Forest Protection Management Board has proposed to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to support funding and materials to continue expanding the spraying area, preventing the caterpillar epidemic from breaking out. In addition, Nghi Loc District also recommends that people should not enter pine forest areas where the epidemic is occurring, to avoid affecting their health.

Currently, the caterpillar disease has appeared in many pine forests in districts such as Nam Dan, Dien Chau, Yen Thanh, Quynh Luu, Hung Nguyen... Although the level is less severe than the pine forests in Nghi Loc district, the outbreak of caterpillar disease will cause serious damage, leading to canopy fire if not prevented in time. In response to the unfavorable developments of the disease, the Provincial People's Committee recently issued Official Dispatch No. 28/CD-UBND, requesting directors of departments, heads of relevant units, Chairmen of People's Committees of districts, cities and towns with pine forests and relevant departments and branches to organize inspections, urge and direct the work of preventing and controlling pine caterpillars of generation IV/2014 in localities; establish working groups to go to localities with pine forests at risk of being seriously damaged by pine caterpillars to inspect and direct forest owners to strictly implement prevention and control measures; at the same time, monitor and evaluate the results of the organization and direction of prevention and control by forest owners and local leaders; Communes where pine forests are at high risk of being severely damaged by pests should urge forest owners in the area to investigate, delimit the area of ​​​​infestation with pests and mobilize means, machinery and materials to organize timely prevention when pests arise, not allowing pests to spread; proactively balance local budgets to support households and forest owners at risk of being affected by the fourth generation of pine caterpillars to buy BitadinWP, Vi-BT, VBT and pumps, prevent according to the recommendations of plant protection agencies and organize effective prevention, at the same time strengthen propaganda work on local mass media about the risks of pests and prevention measures so that farmers know and organize effective prevention...

Nguyen Khoa