Emerald Ash Borer on the Move in the West

Since 2002, emerald ash borer has been eating its way through ash trees in the Great Lake states and Midwest. The invasive beetle has since spread south to Georgia, and west to Colorado and Oregon. It’s now reported in a total of 37 states and the District of Columbia and has killed hundreds of millions of trees. Now on the doorstep of the Great Plains, the beetle is poised to impact communities and spread further West. The urban and rural forests in these communities are composed of 25 to 35 percent ash trees—with some forests as high as 80 percent ash. The presenters on this webinar reported latest spread data of the beetle as well as control techniques. They also considered community engagement strategies applied by state forestry organizations.