Emerald ash borer prevention

A beetle that has the potential to wipe out millions of ash trees has been found within 1 mile of Minnesota’s border. Discovery of the emerald ash borer beetle in Victory, Wis., prompted quick action by the Department of Agriculture and proposed legislation to stop it before it crosses state lines.

Rep. Diane Loeffler (DFL-Mpls) sponsors HF2262, a forest protection bill that, among other things, would appropriate $1.5 million from the General Fund for the early detection of invasive tree pests and another $125,000 to develop a response plan in case the little green bugs are found in the state.

The House Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division held the bill over April 7 for possible omnibus bill inclusion. There is no Senate companion.

Geir Friisoe, plant protection division director for the Department of Agriculture, said federal resources may be available for surveillance and detection, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture does not fund eradication efforts. Friisoe said Michigan has spent up to $50 million to get rid of the beetle but without success.

The devastating bug, in its larvae stage, begins boring beneath the bark of ash trees and filling the cavities that carry water and nutrients through the tree. Treatment of infected trees includes injections with insecticide, and recent research suggests the use of wasps as a biological solution to the problem, Friisoe said.

Bob Fitch, executive director of the Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association, said Minnesota has a response plan in place and the readiness task force has “kicked in.” Fitch said the immediate need is to fund public education to inform residents and visitors about the potential for harm. Ash trees would be quarantined within the county where the beetles are discovered and the trees would most likely have to be destroyed. There are an estimated 900 million ash trees in the state. As campgrounds prepare to open, one way to avoid the spread of the emerald ash borer is not to transport firewood from one area of the state to another for campfires.