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Forest Health and Monitoring
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The Division of Forest Health & Monitoring was established in 1921 to protect the forest, shade and ornamental tree resources of the state from significant insect and disease damage and to provide pest management and damage prevention for homeowners, municipalities, and forest land owners and managers, thereby preserving the overall health of Maine's forest resources (video).
Services
- Need help identifying or advice on managing an insect or disease in the forest or from a tree or shrub? Want to report forest damage from insects, diseases, or abiotic factors? Please fill out our report form.
- Want to stay up-to-date on forest health concerns? Subscribe to our bulletins:
- Insect and Disease Condition Reports
- Emerald Ash Borer Updates
- Browntail Moth Updates
- Need to hire a professional for tree pest control? Consult the list of licensed pesticide applicators.
- Want to learn more about forest insects and diseases in Maine? Check out our forest pest index, list of invasive threats to Maine’s forest and trees, and read past updates in our Condition Reports.
Maps
Want to know more about where pest activity has been observed and quarantines exist? We are working on a consolidated map, but in the meantime, please find these resources for specific observations:
- 2024 Aerial Survey of Forest Tent Caterpillar in Sugar Maple Dominated Forest (zip file)
- Browntail moth interactive map
- Beech leaf disease
- Hemlock woolly adelgid quarantine and detections
- Emerald ash borer quarantine and detections
- See partner map: biological control releases and recoveries
- European larch canker quarantine
- Spruce budworm (pheromone trap catches, aerial damage survey, ground defoliation survey)
- Also see partner maps at www.sprucebudwormmaine.org, including the ForEST app.
Quarantines
Learn more about what quarantines might affect your forest and tree products at the links below.
- Emerald Ash Borer Quarantine
- European Larch Canker Quarantine
- Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Quarantine
- White Pine Blister Rust (Ribes) Quarantine
- Firewood Movement into Maine
Webinars
Here is a sampling of recent webinars from our staff. You can view other Forest Health Recordings on our YouTube playlist.
| Date | Webinar Title/Link | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
2025 05.05 |
Municipal Emerald Ash Borer Update |
The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry provided updates for city and town tree and forest managers and public works staff on the known status of emerald ash borer in Maine. There were presentations on Acadia National Park's Preparations, Response to Emerald Ash Borer and Emerald Ash Borer from the Bangor Perspective, and Emerald Ash Borer State Updates. |
2024 12.16 |
Municipal Emerald Ash Borer Update |
The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry provided updates for city and town tree and forest managers and public works staff on the known status of browntail moths and emerald ash borer in Maine. |
2024 10.28 |
Forest Tent Caterpillar in Sugarbush |
Maine Forest Service entomologists Brittany Schappach and Gabe LeMay, and forest health experts from other states presented a forest tent caterpillar (FTC) educational session. This session provided knowledge and tools for folks to make informed management decisions as a response to heavy defoliation damage in sugar maples from FTCs. Topics included FTC life cycle, history in Maine, aerial survey data, impacts from defoliation on sugar maple trees, and experiences with FTC in Vermont and New Hampshire. |
2024 08.26 |
Municipal Emerald Ash Borer Update |
The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry hosted Rob Cole the State of New York Oak Wilt Coordinator, who presented information on Oak Wilt Disease in the State of New York. Maine Forest Service staff also provided an update for city and town tree and forest managers and public works staff on the known status of emerald ash borer in Maine, and updates on other insects and diseases affecting Maine's forests and trees. |
2024 05.06 |
Municipal Emerald Ash Borer Update |
The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry provided an update for city and town tree and forest managers and public works staff on the known status of emerald ash borer in Maine, current state efforts, municipal opportunities as well as updates on other insects and diseases affecting forests and trees. Guests from New Hampshire also provided insights from their experiences responding to emerald ash borer. Resources: |
2023 12.04 |
Municipal Emerald Ash Borer Update |
The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry hosted guest speakers Cliff Sadof (Purdue University Extension), Jeff Gillis (WellTree Inc) and Tom Ford (The Davey Tree Expert Co) and provided information on managing city and town trees in the presence of emerald ash borer. Resources: |
2023 08.28 |
Municipal Emerald Ash Borer Update |
The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry provided an update for city and town tree and forest managers and public works staff on emerald ash borer in Maine. In addition to emerald ash borer, this update covered hemlock woolly adelgid and Asian longhorned beetle. |
2023 07.21 |
Firewood Alert, the Control and Prevention of invasive insects, What can you do? |
Maine Forest Ranger Erik Ahlquist and Entomologist Mike Parisio discuss the rules of importation of firewood into and throughout Maine. They talk about how to help prevent the spread of invasive insects by limiting the movement of firewood. Invasive insects can have a huge impact on our forests, home, and life. Everyone who enjoys our forests and/or works and depends on our forests have a stake. |
2023 05.01 |
Municipal Emerald Ash Borer Update |
The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry provided an update for city and town tree and forest managers and public works staff on emerald ash borer in Maine. This update featured guest speaker Jeff Tarling, from the City of Portland (retired) and Peter Nelson, with the Schoodic Institute. |
2023 03.24 |
A Review of Recent Spruce Budworm Activity in Maine |
Maine Forest Service Entomologist Mike Parisio discusses the results of Maine's various spruce budworm (SBW) population monitoring activities over the last four monitoring seasons spanning from 2019-2022. Topics covered include SBW monitoring through pheromone trapping, light trapping, aerial and ground defoliation surveys, overwintering larval surveys, and touch on management activities by private landowners in recent years. |
2022 12.05 |
Municipal Emerald Ash Borer Update |
The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry provided an update for city and town tree and forest managers and public works staff on emerald ash borer in Maine. In addition to emerald ash borer, this presentations had updates on browntail moth, winter moth, hemlock woolly adelgid, red pine scale and beech leaf disease. |
2022 06.17 |
Overview of Beech Leaf Disease |
Cameron McIntire, Plant Pathologist with the USDA Forest Service in Durham NH and Aaron Bergdahl, Forest Pathologist with the Maine Forest Service provided an overview of the beech leaf disease situation in the US and Maine. |
2021 06.21 |
Landowner Class 101: The Basics of Diagnosing Tree Disorders in Maine |
This presentation in the June 2021 Landowner 101 class covers diagnosing tree disorders in Maine, as well as the latest on the recent discovery of beech leaf disease in Maine. |
2020 07.08 |
Towards Early Detection of Oak Wilt in Maine |
Maine Forest Service Forest Pathologist Aaron Bergdahl provided information about recognition of oak wilt disease. |
Contact Us:
Didn’t find what you were looking for? Don’t forget to check out the Hot Topics, and feel free to contact us for more information.
We have offices in Augusta and Old Town and regional field staff. Reach out to be put in contact with a forest entomologist, forest pathologist, field technician or the State Entomologist
(207) 287-2431
Augusta:
Maine Forest Service
90 Blossom Lane, Suite 201, Deering
168 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0168
Old Town:
Maine Forest Service
87 Airport Road
Old Town, ME 04468
Several Maine Forest Service programs are wholly or partially funded by the USDA Forest Service under various authorities.
In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)
To file a complaint of discrimination: write
USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights
Room 326-W, Whitten Building
14th and Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20250-9410
or call (202)720-5964 (voice or TDD).
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.