Current Emerald Ash Borer Information.

populus · April 25, 2005, 09:57:43 PM

Wow. I read this article earlier today, and posted about it on my weblog. Not knowing Michigan's counties, I assumed the article was entirely about the UP. The confusion that Jeff points out, alternating between talking about Luce county (UP) and Gratiot (not UP), really muddled the article. On re-reading, I guess the article does NOT say that there is an infestation on the UP. So is there? Just the facts, ma'am.

Jeff · April 25, 2005, 10:07:12 PM

Thats what I want. I think thats what is deserved somewhere. Certainly, most of us dont want this to be true, but we need the truth, again, not muddled information. Again, thats what this is. Somewhere someone investigated this U.P. site and has a report. Where is it and what is in it?

Paschale · April 25, 2005, 11:32:53 PM

Hey Jeff,

I assumed that Gratiot county is in the U.P.! Even though I'm a Michigan native, I certainly don't have a handle on where all the counties are. I see what you mean... :

SwampDonkey · April 26, 2005, 06:06:19 AM

You get the wrong reporter-type and a sensitive subject and they will always muck it up. >:(

estiers · April 26, 2005, 02:12:16 PM

The way things are reported seem to be the issue. The reason that Newberry does not show up as a red dot on that current finds map is because, while they did find the transported infested wood in the area, The MDA does not call an area positive unless they find the bug in a standing tree. This was not the case in Newberry. The only place they found the bug was in the transported wood, and, as I said before, in further investigations they surveyed the area around where the wood was dropped and found very little ash, and no infested ash. As for the "bugs flying around" part, I do not know about that as I was not there.

Not sure if I muddied the water more, but that is what I have.

Emrldashbr · April 27, 2005, 12:44:57 PM

Thanks Erin, Good to know I don't usually get the details unless I hunt them down. But then I have to think how accurate a news story is once the editors get to it. For instance it mentions 4 measures proposed but only details the one for jail time, $250,000, and expenses to clean it up. As to the initial post the "bugs flying around" i think was in reference to Gratiot, not Newberry.

My $0.02

MSU_Keith · April 28, 2005, 09:47:39 AM

Heard on the radio this morning that federal money to state of Michigan for EAB eradication has been cut from $25M to $11M. I tried to find some print news to back up this story and all I could find was:

http://www.petoskeynews.com/articles/2005/04/07/news/local_regional/news01.txt

Seams like this should be bigger news given the crisis. :(

populus · April 28, 2005, 10:31:51 AM

Not just Michigan, but Ohio as well. I posted an article yesterday "Ash borer eradication underfunded". It seems that the USDA is withholding funds that were allocated by Congress.

hawby · April 28, 2005, 12:00:56 PM

I know it is slightly off topic, but my forester says that our Ash have the Yellows. http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/howtos/ht_ash/ht_ash.htm

I would say that 50% of the 12" and larger exhibit large amount of dieback. His suggestion was to completely cutout the Ash, nurture the saplings and hope the MLO's lifecycle misses them.

Anyone here got an opinion on this? I am concerned that the distressed trees will be a siren song for the EAB.

populus · April 28, 2005, 12:31:10 PM

I don't know that ash yellows predisposes trees to emerald ash borer, but it seems likely. Agrilus beetles in general prefer stressed and declining trees, and given the choice between healthy and stressed trees will choose the stressed ones.

Ash yellows is caused by a phytoplasma (a kind of bacteria, referred to in older literature as MLO's) transmitted by sucking insects (aphids, leafhoppers). It is hard for me to understand how getting rid of the existing ash in favor of saplings will help - saplings get ash yellows, too, and you obviously have the vector insects in your area. The general silvicultural strategy for heavy ash yellows infection is to eliminate ash in favor of other species.

estiers · April 29, 2005, 07:49:28 AM

If you read the article, it says "The USDA has allocated Ohio roughly $8 million of a $11.6 million request for 2005 borer funding" This does NOT mean that the USDA is not giving out funds that have been allocated. This means that Ohio asked for 11.6 and got 8. There is not a whole lot of money gong around these days, due to the wars and things. Just because you ask for something doesn't mean you are going to get it. If you read further, you will notice that they went up from last years budget of $3.8 million. Michigan, which had a greatly larger infestation, only got $11m (when they asked for $25m). My point is you can't be given money that is not there.

MSU_Keith · April 29, 2005, 10:47:15 AM

estiers - Just out of curiosity, any idea what Michigan's actual federal allocation was in 2004? Sorry about any misconceptions - your right the issue for Mi was asked for $25M, got $11M.

There is no doubt that there is alot of worthy priorities and limited funding for federal dollars but the allocations to the EAB effort seam lacking when compared to other issues. The Emerging Plant Pests line item in the APHIS budget is increasing - $93M in 2004, $101M in 2005, $127M budgeted 2006 (this includes all issues not just EAB) but it really pales in comparison to the issues that get national press and big money lobbying. Compare to Forest Service Hazardous Fuels Reduction - $233M in 2004, $263M in 2005, $281M budget 2006 or the entire Wildland Fire Management budget - $1.39B in 2004, $1.44B in 2005 and again in 2006. Many other allocations in the budget could also be debated:

http://www.usda.gov/agency/obpa/Budget-Summary/2006/11.MRP.htm

When it comes to fed funding, it always appears that the squeeky wheel gets the grease. It seams an once of prevention might be worth a pound of cure in the case of EAB. Might be worth writing a letter to USDA Sec Mike Johanns and supporting the MI and OH congressional delegations to get more funding.

estiers · April 29, 2005, 01:57:08 PM

Michigan got around $28m last year. Yes, they took a cut, but if you look at the total funds for EAB for 2005 they do not add up to $28m, they are at around $20m. I see what you are talking about in the emerging plant pest line. This is the first year EAB has been in the appropriated line versus drawing from emergency funds. That line encompasses many pests: Asian Longhorned Beetle, Phytophthora ramorum (Sudden Oak Death), Soybean rust, etc. I am NOT closely ralated to the money side of this issue, so this is as about as in depth as I can go. Believe me, I want more funding for EAB too. There might be more coming through the emergency program, but we cannot bank on that. We have to do the best job with what we have.

Emrldashbr · May 10, 2005, 01:24:12 PM

Hello,
I don't know a whole lot about ash yellows but I do know that it has been around quite a while. As far as being a siren song for EAB, if your area doesn't have the insect they can't be attracted to the trees. They can fly but definitely not that far.

The idea of thinning that standing ash to remove ash yellows sounds like a good idea to me. But if there are a lot of ash in your area and you let the ash regenerate they will likely get infected by the ash yellows again. I am not sure but it could be that some years are worse than others depending on the weather conditions. Also it might be that many years of decline from ash yellows are required to kill the tree. Remember I am only speculating based on my experience with other problems.
As I side note-> I got to meet Jeff at our Michigan Association of Timbermen (MAT) conference recently. It was great to have a chance to meet him and Wildflower. I took quite a while bending their ears about EAB. We were trying to preach the use of ASH and not letting it go to waste. Unfortunately after the MDNR had their talk about timber sales and "certified forests" most of the audience got up and left before MDA got started talking. Some people took the time to listen and we were able to clear up quite a bit of mis-information. I think that part is just as important as increasing awareness. Thanks to all of you for listening and trying to learn as much as you can. :P

Jereme

estiers · May 23, 2005, 10:48:58 AM

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/EAB_Quarantine_20May05_125558_7.pdf

The Michigan EAB quarantine has changed. There are some pretty significant changes to it. It goes back to a 2 tiered system, a quarantined area and a regulated area. The quarantine area had expanded to include a couple more outliers. The regulated area includes the whole Lower Peninsula of Michigan. This change has little effect on the quarantined region, who will still live under strict laws regulating movement of ash materials out. The kicker is that if you live in the LP, but not in the quarantine, you will also have to have inspections and certification to get your ash products out of the LP. It also prohibits movement of non-coniferous firewood out of the LP.

Feel free to look it over and shoot me any questions you might have, either here, through PM, or via phone.

pasbuild · May 23, 2005, 08:25:12 PM

Our local paper had a very brief write up on it last Saturday, hope these latest measures have a positive affect .

estiers · May 24, 2005, 07:41:25 AM

For those of you who are impacted by these new regulations, there is one thing that does not come through with as much force as it probably should. These new regulations mean that NO ash logs may leave the lower peninsula during the adult flight season (designated as May 1 through August 31) and may only move to approved mills outside of that timeframe. This might be a big deal for those of you out there who have ash on the ground and were planning to take it out of the LP, say to Indiana or the Upper.

pasbuild · May 24, 2005, 10:26:30 PM

We have plenty of Ash in the UP, you trolls can keep your Ash on your side of the bridge smiley_annoyed01

estiers · June 28, 2005, 07:57:55 AM

I know that there was talk about the small penalties levied against quarantine violoators on here a couple of months ago. I heard on NPR yesterday afternoon that the Michigan law has been changed in regards to this. It raised the fines to start at $1000. I tried to find the Press Release, but it was not there. Maybe the website will be updated today.

estiers · June 29, 2005, 11:32:05 AM

http://www.emeraldashborer.info/Finesincrease.cfm

Here is the link.

Jeff · July 05, 2005, 10:58:09 AM

Here is the latest EAB Map from Sharon Lucik at USDA-APHIS. The latest now includes the Mason County (Ludington State Park) initial, Tawas Point SP find and ongoing updates in Lucas and Wood Counties, Ohio.

pasbuild · July 08, 2005, 11:52:35 PM

I was a little worried when I saw the dark green areas in the UP, glad to see it just the national forests

Furby · July 09, 2005, 12:41:32 AM

I don't like that mark by me over in Ottawa! >:(

estiers · July 13, 2005, 07:33:45 AM

http://www.ohioagriculture.gov/pubs/divs/plnt/curr/eab/eab-nr-ottawacounty-071105.stm

New find in NW Ohio.

estiers · July 22, 2005, 12:51:26 PM

http://www.ohioagriculture.gov/pubs/divs/plnt/curr/eab/eab-nr-delawarecounty-05Jul19.stm

New find in Delaware Co., OH

This county is not near the Northwestern quarantined area, rather it is near Columbus, making it a pretty significant find.