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Dr. Kathleen Johnson 

 February 20, 1991 

 Page 2 



Typically, the pines have a rich insect fauna. While some insects found on them 

 are quite host specific, others share more than one pine species. I have seen this 

 in my own work on Pinus contorta (all subspecies), P. ponderosa. P. banksiana. P. 

 flexilis, and P. sylvesiris. 



Since the proposal is to bring in chips rather than logs or finished lumber, there 

 is a broader concern for anything that might be found in the piles of chips. 

 Some of these species might be potential pests of other sorts (termites for 

 example) that pupate or estivate in the piles of wood chips. This habitat also 

 might provide pupation sites for defoliators of pine (sawflies, for example, that 

 pupate in the litter, also the immature stages of various moths that pupate off the 

 host. The coastal climate of Oregon is rather mild and not likely to present a 

 serious climatic barrier, even though the materials would be coming from a 

 warmer locale. 



It seems most expedient to learn more about the organisms found in this material 

 on site in Central America. That area has an extremely rich insect fauna (and 

 other groups of organisms as well, I assume), some of which might be potential 

 pests. Many taxa associated with pines extend throughout the range of this genus 

 of trees, including Central America, where, in the New World, the genus reaches 

 its southern most limits. 



I have stated previously that a thorough search of the appropriate literature 

 should be done to determine the extent of present knowledge before not after an 

 introduction is made. Certainly, any risk assessment should be based upon the 

 very best and complete information available. It might be instructive to include 

 in such a review, the results of the USDA/APHIS surveys of potential pests in 

 and around the major ports of the United States that was conducted a few years 

 ago. Finally, the native flora in the region into which the proposed introduction 

 might occur, should be assessed for potential host plants, with special attention to 

 the forest species. 



Sincerely, 



John D. Lattin 

 Professor of Entomology 



dmw 



c: R. E. Berry 



Michael J. Shannon 



