Forest Association Keeps Watchful Eye Out

For Ash Borer

 By Kendra Bobowick

Beware of the emerald ash borer (EAB).

The invasive insects “are fatal to ash trees,” said Newtown Forest Association (NFA) President Robert Eckenrode. The nonnative insect, found in Connecticut, has Mr Eckenrode and other NFA members watching their trees carefully. The ash borers are native to Asia.

Although the NFA has not found any EABs on its preserves, “The issue is a concern to us,” said NFA member Tim Gagne. “We are now flanked with known infestations in New York to the west and central Connecticut to the east,” he said. The NFA is also asking Newtown residents to keep a look out for the insect on their own properties or one of the NFA preserves.

According to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), the emerald ash borer had emerged this past July in the New Haven County towns of Naugatuck, Beacon Falls, Bethany, and Prospect. Its website states, “This is the first find of this invasive and highly damaging insect within Connecticut. DEEP, the CT Agricultural Experiment Station, US Forest Service [and other organizations] are working together with local partners, taking prompt action both to define the extent of this infestation and to limit its spread beyond where the insect is already. This will be a long-term effort on the part of all involved.”

Hoping to avoid seeing the insect in Newtown, Mr Gagne said, “Unfortunately, there is no way to really prevent an EAB infestation. The key, as with anything, is in awareness and early detection.”

He said, “It is our hope that with increased vigilance and awareness, Newtown may not see an EAB infestation at all.”

The NFA plans to: increased visits to NFA preserves to identify ash trees and inspect for infestation, communicate and coordinate with the town and with other land trusts in the region, and create public awareness to increase the likelihood of early detection.

“We are on the lookout,” said Mr Eckenrode, who then described a worst case scenario: “Once [the trees are] infested [ash borers] are fatal to ash trees. The primary concern is once established, they will wipe out entire stands of ash trees.”

 The NFA is working with the DEEP as part of its program for identification and control of this “latest threat to the health of the forests we oversee,” he said.

 The NFA aims to protect white ash trees, the only source of food for the ash borer. The native tree has no resistance to the insect that spreads quickly on its own, as well as through human distribution of ash wood.

Based on DEEP information, the loss of ash trees from the forest, like the loss of any specific kind of tree, would lead to rippling effects on other organisms living in the woods. Butterflies and moths from nearly 30 different families live on ash trees. Seeds of ash are eaten by wood duck, bob white, purple finch, pine grosbeak, and fox squirrels.

The first symptom that an ash tree is infested with EAB is often thinning and dieback in the tree’s upper canopy. This is as a result of EAB infesting the top of a tree first. However, there can be many causes for thinning and dieback in the crown of an ash tree, so that symptom alone should not be seen as diagnostic.

A definite sign of the EAB is the presence of a D-shaped exit hole in the bark of an ash tree. This is the hole left by the emerging adult as it chews its way out of the tree. The combination of a D-shaped exit hole and an ash tree is a sure indication that the insect is present, the DEEP site states.

When ash trees are seriously infested, oftentimes the entire upper crown of the tree will be dead. At the same time, in an effort to survive, these trees may be sending up numerous shoots from the lower part of the trunk or the root flare. The signs of woodpecker activity on ash trees may be the most tell-tale when it comes to finding EAB.

As stated in an NFA release, the emerald ash borer possesses an unusually bright metallic green and iridescent body. This beetle is most easily distinguished by its reddish belly. Those who suspect its presence should contact a licensed arborist or the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station at CAES.stateentomologist@ct.gov, or call 203-974-8474. If residents suspect it is present on NFA property, call the NFA at 203-270-3650, or e-mail admin@newtownforestassoication.org with contact.

 More information can be found at the DEEP website, www.ct.gov/deep/site/default.asp.

 

About the NFA

The Newtown Forest Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is the oldest private land trust in Connecticut. The NFA is dedicated to accumulating and preserving open space and natural resources in Newtown for the benefit of the community and all nature lovers. Currently, more than 1,100 acres are preserved through NFA stewardship, thanks to the support of membership dues and generous donors. The NFA cooperates with but operates independently from the town of Newtown and receives no funding from the town.