Cooperative Agreement AP26PPQFO000C357

AWARD PURPOSE: WTCAC WORKS WITH THE 11 TRIBAL NATIONS LOCATED IN WISCONSIN. TRIBAL NATIONS HAVE LIMITED FOREST HEALTH AND AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMMING, AND RECEIVE SEASONAL RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY WITH VISITORS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. SURVEYS ARE NEEDED AS A SECOND LINE OF DEFENSE AGAINST PESTS MISSED AT PORTS AND FOR PESTS BEING TRANSPORTED TO RECREATIONAL AREAS VIA FIREWOOD, AGRICULTURAL MATERIALS, AND OTHER MEANS. THE TRIBES IN WISCONSIN CHOSE TO SURVEY OAKS NEAR THESE RECREATIONAL AREAS BECAUSE OAK TREES ARE ALREADY BEING SEVERELY IMPACTED BY THE FUNGUS CERATOCYSTIS FAGACEARUM. OAK IS A POPULAR WOOD FOR FIREWOOD AND IS IMPORTANT TO MANY OF THE TRIBES NOT ONLY ECONOMICALLY BUT ECOLOGICALLY AND CULTURALLY. TO THE HO-CHUNK, THE WHITE OAK IS A SACRED TREE AND IS DESCRIBED AS THE FIRST TREE. OAK IS ALSO AN IMPORTANT SPECIES FOR MANY WILDLIFE SPECIES LOCATED ON TRIBAL LANDS. WTCAC IDENTIFIED THE NEED TO EXPAND SURVEY EFFORTS IN AREAS IDENTIFIED BY TRIBES AS HIGH RISK FOR ACCIDENTAL INTRODUCTION OF EXOTIC PESTS SUCH AS FIREWORK DISTRIBUTORS AND STORAGE FACILITIES ON TRIBAL LANDS. WTCAC WILL ALSO CONTINUE SURVEY EFFORTS FOR EMERALD ASH BORER (EAB) ON TRIBAL LANDS. SOME OF THE TRIBES HAVE NOT CONFIRMED THE PRESENCE OF EAB AND WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE THEIR EFFORTS AND BE ABLE TO DOCUMENT WHEN IT APPEARS. ASH IS IMPORTANT TO THE TRIBES IN MANY WAYS. BASKET WEAVING WITH ASH IS IMPORTANT FOR MANY NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURES AND IT ALSO HAS MANY MEDICINAL PROPERTIES FROM THE LEAVES, BARK, AND SEEDS. BLACK ASH ALSO SERVES AN IMPORTANT ECOLOGICAL FUNCTION IN RIPARIAN AREAS ALONG TROUT STREAMS. WTCAC WILL ALSO CONTINUE SURVEYS AT A TRIBALLY OWNED APPLE ORCHARD. THE ONEIDA NATION APPLE ORCHARD WILL CONTINUE SURVEYING FOR EXOTIC PESTS TO EXPAND THE PROTECTION OF THEIR HARVEST. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: MANY OF THE TRIBES HAVE RECREATIONAL AREAS OPEN TO PUBLIC WHERE THE MOVEMENT OF FIREWOOD IS A REAL THREAT. THERE ARE ALSO MANY FIREWORK DISTRIBUTORS ON TRIBAL LANDS THAT RECEIVE LARGE SHIPMENTS OF FIREWORKS AND THIS COULD BE A POTENTIAL PATHWAY. THEY WILL ALSO SURVEY NEAR STORAGE GARAGES, WAREHOUSES, AND FOOD DISTRIBUTION CENTERS LOCATED ON TRIBAL LANDS IN WISCONSIN. THIS WILL ACT AS A SECOND LINE OF DEFENSE IN CASE PESTS ARE MISSED AT PORT INSPECTIONS: FOR FY26, LOCATIONS HAVE BEEN SELECTED FOR EAB PURPLE PRISM TRAPS. THE USDA APHIS PPQ 2018 EAB SURVEY GUIDELINES AND USDA EAB PROGRAM MANUAL WILL BE USED TO DIRECT THE PROPER DEPLOYMENT OF THESE TRAPS. WISCONSIN TRIBES HAVE SELECTED SURVEY LOCATIONS NEAR RECREATIONAL AREAS TO LOOK FOR THE OAK AMBROSIA BEETLE. SOME OF THESE AREAS ARE ALREADY BEING IMPACTED BY THE FUNGUS CERATOCYSTIS FAGACEARUM. PROTOCOLS FOR THESE SURVEYS WILL FOLLOW THE APHIS PPQ EXOTIC WOOD BORER AND BARK BEETLE SURVEY GUIDANCE. TRIBES WILL ALSO CONTINUE TRAPPING FOR PINE TREE LAPPET AND SIBERIAN SILK MOTH AT THEIR DISCRETION. THEY WILL FOLLOW APPROVED METHODS FOR TRAP TYPE, TRAP TRAP LURE, AND PLACEMENT. TRIBAL STAFF AND SEASONAL WORKERS WILL ALSO FOLLOW APPROVED PROTOCOLS FOR TRAPS PLACED IN THE ORCHARD. THE WTCAC PEST SURVEY SPECIALIST PROVIDED SURVEY DOCUMENTS TO THE TRIBAL STAFF PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM AND CREATED A MORE CONDENSED SURVEY PROTOCOL FROM THESE DOCUMENTS TO BE USED AS A QUICK REFERENCE. ANY INSECTS FOUND IN TRAPS WILL BE SENT TO FEDERALLY APPROVED IDENTIFIERS FOR VERIFICATION/CONFIRMATION. DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES: THE VALUE OF EARLY PEST DETECTION LIES IN MINIMIZING LOSSES THAT MAY RESULT FROM WIDESPREAD PEST DAMAGE AND THE ASSOCIATED MITIGATION COSTS, PARTICULARLY ON TRIBAL LANDS. THIS MARKS THE SEVENTH YEAR OF A COORDINATED SURVEY APPROACH CONDUCTED THROUGH A TRIBAL NON-PROFIT GROUP ON TRIBAL LANDS IN WISCONSIN. THIS PROJECT AIMS TO BENEFIT EVERYONE THROUGH A UNIFIED AND TARGETED STRATEGY FOR CONDUCTING SURVEYS IN THESE AREAS. WTCAC'S TRIBAL PEST SURVEY PROGRAM IS NOT ONLY COORDINATING PEST SURVEY IMPLEMENTATIONS BUT ALSO PROVIDING EDUCATION AND OUTREACH TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND TRIBAL TECHNICAL STAFF REGARDING THESE PESTS AND THE PPA 7721 PROGRAM. THIS INITIATIVE OPERATES WITH GOAL 1 AND GOAL 5 FUNDING FROM PPA 7721, WHICH ALLOWS FOR THE HIRING OF FOUR NATIVE AMERICAN SEASONAL WORKERS. THEIR TIME IS DIVIDED BETWEEN ASSISTING WITH SURVEY EFFORTS AND CONDUCTING COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND OUTREACH. THIS YEAR'S SURVEY AIMS TO ENHANCE SURVEY EFFORTS ACROSS POTENTIAL PATHWAYS ON TRIBAL LANDS AND FORGE STRONG PARTNERSHIPS WITH APHIS PPQ AND OTHER PEST DETECTION AGENCIES, SUCH AS THE WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND CONSUMER PROTECTION AND THE WISCONSIN FIRST DETECTORS NETWORK, TO CREATE A MORE COHESIVE EFFORT. WTCAC WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH ALL TRIBES IN WISCONSIN WHO WISH TO PARTICIPATE IN PEST SURVEYS AND MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO EXPAND OPPORTUNITIES TO CONDUCT PEST SURVEYS FOR INTERESTED TRIBES. INTENDED BENEFICIARY(IES): TRIBAL COMMUNITIES, FARMERS, ORCHARDS, TIMBER INDUSTRY, FORESTERS, ARBORISTS, PLANT NURSERY INDUSTRY, LANDSCAPERS, FIREWOOD PRODUCERS, HUNTERS/CAMPERS/OTHER OUTDOORS RECREATIONISTS, AND MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC. THIS WILL SERVE ALL RESIDENTS OF WISCONSIN AND VISITORS TO THE STATE WHO BENEFIT F ROM OUR NATURAL LANDSCAPE RESOURCES. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES, IF KNOWN OR SPECIFIED AT THE TIME OF AWARD: ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCIAL REPORTING SERVICES WILL BE CONTRACTED TO INNOVATIVE FUNDING LLC FOR 70 HOURS AT $75/HR. COST ANALYSIS: PERSONNEL-$18,700.00; FRINGE BENEFITS-$4,154.00. TRAVEL-$3,000.00. SUPPLIES-$5,260.00. CONTRACTUAL-$5 ,250.00. INDIRECT COST-$3,636.00.