Ash tree and Emerald ash bore

[tomkat001]

With all the talk of the emerald ash bore destroying all of our ash trees, are these trees going to be good for sawing?

[OneWithWood]

I think the borer only effects the cambium layer and does not penetrate into the wood.  The trees will mill as they always have.  The market though is likely to stay in the toilet.

[chevytaHOE5674]

Yes they can still be milled as usual. The big issue comes with transporting the logs too and from the mill, and leaving them decked in a mill yard.

[beenthere]

And the other issue is how long dead ash will stand on the stump after being killed. May not be possible/reasonable to saw them fast enough to utilize them.

One reason I am making a lot of firewood out of my 10-14" white ash. 
Leaving the larger ones and the smaller ones.

[Dana]

The tree slowly dies from the crown down and this takes a few years. During that time the quality of the wood/lumber quickly deteriorates. Best to get them cut down and made into lumber as soon as crown die back is first noticed.

[SwampDonkey]

Yeah, like most hardwood, as soon as you loose major limbs the rot moves in.

[Ron Wenrich]

Our tie buyer says not to send any ash ties.  They don't want to spread the borer.  I don't think they want the ash ties.   ;)

I've sawn quite a few dead ash lately.  Ours is more from anthracnose.  After a few years, all your sapwood will turn brown, and it seems to be more brittle.  You may also get some other borers that go deeper than the emerald ash borer.  A lot depends how long the bark hangs on after the tree is dead.