North Dakota Ag Connection - Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week May 21-27

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Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week May 21-27
North Dakota Ag Connection - 05/23/2017

This week is Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week in North Dakota.

Native to Asia, the emerald ash borer (EAB) only attacks true ash trees (Fraxinus spp.). The larvae feed under the bark, disrupting the movement of water and nutrients, killing the tree within a few years. EAB has killed hundreds of millions of ash trees in the United States over the past decade.

"EAB is now found in 30 states, including our neighbor, Minnesota," said Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. "Given the traffic between our two states, it is more important than ever for North Dakotans to take action to prevent it from coming here."

North Dakota has approximately 78 million ash trees. Ash is one of the primary tree species in many communities, as well as in rural plantings and native forest areas.

"EAB spreads slowly on its own, but it can be moved long distances in firewood and ash nursery stock," State Forester Larry Kotchman said. "Please buy your firewood from local sources, and if you are coming from out of the state, please don't bring firewood with you."

Moving uncertified firewood out of the areas under quarantine for EAB is a federal offense. Fifteen counties in Minnesota are currently under quarantine.

City forestry departments, local tree boards, NDSU Extension personnel and other volunteers will tie specially printed ribbons on publicly owned ash trees in more than 40 North Dakota towns and cities. State parks will also participate. The event is organized by the North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA), the North Dakota Forest Service (NDFS) and the NDSU Extension Service.

In 2017 city foresters and a company contracted by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture will place more than 800 EAB traps in cities, state parks, recreation areas, campgrounds, rest stops, county fairgrounds and other areas of high risk. The two-foot-long, three-sided, purple traps are baited with a lure attractive to emerald ash borers. Green funnel traps will also be placed this year in nine locations. The traps will be monitored through the summer during the adult flight period.

Goehring and Kotchman asked that people encountering one of these traps to please leave it undisturbed.

The survey is part of nationwide effort involving 31 states.

More information about EAB is available on the NDDA website at www.nd.gov/ndda or www.ndinvasives.org.

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