ARCHIVES OF THE MAYOR'S WEEKLY COLUMN Archives of Rudolph W. Giuliani

Beat the Beetles!
By Mayor Rudy Giuliani

New York City is committed to the care and preservation of its trees. They play a vital role in keeping our neighborhoods beautiful, in helping to keep our air clean, and providing shade for community residents. They enhance our quality of life by offering a little peace and tranquility in a bustling, hectic city.

Since 1995, the Parks Department has planted more than 70,000 street trees citywide, and by this summer, we'll have planted an additional 15,000 trees.

In 1996, Parks began converting barren concrete triangles and traffic islands into Greenstreets, shady oases of trees, shrubs and flowers. So far, Commissioner Stern has created more than 1,412 Greenstreets in all five boroughs. Henry Stern is a devoted champion of our city's trees, and he is doing a great job of keeping our city green.

In August 1996, Commissioner Stern faced one of his greatest challenges when the Asian longhorned beetle was discovered in trees in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. It was the first sighting in the country of the tree-killing pest. The infestations then spread to Bayside and Flushing in Queens, and the Upper East Side and the Lower East Side in Manhattan.

The Asian longhorned beetle, native to China, bores into healthy hardwood trees and feeds on living tree tissue during the larval stage. Later, throughout the summer, adult beetles emerge from exit holes and briefly feed on the small twigs of host trees.

The damage done by this destructive insect is devastating. The City and State have removed and destroyed more than 5,000 diseased trees in the metropolitan area. Tree destruction has been the only method for controlling this beetle since its initial U.S. discovery in New York and later in Illinois in 1998.

A staggering 47 percent of all trees in the city are in danger of being infected by the Asian longhorned beetle. Fortunately, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a new treatment that will reduce the beetle population and, most importantly, help to save trees.

The insecticide Imidacloprid will be used for treating the non-infested endangered trees. The substance is injected into the tree base and is dispersed throughout the tree by its own circulatory system. This process enables the insecticide to reach the adult beetles and larvae when they infest the trees and feed on small twigs and beneath the bark of host trees.

USDA officials are optimistic that using this insecticide will decrease beetle populations and future tree loss, but advise that if a tree is found to be infested, it will be removed regardless of treatment. The goal is to rid this highly destructive insect from the city before it can establish itself elsewhere.

Early detection of infestation is crucial to the successful eradication of the beetle. The adult Asian longhorned beetle is shiny and bullet-shaped, an inch in size, with black and white spots, and long antennae that span its body length. To report a sighting, call 1-800-201-PARK. For more information, visit the Parks Department website at www.nyc.gov/parks.

With summer just around the corner, the Parks Department has launched an aggressive recruitment campaign to hire more than 1,000 lifeguards for the City's seven beaches and 53 outdoor pools. In order to qualify for the free training course, applicants must be able to swim 50 yards in 35 seconds or less, have unaided vision no worse than 20/40 in one eye and 20/30 in the other, and be at least 16 years or older upon completion of the course.

Successful completion of the 40-hour training course is the next step towards a position as a Parks Lifeguard. After the course, candidates must pass a final exam and clear a background check, at which point they are guaranteed jobs with pay starting at $9.32 per hour.

Beach assignments are available at the Bronx's Orchard Beach, Brooklyn's Coney Island and Manhattan Beaches, Queens' Rockaway Beach, and Staten Island's South Beach, Midland, and Wolfe's Pond. Positions at outdoor pools are available in all five boroughs.

The lifeguarding experience is challenging, rewarding and fun. The City's beaches will open on May 26, and the outdoor pools on June 30. The outdoor swimming season runs until September 3. If you, or someone you know, might be interested in becoming a lifeguard, please call (212) 830-7880.