Emerald Ash Borer
The emerald ash borer (EAB) is an invasive wood-boring beetle that is killing ash trees in the Twin Cities metro and many other places.
All ash trees will eventually die if they are untreated. It is the urban forests’ most serious crisis in modern history. There are millions of trees that have already died, and tens of millions more at risk in our state.
EAB adults are metallic green in color and are about one-half inch long. There are a lot of green bugs out there, and you will likely not see adult beetles until it is too late. Luckily, a trained arborist from Tree Trust Landscape Services will know the signs of EAB and can identify if your tree is infested. EAB can be detected by trees that looked stressed, woodpeckers attacking the bark, suckers in the trees, and S-shaped galleries under the bark, which is where the EAB larvae do their damage.
There are viable solutions to this problem. The trained arborists at Tree Trust Landscape Services know how to prevent a tree from getting EAB, or may be able to save your infested tree if the infestation is caught early enough. Treatment products are safe and effective, and when applied by Tree Trust Landscape Services trained professionals, are guaranteed to work.
Don’t let EAB impact your property.
Actively care for the trees that provide benefits to you.
They are a worthwhile investment.
Here’s what you need to know about the imminent threat of EAB, what you should do RIGHT NOW to save your ash trees, and how you can #ActOnAsh in your community!
Emerald Ash Borer threatens every ash tree in Minnesota. As it spreads, the infestation will grow larger and more difficult to manage.
All 1 billion ash trees in Minnesota are susceptible to EAB unless treated!
Use this resource to see how close the EAB infestation is to your property or favorite wooded areas.
People can slow the spread of EAB, but not stop it. This is why you have to prepare for EAB even if you live outside a quarantine zone!
How to Identify an Ash Tree
Still not sure if your tree is an ash? We can help! Send a high-quality photo to us via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or email with the hashtag #ActOnAsh, and our forestry staff will have a look for you!
How to Identify an EAB infestation
If your ash tree has an early-stage infestation, it may still be able to be treated. But if the infestation advances too far, your ash tree may not be able to be treated. When it dies, it will become very brittle, and pose a dangerous risk to any property, person, or infrastructure nearby. See the “What do I need to do about my ash trees?” tab below for more information on what’s best for your tree.
Your local government may have an Emerald Ash Borer management plan, but it likely only pertains to public trees. For many municipalities, public ash trees will simply be removed. Municipalities will not intervene in the health of trees on private property, so don’t wait for someone to tell you to do something about your ash tree! If you have ash trees on your property, you need to make a plan of action right now!
Emerald Ash Borer has been in Minnesota for over ten years; the time to act is now! If you own an ash tree on your property, you will have to decide if you want to treat or remove your tree. The longer an ash tree is infested, the more dangerous it becomes, and the more expensive it is to have it removed. As a first step, consult a tree care company like Tree Trust Landscape Services. A tree care specialist will help you explore options for your trees.
Trees impact everything around us. The loss of our ash trees will damage air and water quality, animal habitat, urban temperatures, and home values, and it will take decades for new trees to provide similar benefits as the large trees they will be replacing.
What is ahead is daunting, but there are many things we can all do to help mitigate the loss of our trees! You can help keep Minnesota green by:
- Treating any ash trees that you own
- Planting trees on your personal property
- Volunteering with us to plant trees in public spaces
- Supporting policies that increase funding for the state and local governments to manage the EAB crisis
- Supporting organizations like Tree Trust that are making an impact.
