Gypsy Moth, continued from page I 
contrast to the 1980s outbreak however, the 
moth population rapidly declined with no 
further defoliation. 
The difference was the unexpected 
appearance of a fungus that killed most of 
the caterpillars before they could strip the 
forest. This fungus showed up again in 2000, 
curtailing another outbreak. 
Originally introduced from Asia to control 
gypsy moth, the fungus was released in 
Boston in 1910 and 1911 and in Pennsylvania 
in 1985. When and how it arrived in the 
Hudson Valley is unknown, but it was not 
detected at lES in the 1980s outbreak. 
Will the fungus prevent moth defoliation in 
the future? We don’t know. Fungi tend to 
thrive in wet conditions, which prevailed in 
1994 and 2000. If this fungus always needs 
wet summers to kill moths, then there can 
be no guarantee that it will suppress every 
outbreak. 
Coast isn’t clear 
Even if the mice and the fungus do keep 
the moth in check, this is not the end of 
introduced pest and disease problems in 
Hudson Valley forests. Joining chestnut blight 
and Dutch elm disease of the past are newly 
arrived beech bark scale and canker, and the 
hemlock woolly adelgid. Looming on the 
horizon but yet to get here are the Asian 
longhorn beetle and sudden oak death. 
As long as we fail to prevent accidental 
introductions, our forests will face uncertain, 
unpredictable futures. • 
Ecology Shop, continued fnnn page 2 
ing of over 100,000 native hardwood trees. 
The trees are primarily planted in restoration 
sites. By implementing a ‘self-imposed tax,’ 
and planting five trees for every one tree used, 
Heartwood Creations mitigates the impact of 
their consumption. The business also provides 
seedlings to local scouts and schools for plant- 
ing in their communities. 
Certification organizations help shop own- 
ers like Ms. Panorotti locate Earth-friendly 
products. Backed by 14 major environmental 
organizations. The Forest Stewardship Council 
(FSC) offers independent certification of eco- 
logically, socially, and economically well-man- 
aged forest products. “The great thing about 
the FSC,” remarks Ms. Panorotti, “is that it 
verifies claims from the forest all the way to 
the final product.” 
“Wlien buying Earth-friendly products, I am 
also concerned about how workers are treated,” 
Ms. Panorotti comments. Adding, “I try to 
support vendors that are members of the Fair 
Trade Federation (FTF), an association of fair 
trade wholesalers, retailers, and producers com- 
mitted to providing fair wages and employment 
opportunities to economically disadvantaged 
artisans and farmers worldwide.” 
Ms. Panorotti also seeks out products from 
vendors that belong to The Crafts Center, an 
international, nonprofit organization that en- 
ables low-income artisans to develop successful 
businesses. Their mission is based on the as- 
sumption that: “viable craft businesses stimulate 
local economies, preserve centuries-old cultural 
traditions, prevent migration by poor families 
to overcrowded urban centers, and contribute 
to the conservation of raw materials, which 
maintain often fragile ecosystems.” 
Filling a shop with Earth-friendly products 
is a labor of love that involves careful order- 
ing and fact checking. Ms. Panorotti’s efforts 
have created a shop full of gifts that give back 
economically and socially. Panorotti remarks, 
“The products have two-lold advantage, they 
serve to protect resources and they educate the 
consumer about environmental issues. Once 
you become aware of the way ecosystems 
work, you cannot ignore the fact that humans 
have had a significant negative impact on their 
functioning, and that it is important to find 
ways to tread more lightly on the planet.” 
This holiday season; consider dropping by the 
shop and browsing through the merchandise. 
The products suit a range of ages and interests, 
from toddlers to adults. Visitors are sure to 
leave with unique gifts and a greater under- 
standing of how consumer choices impact the 
environment. • 
T/je Ecology Shop's .umcss is made possible through the 
dedication oj its core and voh/nteer slafj, among them 
Ciinny V idler. Rosemarie Relish, Alison Camp, Vickie 
Raabin, Susan Escbhach and volunteers Joan Sears and 
Andre Ciglio. 
lES Celebrates: The Odum Award, 
The Blue Planet Prize & The ECI Prize 
This year the 
Institute gar- 
nered a number 
of distinctions, 
among them 
several prestigious 
academic awards. 
This August, the 
Ecological Society 
of America 
awarded Dr. Alan 
R. Berko witz 
the Eugene P. 
Odum Award 
for Excellence 
in Ecological 
Education. The 
award recognizes 
Dr. Berkowitz’s 
contributions (L-R) Axvard recipients Drs. Alan R. Berkowitz, Gene E. Likens, and 
to the field of Jonathan J. Cole 
ecology education 
over the past 17 years. In October, Institute Director Gene E. Likens was presented with the 
Blue Planet Prize at an awards ceremony in Tolcyo, Japan. He and his long-time collaborator 
Dr. F. Herbert Bormann were co-recipients of the award, celebrating their pioneering research 
at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire. Awarded by the Asahi Glass 
Foundation, the prize recognizes scientific research that helps solve global environmental 
problems. Finally, Dr. Jonathan J. Cole was this year’s recipient of the International Ecology 
Institute Prize (ECI). The ECI Prize honors Dr. Cole's contributions to aquatic biology and 
requires him to serve science and society by writing a book. In the words of his presenters, 
“Jonathan Cole has a proven ability to synthesize his own work and that of others, melding a 
wider, integral understanding of the ways in which lakes function. He is among the true lead- 
ers of contemporary ecology.” 
