Emerald Ash Borer

[Tim Harrigan]

Yesterday I cut a pretty good size Ash tree, about 22 inch DBH. Had about 40 ft of nice saw log in it. I was looking at the stump and it was about 75 years old. Growth rings were really tight for about the first 10-12 years, then it really took off with consistent growth rings of close to 1/4 inch per year right up until about 12-14 years ago, then they really hit the brakes, maybe 1/32″ per year. That is before we knew we had a EAB problem here, but exactly when they are saying, in hindsight, it took off. There are still a few trees with a little life left in them, but I don’t think any are going to survive. I hope they can regenerate by suckering and make a comeback at some point.

If you catch it, get rid of it.

[Baystatetom]

We are on high alert in New England. All I have heard is doom and gloom from the scientist its not a matter of if but when. One research guy at UMass is hopeful for a control soon but he is the minority with that line of thinking. They drew a 100 mile quarantine circle around the last capture site in New York, that line falls about two towns from me. If there is any bright side at all its that all the quarantines have really given our ash markets a good boost over here on the “safe” side of the line.
~Tom

[Marshall]

I have a bunch in my front yard that will be coming down for the same reason. It is going to look bare but the house will be warm for a few years. I guess to look at the bright side the horses will learn to skid logs.

[Baystatetom]

Just tonight I finally got some advice about forest management and the EAB from somebody I trust to know what they are talking about.
First when it comes to nice saw logs, cut them when you can before infestation, second the EAB will attack stressed trees first so by intentionally stressing poor quality trees by girdling or some other means you can prolong the amount of time until the EAB comes after the good ones. Finally once you notice those stressed trees have been infested cut them and stack them so they will dry out as quickly as possible hence stopping the larva from maturing.
Of course here in western Massachusetts the majority of our ash is stressed already from drought stress, native insects, and ash yellows any way.
This may or may not be feasible on a big scale but at least somebody finally said more then management is impossible.
~Tom

[Tim Harrigan]

Good points, Tom. It is a challenge because the EAB attacks the top of the tree first where they are hard to detect so they can be in your woodlot for quite a while before you realize it. Based on what I have seen I am pretty pessimistic about the ability to control it effectively. I do agree that a good approach is to harvest saw logs early if you have a decent market because once the EAB moves in there will be a flood of ash and the market will fall out. Long range management plans that recognize the likely loss of the ash and enhance botanical biodiversity would seem to be a reasonable approach.

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