Quarantine imposed in Kazachinsk District due to outbreak of ussuri squirrel plague
In the Kazachinskoye forest district of Krasnoyarsk, a quarantine has been declared due to the emergence of the dangerous pest - the Ussurian polygraph beetle. This beetle poses a serious threat to pine trees.
The Ussurian polygraph beetle can lead to the complete disappearance of pine saplings on vast territories, as seen on the Stolby for example. The only effective method of combating this pest is massive tree felling of newly settled, deceased and damaged trees. The use of chemical and biological methods has shown low effectiveness.
Since April 10th, Rosreqtzhnadzor has declared a phytosanitary quarantine zone on the territory of several quarters of Demenevsky, Yazevsky, Kemsky and Galaninsky forester's districts of Kazachinskoye district.
The total area of the quarantine zone is 147,096 hectares.
Rosreqtzhnadzor has also approved a program for localizing the outbreaks and liquidating the population of the Ussurian polygraph beetle. It is mandatory for all economic entities to perform on the territory in question.
"We draw attention to the fact that the mandatory issue of sanitary certificates is required when exporting products of plant origin from quarantine phytosanitary zones established on the territory of the region," they noted.
Photo: Rosreqtzhnadzor
According to available data up to December 2023 and expert analysis of Siberian forest management practices, the term "Ussurian polygraph" probably refers to the Ussurian polygraph beetle (Polygraphus proximus), an invasive bark beetle that has been ravaging Siberian fir forests in Krasnoyarsk since around 2013. This beetle has caused catastrophic damage to Abies sibirica (Siberian fir), with mortality rates exceeding 50% in some stands. The current control measures include aggressive logging, experimental use of native predators, research on fungal pathogens, limited use of pheromone traps for population monitoring, and restrained insecticide use due to ecological concerns in protected zones. Early detection remains problematic due to cryptic larval stages, the vast Kazachinskoye forest complicates containment, and funding relies heavily on federal programs. In 2023, funding increased through the Federal Project "Forest Conservation," with Krasnoyarsk Krai allocated ~800 million RUB ($8.7M USD) for forest health initiatives. For real-time updates, contact the Krasnoyarsk Center for Forest Protection or Rosleskhoz's monitoring portal les.gov.ru. Specific Kazachinskoye program details remain non-public, as operational plans are typically localized adaptations of federal guidelines. The 2022-2024 Action Plan for Siberian Taiga Protection prioritizes the containment of the polygraph beetle through improved sanitation protocols and remote sensing (e.g., GLONASS-based monitoring).
- The Ussurian polygraph beetle, which is responsible for the destruction of Siberian pine forests, is likely referred to as the "Ussurian polygraph" according to available data.
- As seen in the Stolby region, the Ussurian polygraph beetle can result in the complete disappearance of pine saplings across extensive territories.
- To combat this pest, Rosreqtzhnadzor has approved a program that requires all economic entities to take action within the established quarantine zone.
- The current control measures for the Ussurian polygraph beetle include mass tree felling, experimental use of native predators, research on fungal pathogens, monitoring using pheromone traps, and limited insecticide use, as well as early detection efforts and increased funding for forest health initiatives.
