Facebook page tracks tree pests and diseases on P.E.I.

A Facebook page set up totrack outbreaks of tree insects and diseases on Prince Edward island is garnering attention.

Trees Insects and Diseases:P.E.Iis loaded with photos and videosof common diseases and pestsand the type of damage they do to trees on the Island.

The Forests, Fish and Wildlife division of the Department of Communities, Land and Environmenthas been building the page for a year.

Dave Carmichael, a horticultural technician, told Island Morning the page is agreat way to have a two-wayconversation with Islanders about tree pests and diseases becauseFacebook is "a little more userfriendly for folks."

The page has a number of photo albums specific to various types of trees and pests, which Carmichael said would help people identify problems they see on their own treesand in public places.

The page also contains useful informationaboutenvironmentalissues, such as wind andsalt damage, as well aspruning techniques and how pruning affects pests.

"We have albums specific to our primary tree species that are native to P.E.I., so within each album, spruce for example, there's a wholelist of different diseases that affect spruce," he said.

Island Morning4:49Fighting tree disease using Facebook

Horticultural technician Dave Carmichael explains how P.E.I.'s forestry department has set up a Facebook page to educate Islanders about diseases and invasive pests.

Another category, labelled "invasive pests on the horizon," isdesigned to let people know about pests that could be making their way to the east coast, Carmichael said,such as the"emerald ash borer, which has been very devastating to the ash population in southern Ontario and working its way easterntowardsus and isnow in the eastern townships of Quebec."

The whole idea of the Facebook page is to allow people, both general public and industry, to submit images "and we can perhaps try to identify the issue in that manner or insect and disease samples can be submitted to our Access PEIsites," he said.

While the page offers tips for dealing with outbreaks of pests in trees, itdoes not promote specific products, Carmichael said.

"[It's] additional eyes and ears for us to potentially capture an insect or identify a new introduction."