Don't Move Firewood - Prevent Emerald Ash Borer Infestation

Give me a chance to reach many people with one simple sermon and I'll pulpit pound about native plants and trees, pollinators, and the importance bees.

A tiny emerald ash borer centered on penny won’t cover Lincoln’s image. Space remains. The iridescent, metallic green bug is beautiful and deadly. It kills every ash tree it infects in 2-3 years. NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets and the Department of Environmental Conservation confirmed the first occurrence on June 17, 2009 in Randolph, NY (Cattaraugus County.)

Paul A. Weston, Department of Entomology, Cornell University, noted "some have predicted this insect will mean the end of ash trees in North America, similar to the fate of chestnut trees following the arrival of chestnut blight on these shores.
The bug's economic impact is in the billions. An Ohio Department of Natural Resources study estimated there to be more than 3.8 billion ash trees in Ohio, with standing timber valued at more than $1 billion.

Cornell's ForrestConnect Webinar discussed the insect, its impacts, and courses of action: Don't Move Firewood. Methods for eradication include purple sticky traps, chemicals, and biosurveillance. A native predatory wasp, Cerceis fumipenns, transported to invested sites is proving effective. Early detection and rapid response is important. Look at and inventory your trees. Identify resources. Make treatment decisions - treat the tree or take it down.