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| Exotic Pest - Emerald Ash Borer In the Summer of 2002, the imported pest called the emerald ash borer (EAB) was found in Southeast Michigan. This insect can kill all species of North American ash (Fraxinus) trees. Since its discovery, in a six-county area of Michigan, six million ash trees have been infested or killed. The insect is native to Asia. It is thought it was brought to the USA on packing crates. Michigan is site of the main infestation, but it has also been found in Ohio, Indiana, Maryland, and Windsor, Canada. If the insect makes its way to Wisconsin, it has the potential to have a major impact on our state's landscape. |
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| In Michigan, they are doing research on the pest, evaluating
insecticides, and quarantining the movement of ash trees and wood in the affected counties. They are also destroying
all infested trees. One of the biggest messages they are trying to get out is, "don't take ash firewood out
of the quarantined areas." While this story unfolds, residents planning on planting a tree in the near future may want to consider planting something other than any species of ash (green ash, white ash, black ash). There are more than 7,130 trees on City of Stevens Point parkways, encompassing over 130 different species and cultivars, of which 1,117 trees are ash. In light of the threat of the emerald ash borer, the city has not added any ash trees to its parkway tree inventory since the Fall of 2004. The City of Stevens Point is preparing for emerald ash borer in several ways. We are watching how events unfold with this insect, and do not plan on planting any more ash trees in the foreseeable future. The city encourages residents to consider planting something other than ash trees on their own property. The Forestry Department has even asked local retail nurseries to avoid selling ash trees. A diverse tree population minimizes the effects of tree disease and insect outbreaks, and Stevens Point is planting many different tree species. Stevens Point Forestry personnel have set up two detection traps. One is located outside the recycling drop-off site at the City Garage (see picture), and the other is located on the north side of Veterans Park. The traps will be taken down in mid August of 2007. Our staff have been trained to know what to look for in regards to this insect. The city is also trying to keep residents inform about the Emerald Ash Borer through press releases and information on this Web site. Every publicly-owned tree in the city right of-way is inventoried on a computer database, and the Stevens Point Forestry Department is currently updating that inventory. Once this updating is complete, the location and size of every ash street tree will be known. From this information, better and more accurate management decisions can be made. Read "Dreaded Tree Killer at Wisconsin's Doorstep" For more information, residents can call the Stevens Point Forestry Dept. at 346-1532, or look to the US Forest Service's EAB web page or the State of Wisconsin's EAB web page. |
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