Spruce Budworm and Minnesota’s Spruce-Fir Forests

This meeting will be on-line through Zoom only. MNNPS members, check your email for instructions.

Thursday, October 15 7:00 PM.

Presenter: Eric Otto – Forest Health Specialist, MN Dept. of Natural Resources

Description: The eastern spruce budworm is a native caterpillar and currently one of the most destructive forest health issues in Minnesota. It has impacted an extensive amount of our spruce-fir forests historically and in recent years, primarily in northeast Minnesota. This presentation will discuss the identification, biology, history, impacts, and the work currently being undertaken to manage for spruce budworm.

Biography: Eric Otto works as a forest health specialist for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources covering northeast Minnesota. He works on multiple insect and disease issues impacting tree and forest health in that region. He previously volunteered for the Peace Corps in Ghana working in agriculture, and has also worked seasonal forestry positions in Minnesota, Wyoming, and Maine. He holds a Ph.D. in plant pathology and a B.S. in forest resources, both from the University of Minnesota.