2008 PRESS RELEASES
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July 11, 2008
EMERALD ASH BORER INFESTATIONS FOUND IN FAIRFAX COUNTY, VIRGINIA
Contact: VDACS, Elaine J. Lidholm, 804.786.7686 or VDOF, John Campbell, 434.220.9070
On July 7, 2008, an infestation of emerald ash borer (EAB) was discovered in ash trees in a residential development in Herndon, Virginia near the Dulles Access Road. Two days later, another infestation was discovered in a second Fairfax County location, this time just west of I-95, in Springfield. Both infestations appear to have begun years ago, indicating that these wood-boring insects, which have a one-year life cycle, may have spread to many other areas, which may compound eradication efforts.
Officials from the Fairfax County Forest Pest Program, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF), and many others are actively searching for more evidence of infestation in Fairfax and adjacent counties. VDACS will issue a quarantine on movement of any ash product such as trees or lumber and all hardwood firewood for Fairfax County, and may quarantine additional counties if the borer is discovered there.
The emerald ash borer, a wood-infesting beetle, is a highly destructive, invasive species that has already killed millions of ash trees in Michigan and Ohio and may ultimately cost billions of dollars in tree removal and replacement costs. Since its discovery in 2002 in the Detroit area, it has spread to seven additional states, including Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia. It has also been found in Ontario, Canada.
While EAB only spreads at the rate of approximately two miles per year on its own, it can be moved great distances by human transport of infested wood products, particularly firewood. Firewood sold in Virginia may originate from many different states, and many out-of-state travelers bring their own firewood when camping in Virginia. It is not uncommon to find new infestations of plant pests near campgrounds or adjacent to major interstate corridors. Since early 2007, VDACS and other state agencies have asked people to refrain from transporting firewood from one area to another to avoid spreading pests such as EAB.
All species of ash trees of all ages, sizes, and relative health are vulnerable to the EAB. The insect is usually very difficult to detect because ash trees typically do not show any obvious signs of infestation until one year or longer after the insect has attacked the tree. By then, the insects will have moved on to attack other trees. Traps for monitoring the insect are available and have been widely distributed by VDACS, but their effective range is limited, impeding early detection and precise location determination. Research for improving these monitoring tools is ongoing.
The only control measure currently available is to cut and chip infested trees. An effective systemic insecticide for individual tree protection has recently been approved and may be widely available within a year, but this will be very expensive and not practical for halting the progress of the insect. Homeowners and municipalities should consider replacing ash trees with other species that are not susceptible to emerald ash borer. Federal, state and local government officials, pest specialists and arborists will continue to work together on this effort.