Title: Identify pests and diseases that damage forests.
Course: Agricultural Education - Preparation (18003-II) > Section: Investigating Forestry

Identification should include

- insects that inflict damage (e.g., emerald ash borer, long-horned beetle, spongy moth, spotted lantern fly, and tent caterpillars)
- diseases (e.g., oak decline, laurel wilt, white pine blister rust, chestnut blight)
- invasive plants and exotic weeds (e.g., kudzu, garlic mustard, giant hogweed, and Japanese stiltgrass).

Process/Skill Questions:

- What is sudden oak death, and what causes it?
- How does one eradicate pests without affecting the ecosystem?
- What are the names of Virginia's two national forests?
- How do invasive species threaten biodiversity and ecological integrity in the forest ecosystem?

Teacher Resources:

- Forestry CDE, Virginia FFA
- Virginia Invasive Species