Hey everyone,

I've been lurking the last few months, given the winter season, but with spring (plant swaps, garden sales, etc.) coming up I just wanted to update everyone on something pretty substantial.

There's an invasive cambium-eating beetle species from China (Agrilus planipennis) which is spreading across the country. The beetle lays eggs on ash trees (all species), and its larvae essentially girdle the tree. Large, vigorous trees can been killed within two or three years. The beetle can't fly very far, so its primary means of movement is in firewood or nursery stock. An area of Prince George's county MD was infected when a nursery owner in MI knowingly violated a quarantine and shipped infected ash trees to a plant store in PG. In 2007 another infection was discovered in New River Gorge, WV. The tree was located near popular tourist location and transported firewood was probably the source.

I'm currently contracted with the Maryland Department of Agriculture to survey the two most western counties (Allegany and Garrett) for EAB. The job consists of hanging and maintaining sticky traps in marked trees in a 1.5 mile quadrant grid radiating 100 miles from the WV site. Given Garrett counties use as an outdoor recreation area (Deep Creek Lake, state parks, The Wisp ski resort) for a large number of tourist from EAB areas (PA, WV, IL, OH, MI, and PG county, MD) it has a high risk of being exposed.

Based on the decline in ash trees in the great lakes region, the introduction of this insect pest could place a severe pressure on ash tree populations (think Chestnuts or American Elms). Please don't move firewood around, just support the local economy of wherever your camping and buy it there. Several state parks in MI have had to remove thousands of dead trees, which makes a significant impact on how the campgrounds look. Also, don't move ash trees around states or isolated counties, but that should go without saying. I've attached a few links at the bottom if anyone wants any more information. Thanks for your time.

Peace,

Nate

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerald_ash_borer

http://www.na.fs.fed.us/fhp/eab/

http://www.emeraldashborer.info/files/faq.pdf

http://www.emeraldashborer.info/files/MultiState_EABpos.pdf

http://www.emeraldashborer.info/