A study was published in 2016 on the cost analysis of the eradication of the Asian long-horned beetle in Italy. It was published in Forestry: An International Journal of Forest Research. They found the ornamental value of the saved trees was ∼six times higher than the costs for their protection.
The Asian long-horned beetle (ALB), Anoplophora glabripennis, is one of the most harmful invasive species in both Europe and North America. It has caused and is expected to continue to cause enormous economic damage to broadleaved trees growing in urban parks and gardens. The ALB eradication programme allowed a reduction of 52 per cent of the damage expected in the following year, corresponding to an ornamental value of about €300 000.
The researchers concluded: “Estimating potential costs and future losses will always be challenging and subject to numerous sources of uncertainty.” They also said, “A widespread infestation of ALB occurring in other cities across Italy and Europe will be likely to kill at least three to four per cent of the urban tree population, while 10–30 per cent of US urban trees are considered at risk of infestation by ALB.”
Their final statement was, “Although these estimates of ALB impact may have a high degree of uncertainty related to host preferences and host availability, rate of spread and associated tree mortality and different valuation methods, the general results emerging from this analysis suggest that the ornamental value of the trees saved appears to be much higher than the costs incurred for the eradication programmes, thus supporting their application.”
Italy’s ALB eradication in their north east started in 2009 and continues.
— Pat Kerr