THE ARBOR DOCTOR

JOHN CROPPER, Staff Writer

http://www.wnewsj.com/main.asp?SectionID=49&SubSectionID=156&ArticleID=1859

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio (Sept. 8, 2010) - Following recent
confirmations of emerald ash borer in Wayne National
Forest, and taking into account the infestations in
surrounding states, the Ohio Department of Agriculture
today expanded the state’s emerald ash borer quarantine to
include all 88 counties.

The quarantine stipulates that ash materials and hardwood
firewood cannot be taken from a quarantined area into a
non-quarantined area. Despite the fact that quarantining
the whole state will allow for ease of movement of ash
materials and hardwood firewood, it is recommended that
Ohioans continue to exercise caution when moving these
materials.

“Limiting firewood movement helps the state protect
against the artificial spread of many pests in addition to
emerald ash borer, including gypsy moth and Asian
longhorned beetle,” said Ohio Agriculture Director Robert
Boggs. “The department strongly urges Ohioans to continue
buying firewood locally.”

The federal quarantine, enforced by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, remains in effect. This quarantine makes it
illegal to transport ash trees, parts of ash trees and all
hardwood firewood out of the state of Ohio.

Ash trees infested with emerald ash borer typically die
within five years. The pest belongs to a group of metallic
wood-boring beetles. Adults are dark green, one-half inch
in length, one-eighth inch wide and fly from early May
until September. Larvae spend the rest of the year beneath
the bark of ash trees and leave D-shaped holes in the bark
about one-eighth inch wide when they emerge as adults.

 
For information on the emerald ash borer, visit
www.agri.ohio.gov.

Check out the Boone County, KY, Arboretum’s excellent Emerald Ash Borer information page here>>>

The following statement is included on the Ohio Division of Forestry’s Emerald Ash Borer website:

            “Ash is a tricky species due to its structural nature: as it declines and dies, large branches break or the entire tree topples over soon after death. Therefore, the safety hazard created by EAB in communities littered with dead ash trees creates a costly and dangerous problem for municipal leaders and homeowners. Removing dead and dying trees costs significantly more because of the unpredictable nature of the wood. Safely removing trees around homes, buildings, and backyards compounds the cost of dead tree removal.”

If you prefer to wait on removing the ash trees we will have 2 options for removal:    

1. Drop whole tree and what it hits is what it hits (dead ash trees tend to shatter upon impact)   

2. Bring a large crane on your lawn at a significantly increased cost.

Today during a site visit near Bypass 4 and Route 4 in Fairfield Township, numerous Emerald Ash Borer adults were flying around and landing as I examined two ash trees.  Rapid decline and death of ash trees was observed throughout the area.

Photo of EAB adult here>>>

NEWS RELEASE

REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio (May 24, 2010) – Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland has recognized May 23-29 to be Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week.

“Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week provides an opportunity for the state to join forces with business, industry, environmental groups, community organizations, tourists, citizens and schools to protect Ohio’s ash trees against the spread of this invasive pest,” said Strickland.

The invasive pest poses a threat to the state’s more than 3.8 billion ash trees and has been identified in 48 of the state’s 88 counties, with 19 additional counties considered to be at elevated risk. To slow the spread of the devastating insect, a state quarantine makes it illegal to move hardwood firewood and ash tree materials from these 67 quarantined counties into or through non-quarantined counties. A federal quarantine in place also makes it illegal to take hardwood firewood out of the state of Ohio without federal certification.

Ash trees infested with the beetle typically die within five years. This invasive pest belongs to a group of metallic-colored, wood-boring beetles. Adults are dark metallic green, one-half inch long, one-eighth inch wide, and fly from May until September. Larvae spend the rest of the year beneath the bark of ash trees, damaging the trees’ water and nutrient-transporting tissues. When the larvae emerge as adults, they leave behind one-eighth inch D-shaped exit holes in the bark.

Emerald Ash Borer Week, designated each May, is part of a regional effort to raise awareness of the environmental, social and economic impacts of this pest.

For more information, call 1-888-OHIO-EAB or visit www.agri.ohio.gov.

The following update is from ODNR Urban Forester Wendi Van Buren.  This is a good update, but I don’t agree with the Mariemont mayor who is quoted as saying that there was nothing which could save the ash trees from EAB.  There are legitimate arguments for and against treating trees, but treatments have been 98% effective, so I doubt his statement is accurate.  -Ron R.

SW Ohio folks:

Mariemont made the news this weekend for removing ash trees in the median of Wooster Pike.  Mariemont is less than 2 miles from the Anderson Township EAB find in 2007.   

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20100407/NEWS01/4080360/Mariemont+removes+dying+ash+trees

http://www.wlwt.com/news/23103305/detail.html

Hamilton County EAB map - http://www.agri.ohio.gov/public_docs/eab_maps/eab-map-hamilton.pdf  

MAYSVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The makers of Louisville Slugger baseball bats say they are seriously concerned that the spread of insects that destroy ash trees could affect production.  Read more here.

Read more here in Ron’s article in the Cincinnati Horticultural Examiner.