EPPO FAO-REUFIS BFW Conference
‘Safeguarding Forests in Europe: Emerging Risks of Agrilus Wood Borers (Buprestidae)’
Vienna, 21-23 April 2026
A conference ‘Safeguarding Forests in Europe: Emerging Risks of Agrilus Wood Borers (Buprestidae)’ was co-organized by the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization (EPPO), the Forest Invasive Species Network for Europe and Central Asia (REUFIS) of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the Austrian Research Centre for Forests (BFW). It was supported by the EPPO Network of experts working on surveillance, monitoring, and control of the Emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis and the Project FORSAID and was hosted by BFW in Vienna.
The meeting was attended in person by more than 60 participants from 25 countries, including experts from the European Commission, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), REUFIS, FAO, the European Union Reference Laboratory for Insects and Mites, National Plant Protection Organizations (NPPOs) of several countries of the EPPO region and other countries, plant health scientists, policy officials, quarantine experts, pest control specialists, academia professionals and post-graduate students. In addition, more than 70 participants from around the world joined the meeting online.
Speakers at the Conference
Scope of the conference
The scope of the meeting focused on the growing threats posed by tree-killing buprestids to Europe’s forests, with a particular emphasis on:
- the emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis), native to South-East Asia and already causing devastating losses in North America, European Russia, and Ukraine;
- the bronze birch borer (Agrilus anxius) and the two-lined chestnut borer (Agrilus bilineatus), both originating from North America and posing significant risks to European ecosystems.
Agrilus planipennis (2 specimens), A. anxius, A. roscidus, A. sulcicollis, and A. graminis
The Conference
This was the second international conference focusing on Agrilus wood borers organized in Vienna. The first conference, entitled ‘Preparing Europe for Invasion by the Beetles Emerald Ash Borer and Bronze Birch Borer’, was held in 2018. The 2026 meeting therefore provided an opportunity to review developments since the first conference, discuss the knowledge accumulated over recent years, and assess how preparedness and response capacities have progressed across countries.
Photos during the conference
The programme of the conference was highly diverse and dynamic and included 5 keynote lectures, 33 talks, 13 posters, group work and 2 discussions.
Presentations covered a broad range of topics related to surveillance for Agrilus beetles, their biology, detection, identification, phytosanitary treatments, preparedness of countries to arrival of the emerald ash borer and other Agrilus pests, risk assessment, pathways of introduction and spread, as well as management and communication challenges.
Discussions were held during the break
The organizers warmly thank all attendees for their active participation during the conference.
Abstract book
The abstract book of the conference can be downloaded here.
Most presentations are available as pdf files and/or video recordings (see below).
Group work during the Conference
The organizers of the conference plan to publish selected papers from the meeting in the EPPO Bulletin, both in an ordinary issue and in a special virtual collection devoted to emerging risks of Agrilus wood borers.
Photo credits: of people by Florian Winter (BFW), of beetles by Alexander V. Petrov (Institute of Forest, RU; the left photo) and by James Connell (BFW; other photos).
Programme and presentations
Click on links in the programme to access the presentations as pdfs and click on corresponding youtube links to watch presentation recordings, where available.
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Author(s) |
Title of the presentation |
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Talks: |
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Gernot Hoch |
The Conference in 2018: ‘Preparing Europe for invasion by the beetles emerald ash borer and bronze birch borer, two major tree-killing pests’ |
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Ferenc Lakatos et al. |
From Networks to action: How the FAO Regional Forest Invasive Species Networks contribute to the detection, monitoring and control of Agrilus species |
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Dmitrii Musolin |
EPPO activities and resources on Agrilus species and its Network of experts working on surveillance, monitoring, and control of the emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Musolin EPPO activities and resources on Agrilus species and its Network.pdf |
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Andrew Liebhold |
A keynote lecture: European trees on the precipice of their demise? Liebhold European trees on the precipice of their demise.pdf |
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Eckehard Brockerhoff et al. |
A keynote lecture: Outcomes of attempts to eradicate incursions of Agrilus planipennis in North America and potential lessons for European incursion responses Brockerhoff et al Outcomes of attempts to eradicate incursions.pdf |
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Pascal Rousse et al. |
Capacity building for reliable identification of non-native Agrilus in Europe: the role of the European Union Reference Laboratory for insects and mites Rousse Capacity building for reliable identification of non-native Agrilus in Europe.pdf |
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Elena Bacher et al. |
Between bark and barcode: Integrating morphology and molecular tools in forest pest diagnostics |
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Sofia Windstam & Carin Bunnvik |
Surveys and contingency preparedness in Sweden for bronze birch and emerald ash borers |
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Yuri Baranchikov & Dmitrii Musolin |
The emerald ash borer in the Russian Federation: 30 years of the range expansions Baranchikov Musolin The emerald ash borer in the Russian Federation.pdf |
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Natalia Kirichenko & Dmitrii Musolin |
Molecular genetics of the emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis, invasion in European Russia and eastern Europe Kirichenko Musolin Molecular genetics of the emerald ash borer.pdf |
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Rimvydas Vasaitis et al. |
Invasion of emerald ash borer and ash dieback in Ukraine, – concerted action: an update year 2025 |
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Tobias Frühbrodt et al. |
Recent mass outbreak of Agrilus biguttatus associated with local oak decline following drought and heat in south-east Germany Fruehbrodt et al Recent mass outbreak of Agrilus biguttatus.pdf |
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Benno Augustinus et al. |
A keynote lecture: Urban ash trees in Europe: risks and opportunities Augustinus et al Urban ash trees in Europe risks and opportunities.pdf |
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Franz Streissl et al. |
EFSA plant health activities with a focus on Agrilus species Streissl EFSA plant health activities with a focus on Agrilus species.pdf |
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Iryna Matsiakh et al. |
Project EABRACE – combined efforts in the Baltic region |
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Neil Audsley et al. |
Preparing for the emerald ash borer in Great Britain Audsley et al Preparing for the emerald ash borer in Great Britain.pdf |
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Maarten de Groot et al. |
Challenges in eradication of Agrilus planipennis in Slovenian forests: Are we ready? De Groot et al Challenges in eradication of Agrilus planipennis in Slovenian forests.pdf |
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Enrico Ruzzier & Luciano Bani |
Improving invasion scenarios for Agrilus species in Europe through advanced SDMs |
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Aleksander Dziuk et al. |
The influence of the selected morphological features of Agrilus biguttatus (F.) beetles on their potential dispersal abilities |
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Donnie Peterson et al. |
The bronze birch borer, Agrilus anxius, as a potential risk for European birch: Host naivety and early detection tools |
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Rassati et al. |
A keynote lecture: Innovative tools and strategies for the surveillance of Agrilus species and other beetles Rassati Innovative tools and strategies for the surveillance.pdf |
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Wim Jennes et al. |
Design of a survey for Agrilus planipennis in the Benelux ecoclimatic region Jennes et al Design of a survey for Agrilus planipennis in the Benelux.pdf |
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Madeleine van Eijk |
Agrilus survey in the Netherlands |
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Jasmin Wilhelm et al. |
Survey design and contingency planning for Agrilus planipennis in Austria |
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Donnie Peterson et al. |
Early detection using LAMP assays for the emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis) and the two-lined chestnut borer (Agrilus bilineatus) |
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Christine Dodge |
Current status, successes, and limitations of the USDA APHIS PPQ emerald ash borer biological control program |
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Marc Kenis et al. |
A keynote lecture: Parasitoids of European Agrilus spp. and their potential for controlling invasive Agrilus spp. |
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Adnan Uzunovic |
Treatments against Agrilus borers (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) in wood products: An update on dielectric heating and fumigation with EDN as potential treatments, and a systems approach for wood chips |
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Véronique Martel et al. |
Detection using tomodensitometry and heat treatment of Agrilus spp.: Towards efficient and sustainable phytosanitary measures Martel et al Detection using tomodensitometry and heat treatment.pdf |
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Posters: |
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Angéla Bodor-Zanker et al. |
Phytosanitary risk posed by the emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis, in Hungary Bodor-Zanker Lorantfy et al Phytosanitary risk posed by the emerald ash borer.pdf |
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Katrina Dainton et al. |
Preliminary investigation into the threat of the bronze birch borer, Agrilus anxius, to Scotland Dainton et al Preliminary investigation into the threat poster.pdf Presentation of a poster: Dainton et al Preliminary investigation into the threat presentation.pdf |
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Gulnar Gahramanova et al. |
Early detection of Agrilus planipennis in Azerbaijan and strengthening of NPPO preparedness Gahramanova et al. Early detection of Agrilus planipennis in Azerbaijan.pdf |
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Jean-Marc Henin et al. |
RAMWOOD: Risk assessment and mitigation in wood chips and fuelwood in international trade Henin et al. RAMWOOD Risk assessment and mitigation in wood chips poster.pdf Presentation of a poster: Henin et al. RAMWOOD Risk assessment and mitigation in wood chips presentation.pdf |
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Werner Hinterstoisser & Gernot Hoch |
Practical guide for quick differentiation of adult Agrilini from other Coleoptera and especially Buprestidae species Hinterstoisser Hoch Practical guide for quick differentiation.pdf |
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Andrija Jukić et al. |
Quarantine forest pest surveillance in Croatia: Methods and results over 5 years Jukic et al Quarantine forest pest surveillance in Croatia.pdf |
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Robert Licht, Dinka Matošević |
Monitoring and implementation of the emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis, survey in forests of Croatia |
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Céleste Merckx, Alexandre Kuhn et al. |
Designing risk-based detection surveys for quarantine Agrilus species in Belgium Merckx Kuhn et al Designing risk-based detection surveys poster.pdf Presentation of a poster: Merckx Kuhn et al Designing risk-based detection surveys presentation.pdf |
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Ülle Metsman |
Keeping the emerald ash borer out: Risk-based surveillance, preparedness and public engagement in Estonia |
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Alzbeta Mikulova et al. |
EFSA’s risk assessment of Agrilus species in plant commodities |
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Dafni Nianiaka et al. |
Expanding the trapping network for early detection of Agrilus species in Great Britain by trialing a network of traps in Scotland Nianiaka et al. Expanding the trapping network for early detection.pdf |
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Lara Salido & Itxaso Quintana |
Building capacity for ash pest and disease surveillance in eastern Europe: Botanic gardens as sentinel sites Salido Itxaso Building capacity for ash pest and disease surveillance.pdf |