CHESAPEAKE, Va. — It’s the "most destructive invasive forest insect ever to have invaded North America" – that’s how the United States Department of Agriculture describes the Emerald Ash Borer.
The shiny green beetle is responsible for decimating ash tree populations in the millions.
“It kills all species of native ash trees by feeding on the cambium, which is part of the tree that draws water and nutrients into the tree,” said Colleen Kenny with the Maryland Forest Service told the Chesapeake Bay Program.
Forestry officials say borers have been spotted in our area. The beetle comes from Asia and was first discovered in Michigan in 2002. Since then, it’s spread all over the mid-Atlantic.
The City of Chesapeake is trying to be proactive to prevent the destruction of local ash trees.
The Chesapeake Director of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism sent a memorandum to the city manager, asking for permission to apply and accept a matching grant with the Virginia Department of Forestry to treat trees in the city for Emerald Ash Borers, adding that the pest has been identified as close as Newport News.
In urban cities of Virginia, ash trees only make up 1 to 5 percent of the tree population, but that’s still thousands of trees across our region.
Because the trees become brittle quickly after being infested by the Emerald Ash Borer, it can become a serious safety issue with trees falling on cars, houses, and powerlines.
Agriculture officials say this fall and winter, be mindful about where you get your firewood. The pests can often survive in the bark of chopped ash, so you shouldn’t buy it from out of state. They encourage you to report any Emerald Ash Borer sightings online.
Chesapeake City Council members are scheduled to discuss the Emerald Ash Borer grant Tuesday night.