History and Chronology
The Asian longhorned beetle probably traveled to the United States inside solid wood packing material from China. First discovered in the Greenpoint neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY, in August 1996, the ALB was soon found in Amityville, NY, where, officials learned, the ALB had been unwittingly transported in infested wood.
In July 1998, due to USDA's national ALB pest alert campaign, a separate infestation was discovered in the Ravenswood area of Chicago.
In October 2002, ALBs were spotted in Jersey City, New Jersey. And in August 2004, ALBs were discovered in the Borough of Cateret, the Avenel section of Woodbridge Township, and in the nearby cities of Rahway and Linden, New Jersey.
Most recently, on March 23, 2006, yet another ALB infestation site was discovered in Middlesex/Union County, New Jersey.
Chronology
Since the initial discovery of the ALB in Brooklyn, NY, many combined efforts have been made to protect our hardwood trees from this invasive pest. The following are highlights of our progress since 1996 to stop the spread of the ALB and save our trees.
August 19, 1996 — The ALB is found devouring trees in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn, New York. Within the next two years, it spreads to 3 out of 5 New York City boroughs, and to Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island. USDA establishes the ALB Cooperative Eradication Program to eradicate the beetle and protect our nation's treasured 1.2 billion susceptible host trees.
December 11, 1996 — New York Governor George Pataki signs an emergency ALB quarantine for a small section of the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens in the city of New York and in an area in the vicinity of Amityville, New York.
February 14, 1997 — Governor Pataki announces that he has secured $500,000 in federal funds to be used for the replacement of trees being removed because of ALB infestation.
October 17, 1997 — APHIS' PPQ officials meet with Chinese Animal and Plant Health Inspection Department officials to relate concerns about wood-boring pests in solid wood packing materials from China.
January 16, 1998 — In cooperation with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and the City of New York Parks and Recreation's Forestry Department, USDA holds a public meeting in Brooklyn to inform and educate the community.
July 13, 1998 — The ALB is first detected in Chicago's Ravenswood area and an ALB quarantine area is established. Within the same year, separate infestations are discovered in Summit, Cook County, and Addison, Illinois. The quarantine area is extended to include these areas and importation of solid wood packing materials is banned.
December 17, 1998 — APHIS amends an interim rule on Solid Wood Packing Material from China published in the Federal Register on September 18, 1998, and effective December 17, 1998. The interim rule amends the regulations for importing logs, lumber, and other unmanufactured wood articles by adding treatment and documentation requirements for solid wood packing material imported from the People's Republic of China, including the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
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