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CLEAR Temp: 77 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Saturday, October 12, 2002 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend September 21, 2002 Pest-control ordinance battles orchard blight By JILL BRISKEY Mail Tribune Local orchardists are faced with one less threat this harvest season. A Jackson County ordinance aimed at removing diseased and abandoned fruit trees was adopted in August, and at least one property owner already has been persuaded to comply. "I don’t think that compliance would have been anywhere near as swift or exacting without that ordinance," said Bill Eckart, executive director of the Jackson County Fruit Growers Association. "If need be, it’s good to know we have the backing of the county." The pest-control ordinance requires property owners to clean up abandoned orchards that may contain diseased or dead peach, apple, pear and quince trees. The abandoned trees act as breeding grounds for a variety of disease and pests. Recent bans on environmentally harsh but effective chemical pesticides have made commercial orchardists more vulnerable to the threats. The ongoing problem was compounded this season by the worst case of fire blight, a quickly-spreading disease that can rapidly kill a tree, to hit the region in decades. To save their ailing industry, the fruit growers association asked county commissioners earlier this year to enact an ordinance that would force property owners with 50 or more trees to clear them out. After months of research, the ordinance was adopted on a temporary basis in August. The board will vote whether to make it permanent sometime in November. Under its terms, the county responds to complaints rather than seeking out offenders. A team of local, county and state experts work with the property owner to find a solution. If that fails, the county will remove problem trees and place a lien on the property to recoup costs. Lin Bernhardt, the county's natural resources coordinator, spent several months researching the ordinance and later recommended its adoption. On Friday, Bernhardt said so far only one complaint has been lodged with the county. The property owner and experts from the Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center were able to reach a resolution, she added. "We haven’t had any problems yet," she said. "There’s been no cost (to the county)." Eckart said the Fruit Growers League has approached a number of property owners with diseased trees since August. Those cases weren’t reported to the county because owners agreed to take action. "There are other orchards that are being tended to," he said. "There are a few more complaints that are being considered right now." A handful of residents contacted area extension agent Philip Van Buskirk with concerns over the ordinance since it was adopted. "The biggest concern I hear is how is this going to impact my two trees in the back yard," he said. However, the ordinance isn’t targeted at backyard growers. "We tell them how to solve the problem," he added. Summer’s warm, dry days alslo have aided commercial growers this season, said Van Buskirk. Hot weather combined with a lack of moisture has caused fire blight bacterua to become dormant. "Until the rains come back, it’s not as much of a threat," Van Buskirk said. "It’s still there, but if (the temperature) is over the 90s, it slows or stops." Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy webmaster feedback A D V E R T I S E R S