Shrub Willow Sustainable Remedy: Full Scale Demonstration Pest Management Plan

This document presents the Shrub Willow Sustainable Remedy (SWSR) Full Scale Demonstration Pest Management Plan (Pest Management Plan) for Settling Basins 9 through 14 (the site) located in Camillus and Geddes, New York. The project areas described in this plan include locations where a willow-based evapotranspiration (ET) cover has been established on the site . This Pest Management Plan has been prepared by O’Brien & Gere Engineers, Inc. (O’Brien & Gere) and the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) on behalf of Honeywell International Inc. as part of the SB9-15 Final Closure Plan.

The elevated pH and chemical composition of the waste material on the site creates a stressful growing environment

Integrated pest management uses biological knowledge of the life cycle of pests to more effectively time strategies of pest management. This approach is well suited for the site as it uses techniques which have minimal impacts on the environment and emphasize public safety, which align with the goals of the Shrub Willow Sustainable Remedy. The goal of this Pest Management Plan is to provide strategies to effectively maintain pest populations below a level which reduce the performance of the ET cover system. This goal will be met by meeting the following objectives. The goals and objectives of the Pest Management Plan are

Competition from weeds for light and moisture is the most common reason willow crops fail during the first two years of growth. Since this a known window of opportunity for weeds to develop, enhanced monitoring will occur during this time when new willow stands are most vulnerable. After stands have established a closed canopy, weed control efforts are minimal. Table 3 outlines group specific species of weeds that may be of concern for willow biomass crops on SB9-14.
Willow sawfly (nematus ventralis) is a potential pest particularly for willow varieties S. eriocephala, S. miyabeana, S. sachalinensis, S. purpurea and their hybrids. The black, caterpillar-like larvae cause the most damage by feeding on leaves during the summer months, causing defoliation. The first generation hatches in May and a second, often larger, generation hatches in July before overwintering in the soil. Stands are most at risk during the summer months when populations are highest and larvae are feeding. Major outbreaks are rare and usually not fatal to the plant, but do reduce growth. The willow sawfly is most threatening to younger plants more sensitive to affects of