Nebraska Forest Service
PO Box 830815 Lincoln, NE 68583-0815
402-472-2944 • nfs.unl.edu
Contact: Laurie Stepanek
T: (402) 472- 5503
E: lstepanek2@unl.edu
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
Emerald Ash Borer Discovered Near Lincoln Quarantines, Regulations Remain in Effect
DATE: 6/17/2016
LINCOLN, Neb. — The Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) has announced a second discovery of the emerald ash borer (EAB) in Greenwood, NE. This confirmation places this destructive insect within 15 miles of Lincoln and six miles from Waverly. NDA’s quarantine zone currently includes Douglas, Sarpy, Cass, Washington and Dodge counties. It specifically restricts the movement of firewood and wood waste from the zone.
“The most effective way to control the speed at which EAB spreads is for everyone to follow the NDA’s quarantine,” said Nebraska’s Deputy State Forester, John Erixson. “EAB is a slow moving insect; it only moves a mile or two on its own. However, as soon as we start haphazardly moving things like firewood around, the insect will spread like a fire across the state.”
The Nebraska Department of Agriculture and the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), determine the quarantine boundary and issue regulations designed to slow the rate of spread of the insect. The quarantine specifically regulates, “hardwood firewood and mulch, ash timber products and green waste material…to assist in the prevention of human-assisted spread of the pest into un-infested areas.”
“Following the quarantine and restrictions will help slow EAB’s spread, giving homeowners, communities and land managers time to start proactively removing or treating their ash trees,” added Erixson.
Regardless of the borer’s current location, municipalities and anyone managing large numbers of ash trees outside of the quarantine areas should take steps now to prepare for EAB. The Nebraska Forest Service (NFS) recommends focusing on removal and replanting of trees now, giving new trees several years to become established. Treating ash trees is an option; although, treatments will not save trees forever. Each treatment will need to be continually reapplied and will only prolong the tree’s life, not save it. Any treatment should not be carried out before the insect is confirmed within 15 miles of the trees.
“The safest bet for homeowners, and in some cases villages and cities, is to contact a certified arborist,” said Mark Harrell, Forest Health Program Leader with the Nebraska Forest Service. “Certified arborists have access to the latest information on the effectiveness of chemicals and can help assess if a tree is worth treating or should be removed.”
Based on the experiences of other states, the NFS predicts that more discoveries of EAB will take place over the summer. While it will take a few years to see large scale losses of ash trees in these areas, it is critical that preemptive action, such as early removals and treatments, takes place now.
“We expect to see significant losses in the canopy of our community forests and the benefits they provide. EAB will lay a heavy financial burden on communities and homeowners for ash tree removal, disposal and replacement,” said Nebraska’s State Forester, Scott Josiah. “However, we must replant with a wide range of tree species. That way, when the next invasive pest arrives, our kids aren’t in the same position—facing the loss of millions of beautiful trees and nearly a billion dollars in costs.”
Nebraska becomes the 27th state to discover EAB. It is projected that Nebraska’s taxpayers and homeowners will spend over $961 million on ash tree removal, disposal and replacement of nearly one million trees in our communities.
More information about the emerald ash borer, the NDA quarantine, finding an arborist, and recommendations for homeowners and municipalities can be found at www.eabne.info.
Nebraska Forest Service
PO Box 830815 Lincoln, NE 68583-0815
402-472-2944 • nfs.unl.edu
Contact: Kyle R. Martens
402-413-9248 • kmartens3@unl.edu
**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
Emerald Ash Borer Confirmed in Nebraska
DATE: 6/8/2016
LINCOLN, Neb. — The Nebraska Department of Agriculture announced today that the emerald ash borer (EAB) was found earlier this week in southeast Omaha. This is the first confirmation of the insect in Nebraska. EAB has killed hundreds of millions of ash trees in 26 states. It is projected that Nebraska’s taxpayers and homeowners will spend over $961 million on ash tree removal, disposal and replacement.
“Now is a good time for residents in and around Omaha—and municipalities throughout the state—to take proactive steps to deal with EAB,” said Deputy State Forester John Erixson. “Once EAB is found in an area, most ash trees are killed within 10-15 years.”
Residents with ash trees in the Omaha area may want to begin treatments.
“The best candidates for treatments are healthy, high-value trees that are in a good location,” said Mark Harrell, Forest Health Program Leader with the Nebraska Forest Service. “Trees in poor condition or located under wires or too close to sidewalks or buildings generally should be removed rather than treated.”
Professionally applied trunk injections are the most effective treatments, especially for large trees. Their main drawback is the damage they cause to the tree and therefore are best applied by certified arborists well-trained in the procedure. The most common products available to the homeowner are soil applications, but they are somewhat less effective than injections and have a greater chance of harming beneficial insects, such as bees.
“Treatments need to be applied every one to two years and must be done for the remaining life of the tree,” said Harrell. “For this reason, many trees will not be worth saving.”
Owners of ash trees outside of the Omaha area may be anxious to begin treatments, but the recommendation is still to wait until EAB has been found within 15 miles of your trees. The chances that your tree will be the first one infested is very low, especially if it is being well cared
for. The current treatment consideration zone extends from Fort Calhoun to Plattsmouth and from Gretna to east of Council Bluffs.
Municipalities and anyone else managing large numbers of ash trees even if they are outside of the Omaha area should take steps now to prepare for EAB.
“Upwards of 80% of the ash trees will die within 8 years after EAB is found in a community if nothing is done to manage the pest,” said Eric Berg, Program Leader for Community Forestry and Sustainable Landscapes. “This can put a strain on city budgets and staff and create liability issues if dead trees are left standing. Nebraska municipalities need to be proactive in dealing with EAB.”
“Municipalities should gain an understanding of the number, locations, sizes and conditions of their ash trees and develop a management plan,” Berg added. “Removing poor quality trees in a community even before EAB is discovered will help spread removal costs over more years.”
As trees are removed, they should be replaced with a diverse selection of trees, not just a few species. This will help avoid another significant loss of the urban tree canopy when the next serious pest arrives.
More information about the emerald ash borer, finding an arborist, and recommendations for municipalities can be found at www.eabne.info.