Collect and analyze nationwide data on recovery of four species of introduced parasitoids that are released as biological control agents for the invasive emerald ASH borer

The University of Maryland, College Park received a $199,270 Cooperative Agreement from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) under the Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care program (CFDA 10.025), effective September 1, 2025 through August 31, 2026. The agreement supports a one-year project to collect and analyze nationwide data on the recovery of four species of parasitoids used as biological control agents against the invasive emerald ash borer. The recipient will deploy sentinel logs across multiple states with documented parasitoid releases and integrate data from MapBioControl (the APHIS PPQ program database), forest inventory databases, and climate databases to assess parasitoid establishment and recovery rates.

The project will deliver field-collected parasitoid recovery data from states currently lacking such information, a comprehensive multi-source dataset integrating parasitoid recovery data with forest health metrics and weather/climate variables, a predictive model identifying variables associated with successful parasitoid recovery, and a manuscript submitted to an academic journal to disseminate findings. These deliverables will directly support the APHIS PPQ Emerald Ash Borer Biocontrol Program and stakeholders managing this invasive species. No sub-awards are anticipated under this cooperative agreement.

The recipient will deploy sentinel logs in several states where parasitoid releases have occurred to collect recovery data. The recipient will also collate data from mapbiocontrol, the aphis PPQ program database used to store emerald ASH borer biocontrol release and recovery data, with data from forest inventory and climate databases on a nationwide scale to analyze and predict conditions that lead to successful parasitoid recovery and establishment. Expected deliverables include field data on parasitoid recovery across several states where such data is lacking; a largescale dataset incorporating information from several nationwide databases that combines parasitoid recovery, forest health and percent ASH, and weather and climate data; a model built from this data to predict variables of parasitoid recovery; and a manuscript to be subm itted to an academic journal to disseminate results. The intended beneficiaries of this project include the aphis PPQ EAB biocontrol program and all stakeholders invested in management of the invasive emerald ASH borer. This award will not result in subawards.