Emerald Ash Borer Found in Salem, New Hampshire—Quarantine expanding and public meeting announced for October 9 in Brentwood

I received the following alert yesterday. It came directly from Karen Bennett. She is the Extension Forestry Professor & Specialist for the UNH Cooperative Extension. This pest is already under quarantine in many areas of the state but this quarantine is expanding. Unfortunately, unless this message is propagated quickly throughout the affected areas, the quarantine will be ineffective. Please pass this along and help to save one of the areas truly great treasures.

The following is the email communication I received:

Emerald Ash Borer Found in Salem, New Hampshire—Quarantine expanding and public meeting announced for October 9 in Brentwood

Emerald ash borer was found in Salem, New Hampshire in the green traps deployed by the N.H. Division of Forests and Lands. This find means the quarantine will expand from Merrimack County into Rockingham County and also the part of Hillsborough County east of Route 3 and the Route 293 loop around Manchester—including those highways. This includes all or portions of the Hillsborough County towns of Pelham, Hudson, Nashua, Litchfield, Merrimack, Bedford, and Manchester. The new boundaries of the quarantine will go into effect on October 9.

The State is holding a public informational meeting about EAB and the quarantine on October 9 from 4 to 6 PM at the Hilton Auditorium at the Rockingham County Nursing Home on William Sturtevant Way off North Road in Brentwood (directions). At the meeting, representatives from the N.H. Dept. of Agriculture, Markets & Food and the N.H. Dept. of Resources and Economic Development Division of Forests and Lands will describe the emerald ash borer’s threat and the purpose and provisions of the quarantine.

Concerned citizens, homeowners who have ash trees on their properties, community leaders, members of the forestry and “green” industries, and those concerned about the health of New Hampshire’s trees and forests are encouraged to attend. To learn more about emerald ash borer, including treatment recommendations, or to report a suspect tree or insect, go to www.nhbugs.org.

Workshops—click on underlined titles to access more information and to learn how to register

NHBugs: The Big Three informs New Hampshire citizens and visitors about three invasive insects of greatest concern to our trees and forests: emerald ash borer, hemlock woolly adelgid and Asian longhorned beetle. This presentation includes information about the life cycles, identifying signs and symptoms of infestations, and management techniques for each pest.

• Wednesday, September 24, 2014, 7-8 p.m.
  Squam Lakes Association, Holderness, NH

NH Firewood Update- Keep Up to Date with Changes in the Firewood Industry
This workshop provides an opportunity for firewood dealers to learn the latest information about wood science, buying and selling firewood, forest pests and firewood quarantines. Speakers will include: Kyle Lombard, of the NH Division of Forest and Lands; Piera Siegert, Jeff Wentworth and Dennis Marquis of the NH Department of Agriculture; and Sarah Smith and Tim Fleury from UNH Cooperative Extension.

• Thursday, September 25, 2014, 1-4 p.m.
  Merrimack County UNH Cooperative Extension Office, Boscawen, NH

Emerald Ash Borer & Conservation Easements
Learn how to identify emerald ash borer (EAB) and how you can respond. This workshop is  for owners of conserved lands and easement monitors. Participants will observe EAB in the field, learn to identify ash trees, learn what can be done to help and discuss what quarantine might mean for you.

• Thursday, September 25, 2014, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
  Conservation Center, Concord, NH

Emerald Ash Borer and Other Causes of Tree Decline
This year, many trees have shown noticeable signs of decline including browning leaves, dying branches, and loss of needles. UNH Cooperative Extension’s, Amy Papineau will discuss some of the many insects and diseases that are causing stress and decline in our trees. Special attention will be given to EAB. Come learn what to look for and what to do when your trees look "sick."

• Monday, October 6, 2014, 6:30-8 p.m.
  Boscawen Municipal Complex, Boscawen, NH

Pesticides for Safeguarding Ash Trees Against Emerald Ash Borer
This workshop for arborists and other tree care professionals will review the emerald ash borer life cycle and spread, signs and symptoms, New Hampshire’s recommendations for treating individual trees to protect against infestation and recommendations to treat an existing infestation. Regulations will be covered including quarantines, compliance agreements, pesticide use, and wetland setbacks. Precautionary safety measures while applying pesticides will be reviewed. Products and equipment will be demonstrated outside by industry representatives.

• Thursday, October 30, 2014, 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
  Society for the Protection of NH Forests, Concord, NH

Karen P. Bennett, Extension Forestry Professor & Specialist           
UNH Cooperative Extension   
212 Nesmith Hall, 131 Main St., Durham, NH 03824
(603)862-4861, (603)312-6695 cell, (603)862-0107 fax
karen.bennett@unh.edu

www.goodforestry.org and  www.nhwoods.org and www.nhbugs.org 

Update: The Emerald Ash Borer is Moving Closer to the Seacoast

This is the latest article scheduled to publish in our seacoastonline.com column titled Taking Root. Because this information is so important to our community I felt it best not to wait. Please take a moment to find out how you can help protect our seacoast. I can be reached at 603.431.0101 or contacted through our company website at www.seacoasttreecare.com

Emerald Ash Borer Moves Closer to the Seacoast

Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), the invasive beetle that is killing ash trees in the US at an alarming rate, has been detected in North Andover, MA. That’s just 3 miles from the NH border, and 30 miles from Portsmouth. As a result, Essex County, MA has placed a quarantine on the transportation of firewood and untreated lumber. EAB was detected in Concord, NH in 2013 and a similar quarantine is in effect for Merrimack County. If we want to save our ash trees, it’s time to start treating ash trees on the Seacoast.

The discovery of EAB in North Andover was lucky, and it shows how we can all help keep an eye out for the spread of this pest. Matthew Mountzuris noticed a stand of trees with dead canopies and increased woodpecker activity and called the Department of Conservation and Recreation in Massachusetts. Turns out they were all white ash, and all infected.

Here’s what you can do:

Burn It Where You Buy It: If you only take one thing away from this article, it should be this: Don’t transport firewood! If you’re going camping, or know anyone who is, tell them not to bring their own firewood but buy it locally at the campsite. Experts agree that the transportation of firewood can move invasive pests hundreds of miles and is one of the biggest threats to our ash trees. (And if you do buy firewood at the campsite don’t bring any back with you.) If you buy firewood to heat your home, ensure it is locally sourced (and preferably kiln dried).

Identification and Inspection: If you don’t how to identify an ash tree, go to www.nhbugs.org. This site is the best resource for current information on EAB in New Hampshire. The site has great information and links on how to identify ash trees and how to inspect your trees for infestation. Learn what signs and symptoms to look for, and inspect your property thoroughly. If you find signs of infestation, you can submit a report at the NH Bugs site. If you see trees this spring that have dead or dying canopies, that’s a great indication of a potential problem.

Spread the Word (and Keep Yourself Informed): Tell your neighbors and friends who own property with ash trees about the EAB. Stay current on the latest news, treatment options and the spread of the infestation. As the experts learn more about what works and what doesn’t treatments are changing and evolving. The  United States Department of Agriculture has a great site at http://stopthebeetle.info which has a wealth of information to keep you up to date, as well as some fun projects that will help your kids learn about the EAB, too.

Treatment: Best treatment options for EAB is surrounded by debate and conjecture, and is best left to professionals who have kept current the latest research. The Seacoast, and the Great Bay in particular, are extremely sensitive areas and misuse of insecticides can kill wildlife and endanger our ecosystem. Initial intensive studies by Michigan State University have shown trunk injection treatments with emamectin benzoate to be up to 99% effective and last as long as 3 years, so there is hope. There are also ongoing studies of non-stinging parasitic wasps that are a natural predator, and these show great promise.

The Emerald Ash Borer has already killed millions of trees, and the spread has continued every year since it was first discovered in Michigan in 2002. Let’s all make it a priority to protect our region against the spread of the EAB. In turn, we’ll be protecting our forests, our Seacoast, our campsites, our fishing holes, and our neighborhoods. Help keep yourself up to date with some of these online resources:

www.nhbugs.org
www.stopthebeetle.info
www.emeraldashborer.info