The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) has recently issued a statewide quarantine for emerald ash borer (EAB), regulating the pest in Wisconsin. Since the menace has already affected 48 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties, many municipalities have been acting on EAB management plans they set into place, including the City of Racine and Ozaukee county have been managing the pest.

City downing more than 2,200 trees due to emerald ash borer
The City of Racine is working to remove over 2,200 trees from their parks due to EAB. EAB has been found in 48 counties in Wisconsin. It was first discovered in southeastern Wisconsin in August 2008. The city began planning its EAB strategy in 2011 and has been working on a removal project for the past two years, according to Matthew Koepnick, Racine’s city forester.

Despite over 2,200 trees being removed, many will be replaced. Koepnick expects the city to begin the planting process in 2019. The city is ready to move forward with plantings and has already purchased several whips ready to plant in the fall. The whips vary in species, which will help with prevent future copious amounts removals due to pest infestations. Species include red maple, hackberry, catalpa, basswood and tamarack.

Ozaukee County has a dying ash population
EAB first appeared in Wisconsin in 2008, in the same year it was also found in Ozaukee County. Since then thousands of ash trees have died from EAB. Different communities within the county have taken various approaches to handling the EAB crisis. Some communities have opted to treat their ash trees, others have undertaken removals. Learn more about how communities in Ozaukee County are affected by EAB and how they are handling the issues that have arisen from the pest.

EAB has affected much of Wisconsin, not only on public lands, but one private lands as well. EAB has killed hundreds of millions of ash trees in North America since being discovered in 2002. For more information on EAB visit Wisconsin’s Emerald Ash Borer Information Source. For more information on this story, read this article.

For more information contact your DNR Regional Forest Health Specialist.