Press Release

ISSUE UPDATE

EMERALD ASH BORER

The Emerald Ash Borer Problem.  Ash trees are native to the eastern half of the United States and southern Canada. They represented an estimated two percent of the total leaf area of trees in the United States. In Michigan alone, it is estimated that there are 700 million ash trees.

The emerald ash borer is an exotic pest insect that is native to Asia. It was first discovered in six counties in Southeast Michigan in 2002 although it is believed to have been first introduced in 1998 or before. Since then, this insect has caused the destruction of tens of millions of ash trees in those counties.

The presence of the emerald ash borer in Shiawassee County was first confirmed in September 2003. It was brought into Owosso with nursery stock that had been removed from Southeast Michigan prior to that area having been placed under quarantine. About that same time, the quarantine area was expanded to include Shiawassee County.

The original plan of the Michigan Department of Agriculture called for the removal of all ash trees within one-half mile of the area of the infestation in downtown Owosso. Subsequent discoveries of additional insects in other areas of Shiawassee County led to an abandonment of this plan.

The efforts of the Michigan Department of Agriculture are focused on checking the spread of the emerald ash borer in the state. To that end, the resources of the Department, together with federal financial assistance, are dedicated to removing trees surrounding infestation sites in counties that are not quarantined. In counties such as Shiawassee that are in the quarantine area, it is expected that all ash trees will eventually succumb to the insect.

Owosso City officials are concerned about the problems associated with the loss of ash trees in the city. In addition to the homeowner cost associated with the removal and disposal of dead or infected trees, there is the cost associated with their replacement. This bulletin is a first step in designing a strategy to help homeowners address these problems.

What To Look For.  Research conducted to date indicates that the emerald ash borer is infesting white, black, blue and green ash trees. It does not infest mountain ash trees. The adult borer is a dark metallic green color, ½ inch long by 1/16 inch in width. The beetle emerges in between late May and early June and lays it eggs on ash trees. After hatching, several larval stages follow during which tree damage occurs.

            Trees infested with the emerald ash borer will show a top-down canopy dieback. One-third to one-half of the branches may die in a given year. Infested trees may have vertical splits in the bark 2 to 4 inches long and have dense sprouting of shoots arising from the trunk or roots. Although it is difficult to find, the emerging beetle will leave a D-shaped hole in the bark about 1/16 inch in diameter.

Do you have white, black, blue or green ash trees on your property?

Street address of property: _________________________________________________

___ Yes, I have ___ ash tree(s) on my property.

___ No, I do not have any ash trees on my property.

___ I am not sure if there are ash trees on my property.

Clip and return with water bill payment.

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What Can Homeowners Do.  First, it is important to know if there are ash trees on your property. Consult the “additional information” section of this bulletin for resources.

            Second, determine which of these ash trees you wish to protect. Healthy trees may be treated with insecticide to protect against infestation. You might wish to consult a nursery for assistance in obtaining appropriate sprays and in how they should be applied.

            Third, do not remove firewood from Shiawassee County. It is illegal to do so because it leads to the spread of the emerald ash borer to other areas of the state.

            Finally, if you think you might have an ash tree affected by the emerald ash borer, please contact the City Arborist at 725-0557. Reporting suspected infestations will help the City plan for the spread of the insect.

            It will help City officials determine the extent of the potential problem if they can learn how many ash trees there are in Owosso. Please complete the form at the top of this page and return it with your water bill payment.

Additional Information.  If you want to learn more about the emerald ash borer or need help in determining whether or not you have ash trees on your property, the following resources might be useful to you:

Shiawassee District Library, Owosso branch. The library has a poster with photographs of the emerald ash borer and additional information. In addition, the library has tree identifications books.

Michigan State University Extension Service.  MSU Extension publishes bulletins on a number of topics of interest to homeowners. Bulletins E-2892 (“Distinguishing Ash from other Common Trees”) and E-2925 (“Recommended Alternatives to Ash Trees for Michigan’s Lower Peninsula”) are among these titles. The phone number for the local office is 743-2251.

City Hall.  A poster with information about the emerald ash borer is displayed in the lobby. A limited number of copies of the two MSU Extension Service bulletins noted above are also available. In addition, Councilman Charles Sumrack is well informed regarding emerald ash borer and is willing to be of assistance to property owners. You may contact him at csumrack@yahoo.com or by calling 725-0568.

Internet.  The following web sites contain a wide variety of useful information on this topic: www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/pest_al/eab/eab.htm; www.emeraldashborer.info/; www.michigan.gov/mda/; www.msue.msu.edu/reg_se/roberts/ash/