May 20 through May 26 is Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week, not only in Minnesota, but across the nation. To help you and your organization be prepared for this week, I have been working with my partners from the University of Minnesota Extension, the Department of Natural Resources, and the United States Department of Agriculture to assemble information and suggestions to help raise awareness during this week.
The purpose of EAB Awareness Week is to increase the number of citizens who are informed about emerald ash borer, emphasizing this year’s theme,
“The Three P’s of EAB: Prepare, Protect, and Plant”:
Preparefor your ash tree to be infested with emerald ash borer. Know the signs and symptoms of EAB. Know your options and what to do if your tree becomes infested. Depending on your city’s shade tree pest ordinance, you can choose to take down your tree, treat your tree, or do nothing.
Protect areas not yet infested with emerald ash borer by not moving firewood and adhering to quarantine boundaries. If you are within 15 miles of an EAB infestation, you can protect your tree with insecticide treatments.
Planta variety of native trees.
Some materials to aid you in observing EAB Awareness Week:
Recommended outreach material for small business and homeowners in or near the EAB quarantined counties.
Does my tree have emerald ash borer?
Insects commonly confused with EAB
Homeowner’s Guide to Insecticide
Homeowner’s Guide to a Healthy Yard
Ash Tree Waste Disposal Sites (within quarantined counties)
Recommended outreach material for Minnesotans not near an emerald ash borer infestation
Does my tree have emerald ash borer?
Insects commonly confused with EAB
Homeowner’s Guide to a Healthy Yard
Available material for request in hard copies:
All listed above
EAB table top display (limited quantity available)
Firewood bookmarks
Firewood tri-fold brochures
EAB credit card sized ID handout
Recognizing insect galleries in ash trees
EAB biological control tri-fold brochures
Thanks for your time, and I hope you will join MDA and partners in observing EAB Awareness Week. If you know of other organizational leader you feel should have this information, please feel free to pass this email along.
Ash trees killed by Emerald Ash Borer; image from Flickr by PugnoM
Thumbnail image by David Cappaert, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org