Ash Management Guide for Private Forest Landowners

feed on ash leaves for a few weeks beforemating and starting the cycle again.Infestations can be recognized bydead and dying trees that have serpentinegalleries on the surface of the sapwoodof branches and stems, D-shaped exitholes in the bark and signs of woodpeckerattack such as stripped bark on branchesand stems. Eventually twigs, branches, andultimately the whole tree dies.Adult females can re-infest the tree orfly to a new location. Natural spread mayoccur up to four miles per year. An infestedash stand can be 96% dead in six years.What you need to knowEAB kills ash trees and it does soin great numbers. Already it has killedmillions of ash trees in North America.EAB will have a huge effect on Minnesota’slandscape and the 937 million ashtrees that grow in our cities and forests.• You can expect EAB to spreadthroughout Minnesota, eventually; itmay take decades.• EAB kills all species of ash trees inMinnesota: black, green, and white.• EAB kills 99% of North Americanash trees.• There are some trees with resistanceto EAB located in China.• Cold temperatures in Minnesota mayslow EAB down, but will noteliminate them.Photo: DNR• Planning ahead and managing ash beforeEAB arrive will give you more timeand will help keep your land forested.• Natural enemies of EAB exist inChina; some of these insects are beingreleased in Minnesota to help slow thespread of EAB.• Recognize the signs and symptomsof an EAB infested tree: heavywoodpecker activity on tree, dyingbranches in the top canopy, sproutsaround the tree base, vertical cracksin the bark, S-shaped tunnels underthe bark, and 1 ⁄8 inch D-shaped exitholes in the bark.• If you have ash trees on your property,now is the time to plan for a futurewith fewer ash trees.GLOSSARYChapter 4The EmeraldAsh BorerHeavy woodpeckeractivity on a tree isoften a sign of EABinfestation.serpentine galleries: Trailsthat wind and twist, like asnake.sprouts: Shoots arising fromthe base or sides of a woodyplant.Do NOT transport firewood!Do not transport firewood, even within Minnesota. A major culprit inspreading EAB and other insect pests is firewood. Larvae and pupaecan hide beneath the bark and then escape as adult beetles after beingtransported many miles. Look at the map on page 28 of where EABhas been found. How did it hop from one state to another? Many of theplaces where it was found are parks and campgrounds. People carriedEAB with them when they brought firewood on a picnic or camping trip.25