Emerald Ash borer

[Roger Chandler]

A poster [Ken] on another thread, brought up the fact that in Pennsylvania, that they cannot transport Ash wood across state lines, because of an infestation of the Emerald Ash borer, which is killing off Ash trees at an alarming rate in some areas, similar to the happenings to the American Chestnut.

Here in Virginia, they are putting out traps and are counting the little borers to see if it has happened here also. To date, I think they have had maybe a county or two where the Ash borer has been found, and they are considering restrictions on firewood, etc across some county lines as well.

Thought that I would see if this has been an issue in other areas as well. I would really hate to see these beautiful Ash trees become extinct. Let us know about it in your area.

[Willard Foster]

In the Minneapolis/St Paul area they are trying a similar thing, not transporting firewood across county lines. I have no idea on how they will be inforcing it. I read where some campers brought "non-certified" firewood into a campground. The firewood was taken from them, and get this, burned by the camground personnel.

Problem with this is, the bugs don't stop at the county line. I think they tried the same thing for Dutch Elm disease. It didn't work then, I suspect it won't work now.

I cut our last ash tree down about three years ago. Made two nice rocking chairs and a bowl from the roots.

Bill

[Dave Wagner]

Same here in NY (and I think PA)..they have the purple Triangle traps along many roads to try and see the spread of them.....same, no transporting of firewood, etc...

[Kenneth Hertzog]

its been going on here for a few years now
i've got a few trees on the property that will make good firewood
does anyone have a picture of one?
ken

[Dave Wagner]

the tree or the insect? Just kidding.

Just google it.

http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&q=emerald%20ash%20borer%20pictures&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&biw=1237&bih=683

[John Hart]

Yeah...this issue has been going on for quite a while here in Ohio. Seems like I just read in an article somewhere that Ohio is officially doomed. They keep the "No Firewood Beyond This Point" signs on the highways...and there is plenty of newspaper ink used up on the issue, as well as TV and radio public service announcements.

I don't think the bug is listening.

[Kenneth Hertzog]

Dave
that is a good point
I guess the tree looks dead :rolleyes:
and the ash borer looks fat :eek:
thanks for the correction :D
ken

[Jerome Hanby]

Maybe we need to genetically engineer a microbe that zeroes in on something specific to these Oriental pests and turn it loose. If that microbe somehow gets transported to the Orient and gets loose, well turn about is fair play...

[Frank Kobilsek]

Regardless, its not a good idea to move firewood too far. There are all kinds of distructive organism that get moved with firewood. We turners should try our best to debark wood before we move it or ship it. There is currently a Thousand Canker disease spreading eastward from Colorado that slowly kills Walnut trees.

On the other hand, the goverment is spending a fortune to remove healthy Ash trees in an effort to stop the spread of EAB. My small town (Illinois) got a grant to cut Ash trees down and burn them. That seems like saying if the local bar closes the town drunk will quit drinking. Isn't he just going to stumble to the bar in the next town. This Borer has been proven to hitch a ride and travel on cars and trucks. Lets stop pretending that wasting money is helpful.

I may be wrong but its just sad to see the City tree crew prematurely dropping trees. The crew boss says the city is making money on the deal. Something just doesn't make sense.

Frank

[Nathan Hawkes]

A poster [Ken] on another thread, brought up the fact that in Pennsylvania, that they cannot transport Ash wood across state lines, because of an infestation of the Emerald Ash borer, which is killing off Ash trees at an alarming rate in some areas, similar to the happenings to the American Chestnut.

Here in Virginia, they are putting out traps and are counting the little borers to see if it has happened here also. To date, I think they have had maybe a county or two where the Ash borer has been found, and they are considering restrictions on firewood, etc across some county lines as well.

Thought that I would see if this has been an issue in other areas as well. I would really hate to see these beautiful Ash trees become extinct. Let us know about it in your area.



Roger, its a very sad story. I've done a fair amount of reading on the subject, and it appears that ash trees will become like the American Chestnut. Whether you move and spread the insects or not, they are here to stay, and will be destroying trees until there are no more to destroy. I have read that in N. VA, there are several counties with confirmed infestations, and I have personally seen what I think are EAB tracks under bark in a dead ash tree in Alleghany Co. VA. That particular tree may have washed down from Bath county, but regardless, they are here in VA, and its only a matter of time. There are pesticides available, but they apparently have to be applied by an arborist, which means a couple hundred bucks a pop. You can contact the VA dept. of Forestry or look on their website for more info. I too, am very saddened by this plague.

[William Bachtel]

It was imported from China. I wonder what else has been imported, that we don't need. I heard that a carp is causing a lot of trouble also, that came from China. Gipsy Moth also has caused trouble. Any more?

[Roger Chandler]

Roger, its a very sad story. I've done a fair amount of reading on the subject, and it appears that ash trees will become like the American Chestnut. Whether you move and spread the insects or not, they are here to stay, and will be destroying trees until there are no more to destroy. I have read that in N. VA, there are several counties with confirmed infestations, and I have personally seen what I think are EAB tracks under bark in a dead ash tree in Alleghany Co. VA. That particular tree may have washed down from Bath county, but regardless, they are here in VA, and its only a matter of time. There are pesticides available, but they apparently have to be applied by an arborist, which means a couple hundred bucks a pop. You can contact the VA dept. of Forestry or look on their website for more info. I too, am very saddened by this plague.


Nathan,

Thanks for the info.........I will look up some of the additional info on the forestry website.

Ash trees are such a valuable resource, and for the most part they produce nice wood, useful for many purposes. I wonder if the wood is taken down, if they would allow turners to have some of it.......it might require treatment or something, but it seems a shame to just burn it in piles.

[Ben West]

William...yes, there are lots and lots more.

Brown tree snakes, cogongrass, wild pigs, kudzu, zebra mussels, and killer bees, just to name a few.

[Cathy Schaewe]

It's been confirmed about 80 miles away from me. We have lots (and lots, and lots) of ash on our property. We're going to have it logged, I guess, before the EAB gets here. Might as well, before it's nothing more than dead trees. I guess I'll have lots of stumps to cut and treat. :(

[Roger Chandler]

It's been confirmed about 80 miles away from me. We have lots (and lots, and lots) of ash on our property. We're going to have it logged, I guess, before the EAB gets here. Might as well, before it's nothing more than dead trees. I guess I'll have lots of stumps to cut and treat. :(


Cathy,

That is almost a tragedy to grieve over! It is much better to log them than to loose them for sure! Looks like a lot of ash turnings will be in your future!

Maybe you could cut up a tree or two and sell them for turning blanks!

[Jeff Nicol]

The EAB only likes the cambium layer of the bark where the larvae cruise around eating everything and stopping the life giving sap from reaching the top of the tree thus killing it. The wood inside is just as nice as it ever was going to be. Like already said the bark must be removed and burn that up hopefully killing all the larvae and any mature beetles. Here in Wi there is something killing the bitternut hickory trees and it is being spread by some sort of beetle/borer too. On our 160 hunting property we have lost thousands of trees. I plan on taking the Woodmizer up and cutting timbers for a hunting shack on stilts soon and making as many nice boards and bowl blanks as I can. Some of the trees are 100' tall and 24" across.

In light of the Hickory being infested and the Ash soon to be threatened, lots of Ash trees on the property also, the Butternut trees are beginning to reproduce again and we are seeing more and more of them getting to the 25-30' range with some of the mature trees that survived the blight that killed them all off here years ago being 60-70' tall. I guess it is natures way of weeding out the weak and letting the strong continue on. We can only hope that not all the Ash, Hickory and any other tree threatened by bugs or disease will perish, but the ones with a will or genetic difference survive and continue to flourish.

Like already said, the govenment implements rules that make little sense and spend millions to fight these things, just like CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease) in deer and elk with no solution on how to stop them. They figure cut them all down or kill everything in sight will stop it and it never does. We are our own best saviors, we all need to educate ourselves on the first signs of infestation and become ardent consevatives of our own resources.

Keep the faith all,

Jeff

[Ken Hill]

The traps are everywhere here in WV, so are the wrnings of moving firewood etc. They are a destructive creature that is really hurting the trees for sure.

We too are logging to gather the $$ before its all firewood and thats scheduled to start in the next few weeks when the veneer market is a bit higher.

ANYONE that wants crotch pieces etc, come get all you like. There will be far to much for me to handle and if noone takes it, it will be firewood. My zip is 25427 for reference.

[Dan Cannon]

I'm in NW Ohio and everyone I know that has ash tree(s) on their property says the trees are either dead or visibly infested. That includes the one ash tree I have in my small yard. I would guess it will make it one more season. Very sad.

[Rich Aldrich]

I read an article on the ash borer where biologists have suggested that the state and federal governments or whoever should preserve seeds so that when the ash borer is gone, we can still plant new ash trees. I wish I could find the article.

It is a real interesting idea. I wonder if we would still have Dutch Elm if this was done years ago.

[Roger Chandler]

I read an article on the ash borer where biologists have suggested that the state and federal governments or whoever should preserve seeds so that when the ash borer is gone, we can still plant new ash trees. I wish I could find the article.

It is a real interesting idea. I wonder if we would still have Dutch Elm if this was done years ago.

Rich,

I truly hope that a lot of people plant some seeds or seedlings to keep the great Ash tree a viable timber source here in the USA.

[Greg Just]

Recently there have been ads running on the radio here about some chemical treatment that is available. Your sprinkle it on the ground and water it in and systemically it kills the bugs. I have no idea if it works, but some reputable garden centers here are carrying the stuff. Don't remember the name.