Is it Emerald Ash Borer?

Is it Emerald Ash Borer?

Although it has not yet been detected in Nebraska, some Nebraskans have already lost trees to what they thought was emerald ash borer.

"There already have been some trees taken down by mistake in Nebraska because the homeowners were told their trees had emerald ash borer," said Mark Harrell, Nebraska Forest Service Forest Health program leader. "None of these trees were infested. If homeowners are told they have emerald ash borer, they may want to contact another certified arborist or other tree care professional to get a second opinion."

Experts from the Nebraska Forest Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and Nebraska Department of Agriculture are trained to recognize emerald ash borer, or EAB, and can determine whether the insect is present.Symptoms of EAB include winding tunnels just under the bark, one-eighth inch, D-shaped exit holes on the trunk, as well as canopy loss, usually from the top down. Trees infested with EAB also may have sprouts growing from the roots or trunk of the tree. Other symptoms include vertical splitting in the bark on the trunk and increased woodpecker activity.

The insect itself is bright, metallic green with a flat back. Adults are typically one-half inch long.

Because EAB only attacks ash trees, individuals also should be sure the tree in question is an ash and not a similar-looking species.

If a tree is infested with EAB, it must be removed to help prevent the insect from spreading to neighboring ash trees. In urban areas, trees may be near utility lines, homes or other buildings, so it is often best to have the tree removed by a certified arborist.

"In Nebraska, arborists may be certified by either the Nebraska Arborists Association or the International Society of Arboriculture," said Eric Berg, Nebraska Forest Service community forestry program leader. "Both organizations require arborists to pass an exam covering all aspects of tree care and removal and attend educational workshops to maintain their certification.

Certified arborists also follow OSHA- and ANSI-approved standards for pruning and caring for trees." Reputable arborists will be able to provide proof of insurance and references, as well as written documentation of the work that will be done.

If you suspect your ash tree has EAB, contact the Nebraska Forest Service at (402) 472-2944, USDA APHIS at (402) 434-2345 or Nebraska Department of Agriculture at (402) 471-2394. For more information about locating an NAA- or ISA-certified arborist, visit the Nebraska Forest Service Web site at www.nfs.unl.edu. For more information about identifying EAB, visit the Nebraska Forest Service Web site or archive/-/asset_publisher/VHeSpfv0Agju/content/www.emeraldashborer.info.

Becky Erdkamp, Education and Outreach Specialist
Nebraska Forest Service

 

November 16, 2007

Nebraska Forest Service Leading Multi-State Initiative to Prepare for Pest

As fall's colors emerge, it's hard to miss the striking gold and purple leaves of ash trees lining streets and roads across the state.

However, when emerald ash borer arrives, Nebraska could lose its estimated 2.2 million ash trees planted in towns, cities and conservation plantings across the state.

First detected in southeast Michigan in 2002, emerald ash borer, or EAB, is an exotic beetle that attacks and kills all native ash species, including white, green, black and autumn purple ash. To date the beetle is present in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia and Ontario, Canada and has killed approximately 25 million ash trees.

With the help of a $1 million U.S. Forest Service grant, the Nebraska Forest Service, in partnership with state forestry agencies in Kansas, South Dakota and North Dakota, is engaging in a regional initiative to prepare for the insect's arrival.

The initiative is unique because it represents the first time states have worked together to prepare for such a significant forest health threat."This is a major regional project that will serve as a model of how states can work together to address regional and national problems caused by an invasive species," said Scott Josiah, state forester and director, Nebraska Forest Service.

"There is no doubt EAB will be a disaster for our communities, but it is a disaster we can prepare for. It will be similar to Dutch Elm disease in the 1960s, which rapidly killed millions of trees in Nebraska and dramatically converted lush urban forests to barren, shadeless urban landscapes," Josiah said.

Because of ash's popularity in rural and urban plantings, its loss would dramatically alter landscapes across the state. Current estimates show that some Nebraska communities could lose 25-50% of their tree resource, and the cost of removing and replacing trees lost to EAB could exceed $1.5 billion.

The loss of trees to EAB also will result in the loss of ecosystem services, such as shade, air and stormwater filtration and protection of streets and highways. These losses all translate into increased costs for homeowners and municipalities.

The goals of the initiative are to assess each state's ash resource and develop educational programs to inform the public of EAB and its threats, regional monitoring and detection networks and markets for waste wood generated by EAB.

"The multi-state partnership allows us to utilize the strengths and expertise in each state and accomplish more than any one state could working on its own. The first step will be to conduct inventories of each state's ash resource so we have a clear picture of exactly how much ash is in each state and where it's growing," said Steve Rasmussen, Nebraska Forest Service district forester and coordinator of the EAB initiative. "Once we know what our ash resource is in each state, we can start looking at developing networks to monitor and detect the insect, as well as how to utilize waste wood."

Becky Erdkamp, Education and Outreach Specialist
Nebraska Forest Service

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