From Amy.Rossman at ARS.USDA.GOV Fri Jul 11 20:39:42 2008 From: Amy.Rossman at ARS.USDA.GOV (Rossman, Amy) Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:39:42 -0400 Subject: [IUFRO RG 7.02 FORPATH] Looking for fresh specimens of cedar apple rust Message-ID: <71F89D88B849884B8FBB2DFEE51175110100DA5B@MD-MAIL-02.ARSNET.ARS.USDA.GOV> Dear Forest Pathologists, Our rust specialist, Dr. Hye Young Yun, is seeking for fresh material of Gymnosporangium as mentioned in the attached file. If you find this rust fungi, please send to the address below. Thank you. Dr. Hye Young Yun Systematic Mycology & Microbiology Laboratory USDA-ARS, Rm. 304, B011A 10300 Baltimore Ave. Beltsville, MD 20705 301-504-5364 Fax 301-504-5810 http://ars.usda.gov/ba/psi/smml -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.iufro.org/pipermail/rg70200-forpath/attachments/20080711/53ddb81f/attachment-0001.html -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Cedar rust collection request-Aecial stage-1.doc Type: application/msword Size: 835072 bytes Desc: Cedar rust collection request-Aecial stage-1.doc Url : http://lists.iufro.org/pipermail/rg70200-forpath/attachments/20080711/53ddb81f/attachment-0001.doc From jworrall at fs.fed.us Thu Jul 10 22:20:21 2008 From: jworrall at fs.fed.us (James Worrall) Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:20:21 -0600 Subject: [IUFRO RG 7.02 FORPATH] tiger blight? Message-ID: We have a foliage disease of trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) in southwestern Colorado, USA. It is beautiful, strikingly unique, appears to be causing significant impact, and has me completely baffled. The foresters who brought it to my attention are calling it "tiger blight" because of the distinctive striping (see pictures below). It is occurring mostly on suckers and saplings and lower branches of overstory trees. I was told that in one regenerating stand of suckers, it is killing 30-40% of the foliage. There is no fruiting (perhaps very early initials), but there are hyaline hyphae in the lesions. If the striping is caused by alternation between night and day (and I can't think what else would lead to the zonation), the lesions appear to expand rapidly. I put some leaves in a moist chamber to see if anything fruits. In the meantime, has anyone seen this disease before, or even similar symptoms on another species? (See attached file: tiger_4.jpg) (See attached file: tiger_5.jpg) (See attached file: tiger_group_1.jpg) Thanking you in advance, Jim Worrall US Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region Forest Health Management 216 N. Colorado St. Gunnison CO, 81230 (970) 642-1166 desk (970) 209-1332 cell (970) 642-1919 fax -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: tiger_4.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 93951 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://lists.iufro.org/pipermail/rg70200-forpath/attachments/20080710/5458cb2e/attachment-0003.jpg -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: tiger_5.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 113858 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://lists.iufro.org/pipermail/rg70200-forpath/attachments/20080710/5458cb2e/attachment-0004.jpg -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: tiger_group_1.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 122513 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://lists.iufro.org/pipermail/rg70200-forpath/attachments/20080710/5458cb2e/attachment-0005.jpg From thomas.kirisits at boku.ac.at Sun Jul 13 23:18:06 2008 From: thomas.kirisits at boku.ac.at (Thomas Kirisits) Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2008 23:18:06 +0200 Subject: [IUFRO RG 7.02 FORPATH] tiger blight? Message-ID: <487A8D2F020000F60002359E@gwia2.boku.ac.at> Dear Jim, What a beautiful leaf disease! Could it be Septotinia podophyllina, the only poplar leaf disease I know where concentric rings occur? I was surprised that it is not mentioned in the North American "bible" (Synclair & Lyon). The textbook of Butin has a description and a drawing. I found a link with a short description of the disease: http://www.fao.org/docrep/004/AC492E/AC492E06.htm I also found one reference: Kam, M. de, 1973: Life history, host range an distribution of Septotinia podophyllinia. European Journal of Forest Pathology 3: 1-6. Please let us know what is is, as soon as you know! Hope this helps. All best, Thomas Kirisits ____________________________________________________________ Dr. Thomas Kirisits Institut f?r Forstentomologie, Forstpathologie und Forstschutz Department f?r Wald- und Bodenwissenschaften Universit?t f?r Bodenkultur (BOKU) Hasenauerstra?e 38 A-1190 Wien ?sterreich Tel.: (++43) (1) 368-24-33 Fax: (++43) (1) 368-24-33 oder (++43) (1) 368-63-52-97 e-mail: thomas.kirisits at boku.ac.at Homepage: http://ifff.boku.ac.at/ Institute of Forest Entomology, Forest Pathology and Forest Protection Department for Forest and Soil Sciences BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Hasenauerstrasse 38 A-1190 Vienna Austria Tel.: (++43) (1) 368-24-33 Fax: (++43) (1) 368-24-33 or (++43) (1) 368-63-52-97 e-mail: thomas.kirisits at boku.ac.at Homepage: http://ifff.boku.ac.at/ >>> James Worrall 07/13/08 3:17 PM >>> We have a foliage disease of trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) in southwestern Colorado, USA. It is beautiful, strikingly unique, appears to be causing significant impact, and has me completely baffled. The foresters who brought it to my attention are calling it "tiger blight" because of the distinctive striping (see pictures below). It is occurring mostly on suckers and saplings and lower branches of overstory trees. I was told that in one regenerating stand of suckers, it is killing 30-40% of the foliage. There is no fruiting (perhaps very early initials), but there are hyaline hyphae in the lesions. If the striping is caused by alternation between night and day (and I can't think what else would lead to the zonation), the lesions appear to expand rapidly. I put some leaves in a moist chamber to see if anything fruits. In the meantime, has anyone seen this disease before, or even similar symptoms on another species? (See attached file: tiger_4.jpg) (See attached file: tiger_5.jpg) (See attached file: tiger_group_1.jpg) Thanking you in advance, Jim Worrall US Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region Forest Health Management 216 N. Colorado St. Gunnison CO, 81230 (970) 642-1166 desk (970) 209-1332 cell (970) 642-1919 fax From thomas.kirisits at boku.ac.at Sun Jul 13 23:34:02 2008 From: thomas.kirisits at boku.ac.at (Thomas Kirisits) Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2008 23:34:02 +0200 Subject: [IUFRO RG 7.02 FORPATH] tiger blight? Message-ID: <487A90EA020000F6000235B0@gwia1.boku.ac.at> Dear Jim, What a beautiful leaf disease! Could it be Septotinia podophyllina, the only poplar leaf disease I know where concentric rings occur? I was surprised that it is not mentioned in the North American "bible" (Synclair & Lyon). The textbook of Butin has a description and a drawing. I found a link with a short description of the disease: http://www.fao.org/docrep/004/AC492E/AC492E06.htm I also found one reference: Kam, M. de, 1973: Life history, host range an distribution of Septotinia podophyllinia. European Journal of Forest Pathology 3: 1-6. Please let us know what is is, as soon as you know! Hope this helps. All best, Thomas Kirisits ____________________________________________________________ Dr. Thomas Kirisits Institut f?r Forstentomologie, Forstpathologie und Forstschutz Department f?r Wald- und Bodenwissenschaften Universit?t f?r Bodenkultur (BOKU) Hasenauerstra?e 38 A-1190 Wien ?sterreich Tel.: (++43) (1) 368-24-33 Fax: (++43) (1) 368-24-33 oder (++43) (1) 368-63-52-97 e-mail: thomas.kirisits at boku.ac.at Homepage: http://ifff.boku.ac.at/ Institute of Forest Entomology, Forest Pathology and Forest Protection Department for Forest and Soil Sciences BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Hasenauerstrasse 38 A-1190 Vienna Austria Tel.: (++43) (1) 368-24-33 Fax: (++43) (1) 368-24-33 or (++43) (1) 368-63-52-97 e-mail: thomas.kirisits at boku.ac.at Homepage: http://ifff.boku.ac.at/ >>> James Worrall 07/13/08 3:17 PM >>> We have a foliage disease of trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) in southwestern Colorado, USA. It is beautiful, strikingly unique, appears to be causing significant impact, and has me completely baffled. The foresters who brought it to my attention are calling it "tiger blight" because of the distinctive striping (see pictures below). It is occurring mostly on suckers and saplings and lower branches of overstory trees. I was told that in one regenerating stand of suckers, it is killing 30-40% of the foliage. There is no fruiting (perhaps very early initials), but there are hyaline hyphae in the lesions. If the striping is caused by alternation between night and day (and I can't think what else would lead to the zonation), the lesions appear to expand rapidly. I put some leaves in a moist chamber to see if anything fruits. In the meantime, has anyone seen this disease before, or even similar symptoms on another species? (See attached file: tiger_4.jpg) (See attached file: tiger_5.jpg) (See attached file: tiger_group_1.jpg) Thanking you in advance, Jim Worrall US Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region Forest Health Management 216 N. Colorado St. Gunnison CO, 81230 (970) 642-1166 desk (970) 209-1332 cell (970) 642-1919 fax From jasons at ufl.edu Mon Jul 14 19:45:23 2008 From: jasons at ufl.edu (SMITH,JASON ANDREW) Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 13:45:23 -0400 Subject: [IUFRO RG 7.02 FORPATH] tiger blight? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <18967E83B2946D4DBB46899C01D36A73367EE3C286@UFEXCH-MBXCL01.ad.ufl.edu> Jim, I have seen Alternaria cause similar symptoms on hybrid poplars growing in wet conditions or too much shade. However, the impact is usually cosmetic. Has anyone attempted isolations? It also superficially resembles Bronze leaf disease (Apioplagiostoma populi) - but we didn't see such dramatic line patterns with it. Those photos would make nice cover shots for Plant Disease some day! Good luck. Jason Jason A. Smith Assistant Professor of Forest Pathology School of Forest Resources and Conservation University of Florida 134 Newins-Ziegler Hall P.O. Box 110410 Gainesville, FL 32611-0410 Telephone: (352) 846-0843 Fax: (352) 846-1277 e-mail: jasons at ufl.edu http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/faculty/jsmith/index.html -----Original Message----- From: rg70200-forpath-bounces at lists.iufro.org [mailto:rg70200-forpath-bounces at lists.iufro.org] On Behalf Of James Worrall Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2008 4:20 PM To: rg70200-forpath at lists.iufro.org Subject: [IUFRO RG 7.02 FORPATH] tiger blight? We have a foliage disease of trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) in southwestern Colorado, USA. It is beautiful, strikingly unique, appears to be causing significant impact, and has me completely baffled. The foresters who brought it to my attention are calling it "tiger blight" because of the distinctive striping (see pictures below). It is occurring mostly on suckers and saplings and lower branches of overstory trees. I was told that in one regenerating stand of suckers, it is killing 30-40% of the foliage. There is no fruiting (perhaps very early initials), but there are hyaline hyphae in the lesions. If the striping is caused by alternation between night and day (and I can't think what else would lead to the zonation), the lesions appear to expand rapidly. I put some leaves in a moist chamber to see if anything fruits. In the meantime, has anyone seen this disease before, or even similar symptoms on another species? (See attached file: tiger_4.jpg) (See attached file: tiger_5.jpg) (See attached file: tiger_group_1.jpg) Thanking you in advance, Jim Worrall US Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region Forest Health Management 216 N. Colorado St. Gunnison CO, 81230 (970) 642-1166 desk (970) 209-1332 cell (970) 642-1919 fax From jworrall at fs.fed.us Mon Jul 14 16:34:58 2008 From: jworrall at fs.fed.us (James Worrall) Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 08:34:58 -0600 Subject: [IUFRO RG 7.02 FORPATH] "tiger blight" -- -- = ink spot? Message-ID: Many thanks to those of you who wrote back about the distinctively striped foliage disease of aspen. Mike Schomaker (also in Colorado) said that he has seen this as an early stage of ink spot, caused by Ciborinia whetzelii. He was initially puzzled until he saw sclerotia forming in the symptomatic leaves later in the season. I rechecked a few descriptions of the disease, and an initial zonate pattern is mentioned briefly but I have not found a photograph of it. After incubating my "tiger blight" for 3-4 days, the zonation is beginning to fade and sclerotia have begun to form (see photo below). So, it looks like Mike is correct (congratulations, although I was starting to like the name tiger blight!). I will follow the development in nature through the summer and see whether it begins to look more like ink spot as usually pictured. Thomas Kirisits wrote about Septotinia podophyllina and referred me to Butin. Luckily I have his books. In Forstpathologie f?r Studium und Praxis (1973), he describes and presents a drawing of Ringfleckenkrankheit der Pappel, caused by Sclerotinia (Septotinia) podophyllina. It makes somewhat round lesions with concentric banding. It has an asexual stage (unlike Ciborinia) with large conidia and produces apothecia in the spring. In Krankheiten der Wald- und Parkb?ume (1983), he refers to the pathogen as Septotinia populiperda. This fungus is closely related to Ciborinia (both in Sclerotiniaceae) so it is not surprising it might produce similar symptoms. Risto Jalkanen referred to a similar disease of unknown etiology he has seen on Salix caprea. Perhaps it is caused by a related fungus. Several people suggested the possibility of leaf miner (insect) damage. It certainly is reminiscent of leaf miner damage (which we actually saw at the same site), but we (including entomologist Tom Eager) are convinced that it is not leaf miner. Thanks again to all who kindly wrote back with assistance or just excitement! (See attached file: tiger_incubated_spots_2.jpg) Jim Worrall US Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region Forest Health Management 216 N. Colorado St. Gunnison CO, 81230 (970) 642-1166 desk (970) 390-2352 cell (970) 642-1919 fax -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: tiger_incubated_spots_2.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 200993 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://lists.iufro.org/pipermail/rg70200-forpath/attachments/20080714/9d9ac1a0/attachment-0001.jpg From SShamoun at pfc.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca Wed Jul 16 06:33:37 2008 From: SShamoun at pfc.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca (Shamoun, Simon) Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:33:37 -0400 Subject: [IUFRO RG 7.02 FORPATH] "tiger blight" -- -- = ink spot? References: Message-ID: Dear Jim et al, greetings from Canada. Our friend Bill Jacobi at Colorado State University has a beutiful pictutre/image and information on this disease (I like your proposed name "Tiger Blight"). Please, see the following link: http://www.invasive.org/browse/detail.cfm?imgnum=5366785 All the best.. Cheers.. Simon ******************************************************************************** Dr. Simon F. Shamoun Research Scientist/ Chercheur Scientifique Adjunct Professor- UBC, TRU & SFU/ Professeur Associe- UBC, TRU et SFU >Canadian Forest Service Service canadien des for?ts >Pacific Forestry Centre Centre de foresterie du Pacifique >506 West Burnside Road 506, chemin Burnside ouest >Victoria, BC Victoria, (Colombie-Britannique) >CANADA V8Z 1M5 CANADA V8Z 1M5 Tel.: (250) 363-0766 (Office); (250) 363-0715 (Laboratory) Fax: (250) 363-0775 E-mail: sshamoun at nrcan.gc.ca http://cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/regions/pfc http://cfs.nrcan.gc.ca/directory/sshamoun *************************************************************************************** ________________________________ From: rg70200-forpath-bounces at lists.iufro.org on behalf of James Worrall Sent: Mon 14/07/2008 10:34 AM To: rg70200-forpath at lists.iufro.org Subject: [IUFRO RG 7.02 FORPATH] "tiger blight" -- -- = ink spot? Many thanks to those of you who wrote back about the distinctively striped foliage disease of aspen. Mike Schomaker (also in Colorado) said that he has seen this as an early stage of ink spot, caused by Ciborinia whetzelii. He was initially puzzled until he saw sclerotia forming in the symptomatic leaves later in the season. I rechecked a few descriptions of the disease, and an initial zonate pattern is mentioned briefly but I have not found a photograph of it. After incubating my "tiger blight" for 3-4 days, the zonation is beginning to fade and sclerotia have begun to form (see photo below). So, it looks like Mike is correct (congratulations, although I was starting to like the name tiger blight!). I will follow the development in nature through the summer and see whether it begins to look more like ink spot as usually pictured. Thomas Kirisits wrote about Septotinia podophyllina and referred me to Butin. Luckily I have his books. In Forstpathologie f?r Studium und Praxis (1973), he describes and presents a drawing of Ringfleckenkrankheit der Pappel, caused by Sclerotinia (Septotinia) podophyllina. It makes somewhat round lesions with concentric banding. It has an asexual stage (unlike Ciborinia) with large conidia and produces apothecia in the spring. In Krankheiten der Wald- und Parkb?ume (1983), he refers to the pathogen as Septotinia populiperda. This fungus is closely related to Ciborinia (both in Sclerotiniaceae) so it is not surprising it might produce similar symptoms. Risto Jalkanen referred to a similar disease of unknown etiology he has seen on Salix caprea. Perhaps it is caused by a related fungus. Several people suggested the possibility of leaf miner (insect) damage. It certainly is reminiscent of leaf miner damage (which we actually saw at the same site), but we (including entomologist Tom Eager) are convinced that it is not leaf miner. Thanks again to all who kindly wrote back with assistance or just excitement! (See attached file: tiger_incubated_spots_2.jpg) Jim Worrall US Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region Forest Health Management 216 N. Colorado St. Gunnison CO, 81230 (970) 642-1166 desk (970) 390-2352 cell (970) 642-1919 fax From cdavis at NRCan.gc.ca Wed Jul 16 21:01:26 2008 From: cdavis at NRCan.gc.ca (Davis, Chuck) Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:01:26 -0400 Subject: [IUFRO RG 7.02 FORPATH] "tiger blight" -- -- = ink spot? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <8E69C9E47359D64D89A7CB9B0375FB9902ACDF30@S0-OTT-X3.nrn.nrcan.gc.ca> I run a pathology diagnostic lab at the Great Lakes Forestry Centre in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario and sure enough, I just got a sample of C. whetzelii in and the symptoms are exactly the same. I don't remember noticing before. Guess I pay most attention to the sclerotia. Learn something new every day Chuck Davis -----Original Message----- From: rg70200-forpath-bounces at lists.iufro.org [mailto:rg70200-forpath-bounces at lists.iufro.org] On Behalf Of James Worrall Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 10:35 AM To: rg70200-forpath at lists.iufro.org Subject: [IUFRO RG 7.02 FORPATH] "tiger blight" -- -- = ink spot? Many thanks to those of you who wrote back about the distinctively striped foliage disease of aspen. Mike Schomaker (also in Colorado) said that he has seen this as an early stage of ink spot, caused by Ciborinia whetzelii. He was initially puzzled until he saw sclerotia forming in the symptomatic leaves later in the season. I rechecked a few descriptions of the disease, and an initial zonate pattern is mentioned briefly but I have not found a photograph of it. After incubating my "tiger blight" for 3-4 days, the zonation is beginning to fade and sclerotia have begun to form (see photo below). So, it looks like Mike is correct (congratulations, although I was starting to like the name tiger blight!). I will follow the development in nature through the summer and see whether it begins to look more like ink spot as usually pictured. Thomas Kirisits wrote about Septotinia podophyllina and referred me to Butin. Luckily I have his books. In Forstpathologie f?r Studium und Praxis (1973), he describes and presents a drawing of Ringfleckenkrankheit der Pappel, caused by Sclerotinia (Septotinia) podophyllina. It makes somewhat round lesions with concentric banding. It has an asexual stage (unlike Ciborinia) with large conidia and produces apothecia in the spring. In Krankheiten der Wald- und Parkb?ume (1983), he refers to the pathogen as Septotinia populiperda. This fungus is closely related to Ciborinia (both in Sclerotiniaceae) so it is not surprising it might produce similar symptoms. Risto Jalkanen referred to a similar disease of unknown etiology he has seen on Salix caprea. Perhaps it is caused by a related fungus. Several people suggested the possibility of leaf miner (insect) damage. It certainly is reminiscent of leaf miner damage (which we actually saw at the same site), but we (including entomologist Tom Eager) are convinced that it is not leaf miner. Thanks again to all who kindly wrote back with assistance or just excitement! (See attached file: tiger_incubated_spots_2.jpg) Jim Worrall US Forest Service Rocky Mountain Region Forest Health Management 216 N. Colorado St. Gunnison CO, 81230 (970) 642-1166 desk (970) 390-2352 cell (970) 642-1919 fax From petr.zabransky at boku.ac.at Thu Jul 17 14:36:24 2008 From: petr.zabransky at boku.ac.at (Petr Zabransky) Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:36:24 +0200 Subject: [IUFRO RG 7.02 FORPATH] Two Czech entomologists arrested in India Message-ID: <487F58E9020000B100020123@gwia1.boku.ac.at> Dear colleagues, two Czech entomologists - Petr Svacha and Emil Kucera - were arrested in India for collecting insects without government permission. Both colleagues are renowned and reliable scientists. Svacha is an expert especially in the larvae of the beetle Family Cerambycidae (longhorn beetles), and Kucera discovered a lot of new insect species, often named after him. In my opinion, knowledge is the first step in conservation nature. Therefore each one day incarcerating Mr. Svacha or Mr. Kucera is also a setback in conservation nature. There is a petiton for releasing in the web, but unfortunatelly focussed on Svacha only. Now The Czech Entomological Society started a new petition for releasing both scientists. Pleas sign the new petition! Details see below: http://www.petitiononline.com/h3e09s05/petition.html http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080709/jsp/siliguri/story_9524001.jsp Many thanks and best regards, Petr Zabransky President of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Oesterreichischer Entomologen Ludo Hartmann Platz 7 1160 Wien Austria From thomas.kirisits at boku.ac.at Mon Jul 21 12:23:38 2008 From: thomas.kirisits at boku.ac.at (Thomas Kirisits) Date: Mon, 21 Jul 2008 12:23:38 +0200 Subject: [IUFRO RG 7.02 FORPATH] Two Czech entomologists arrested in India - new information Message-ID: <48847FCA020000F600023853@gwia2.boku.ac.at> Dear colleagues, There is new information from the two Czech entomologists, Petr Svacha und Emil Kucera who have been in prison in India for the last four weeks. I got this information from my colleague Petr Zabransky, who himself got the news from Vlada Maly. Vlada Maly was in several times in contact with Petr Svacha und Emil Kucera by phone. Petr Svacha has asked to distribute a message from him, which you will find below (translated to English). Please continue to support the two entomologists and sign the petititions to get them released from prison: http://www.petitiononline.com/h3e09s05/petition.html http://www.petitiononline.com/wgircn2/petition.html Thank you for your support an best regards, Thomas Kirisits (Please pay attention to the messages below!) **************************************** Max Barclay Dear Friends Martin Rejzek asked me to circulate this letter below from Petr Svacha - he has translated it so below it is in Czech and English. The petition prepared by the Indian colleagues has now reached almost 1000 signatures including great names of entomology like John Lawrence, Ales Smetana, Alex Rasnitsyn, Al Newton etc.! People are still signing it. http://www.petitiononline.com/wgircn2/petition-sign.html? See letter below Max Barclay -----Original Message----- From: Martin REJZEK [mailto:bodo.bodemeyer3 at ntlworld.com] Sent: 16 July 2008 22:57 To: Max Barclay; BARCLAY Max (home) Subject: Dear Max, I have just received an email message that allegedly comes from Petr Svacha. In this email Petr asks to distribute the following message. I have no reason to doubt its origin and so I translate it into English for you. Best wishes, Martin ___________________________________________ Translated by M. Rejzek from Czech original: Dear Colleagues, Many thanks for the great support you have organised in a way that I can not determine right now. I would like to just correct one fact. There is no need to look for reasons and excuses why we collected in the National Park as we have NEVER ENTERED IT. The whole case is likely be solved very quickly as soon as we get a chance to explain this fact at a court hearing. Unfortunately, the whole Darjeeling administration including the judges is currently on strike. I would like to ask you to forward this information to all who supported us as we are currently not able to do so. Many thanks again, Petr Svacha ____________________________________________________________ Dr. Thomas Kirisits Institut f?r Forstentomologie, Forstpathologie und Forstschutz Department f?r Wald- und Bodenwissenschaften Universit?t f?r Bodenkultur (BOKU) Hasenauerstra?e 38 A-1190 Wien ?sterreich Tel.: (++43) (1) 368-24-33 Fax: (++43) (1) 368-24-33 oder (++43) (1) 368-63-52-97 e-mail: thomas.kirisits at boku.ac.at Homepage: http://ifff.boku.ac.at/ Institute of Forest Entomology, Forest Pathology and Forest Protection Department for Forest and Soil Sciences BOKU - University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Hasenauerstrasse 38 A-1190 Vienna Austria Tel.: (++43) (1) 368-24-33 Fax: (++43) (1) 368-24-33 or (++43) (1) 368-63-52-97 e-mail: thomas.kirisits at boku.ac.at Homepage: http://ifff.boku.ac.at/