Just got Diagnosed with Emerald Ash Borer

[Husky]

Just had an Arborist come to my property today and he confirmed what I already was pretty sure of, I have Emerald Ash Borer. This is going to be devastating for my property as I am 95% Ash Trees. I live in culdesac with an acre of land with at least 200 trees on my property. I am sick thinking of what is going to happen in the next 2-5 years. The arborist told me that not a single tree will survive this infestation. I can treat a few of my bigger trees but it will cost me $250 a tree and I will have to treat them every 2 years forever or until they come up with something to kill this bug. I have been a wood burner for over 25 years and just changed over to a pellet stove last year and I am seriously considering changing back over to wood again. I easily have 6-10 years of wood on my property. Just venting a little because I am pretty depressed over this news. I have probably only slept a few hours at night for the past few weeks. Has anyone out there ever gone through this?

 

[Longstreet]

Terrible news, I'm sorry to hear it.

What's the plan, begin cutting areas to open light for new species to begin growth?

 

[Lake Girl]

Sorry to hear your news ... Hopefully you can come up with a game plan without breaking the bank. Did you keep the wood stove?

Luckily, we haven't had them reach us yet. While I have a mix of trees on my 2 + acres, I am selectively removing willows, poplar, dogwoods and some of the pines. Ash, birch, spruce and white pines are my preferred trees there with most propagating on their own. Have a wonderful white pine nursery going it seems. Did bring in a small amount of spruce to form a screen again dust from the dirt road.

 

[billb3]

We're losing quite a few red oaks here to a number of stresses.
All you can do is try to take advantage of nature's trials and tribulations.

The town acquired property on two sides of me via eminent domain, cut down all the old growth hemlock, removed the hills and put in two+ two wells.
Nothing stays the same.
I've tried to keep this old farm property the way it was in the fifties and am now rethinking subdividing it putting in as many mcmansions as will fit and move on.

 

[Husky]

I'm trying to put together a plan. I know I have to start cutting down trees and but I am in denial as my yard doesn't;t look that bad right now.

Sorry to hear your news ... Hopefully you can come up with a game plan without breaking the bank. Did you keep the wood stove?

Luckily, we haven't had them reach us yet. While I have a mix of trees on my 2 + acres, I am selectively removing willows, poplar, dogwoods and some of the pines. Ash, birch, spruce and white pines are my preferred trees there with most propagating on their own. Have a wonderful white pine nursery going it seems. Did bring in a small amount of spruce to form a screen again dust from the dirt road.

Wood stove was shot when I decided to go with a pellet stove. I am 48 years old this summer and decided to get out of the wood for the ease of pellets as I get older. The only thing that sucks is that I just spent about $5000 last year to convert everything over to pellets. I'm sure I could get alt least 1/2 back and go back to wood with another $5000 investment for a good wood insert. Its just a little overwhelming thinking about what I need to do.

 

[Dix]

48 ain't nothing to stop heating with firewood.

Just saying

 

[Lake Girl]

What is the used stove market like near you? Possible to leave insert in place and find another location for a wood stove? Could use the pellet until wood is ready... not sure of the dry time on ash 2 years?

 

[Husky]

48 ain't nothing to stop heating with firewood.

Just saying

I know I can go back. What sucks is I made a big change last year. I know I can easily do wood for another 20 years or more. My dad just gave up wood this past year at age 78.

 

[Lake Girl]

We switched to pellets as an easier option for handling too.

I've tried to keep this old farm property the way it was in the fifties and am now rethinking subdividing it putting in as many mcmansions as will fit and move on.

That's sad but the reality when your property becomes the 'burbs for a larger city centre. Still farmland available nearby?

 

[DoubleB]

Just venting a little because I am pretty depressed over this news.

Sorry to hear the news. I'm sure it's no consolation, but I appreciate the forewarning that folks like you have provided me. My front yard is all ash trees except for a misformed red maple. And they just found EAB last summer in my town. So this spring I was out planting oaks and other maples. My yard will still probably get wiped out, but at least you are helping people prepare sooner than later. Thanks!

 

[Oldman47]

It is an inherent risk of any mono-culture. When I planted my wood lot I intentionally planted more or less equal numbers of 6 different hardwood species. Today, after a little over 20 years, my ash are threatened by EAB but the rest of the trees are still looking great. Even the ash are showing no signs, but EAB is already in the county so losing my ash is just a matter of time. With over 20 acres of trees, no way can I afford to treat individual ash trees.

 

[Wood Duck]

Around here (central PA) almost all Ash have died over the past few years. It is depressing, but I can't complain because I only had a few Ash. I'd immediately plant seedlings of several types of trees amid the Ash. Plant far more than you need so you can select the best ones over the next few years.

 

[Lake Girl]

Not sure what's available in NYS (mail order?) and what is most effective .... http://www.tree-doc.com/homeowner-ash-treatment.html

http://www.bayeradvanced.com/find-a...h-tree-shrub-insect-control-landscape-formula

 

[Jan Pijpelink]

In South NJ, Eastern PA and DE we have Phytophthora ramorum, Sudden Oak Death. We had 3 oaks cut over the last few years and 2 more are infected. Horrible. I feel your pain.

 

[BringinHeat]

Sorry to hear about this. We had this bug go through our subdivision about 10 years ago. Took just about every tree on every street out.

I hope it works out for you in the long run.

 

[HarvestMan]

I have been a wood burner for over 25 years and just changed over to a pellet stove last year and I am seriously considering changing back over to wood again. I easily have 6-10 years of wood on my property. Just venting a little because I am pretty depressed over this news. I have probably only slept a few hours at night for the past few weeks.

Right now, you are in the middle of the storm; this is not the time to be making decisions. Let your emotions pass before making any decisions. Emotion and logic are incompatible. When sufficient time has passed, consider the following:

1. you made the decision to convert to pellets for a reason - are those reasons still intact?
2. are you happy with your pellet heat and the extra convenience it provides?
3. if #1 and #2 are yes, consider the option of cutting the ash and selling the firewood to offset the cost of your pellets
4. come up with a plan for planting new trees as you remove the ash

You will make it through this feeling much better than you do now. Time is a great healer.

 

[Fred Wright]

That bites. I'm saddened to hear.

Agreed with the mention of planting replacement saplings. Our generation may not live to see them mature but they'll be there for the kids and grandkids. That's important.

Read an interesting article in the local fish wrapper recently; the state arborist was interviewed for the story. He said the EAB hasn't been found in Delaware but it's in surrounding areas. Just a matter of time before it makes its way over here. Also, treating a majestic yard or boulevard tree for EAB makes sense but treating forest trees would be very expensive and time-consuming.

On a brighter note, once your ash trees reach the afterlife they can be felled and processed for firewood sale. There may be restrictions on transport of the wood but it can probably be sold locally.

 

[baseroom]

Hey friend, I'm here in chili. The Ashes are dying all around. It is sad, but being a wood burner, it is giving me some fuel. Hey though maybe I can help you out. I just took out a Cream Jotul Firelight Catalyst last fall. It needs a burn plate, and probably the material that holds the catalyst. It still looks great. It is in my garage......I would give it to you dirt cheap.

 

[kennyp2339]

I live in Northwest NJ, my property has a mix of Ash, Cherry, Maple, Oak, and Birch. I have a few large Ash clusters close to the wood line that I would like to chop down, but now I holding off because I want to see if they get the disease, I look at the ash tree's now in a different way, I use to think they were like any other tree, but knowing now that they can be totally wiped out in my lifetime gives me a new respect for them, I will miss in fall the yellow / orange leave colors.

 

[billb3]

I remember harvesting chestnuts to roast over an open fire (most often used the oven though).
Now we battle winter moths , tent caterpillars and gypsy moths.

 

[johnpma]

sorry to hear this...this damn stuff shut down a booming hardwood lumber mill in out town. It was sad as many jobs were lost to the closing of the business........these kinds of things bother me

 

[earl764]

Your post caused me to do some research for a few days on current EAB treatments.

It appears the USDA has approved of introductions of some specific wasp species that like EAB very much, and who have their maturation cycles in sync with EABs'.

From our friends at Wikipedia:

Three species imported from China were approved for release by the USDA in 2007 and in Canada in 2013: Spathius agrili, Tetrastichus planipennisi, and Oobius agrili, while Spathius galinae was approved for release in 2015.[32][33] Excluding Spathius galinae, which has only recently been released, the other three species have been documented parasitizing EAB larvae one year after release, indicating that they survived the winter, but establishment varied among species and locations.[33] Tetrastichus planipennisi and Oobius agrili established and have had increasing populations in Michigan since 2008; Spathius agrili has had lower establishment success in North America, which could be due to a lack of available EAB larvae at the time of adult emergence in spring, limited cold tolerance, and better suitability to regions of North America below the 40th parallel.


Maybe you can order some and introduce them to your property?

Earl

 

[Jeffm1]

Just had an Arborist come to my property today and he confirmed what I already was pretty sure of, I have Emerald Ash Borer. This is going to be devastating for my property as I am 95% Ash Trees. I live in culdesac with an acre of land with at least 200 trees on my property. I am sick thinking of what is going to happen in the next 2-5 years. The arborist told me that not a single tree will survive this infestation. I can treat a few of my bigger trees but it will cost me $250 a tree and I will have to treat them every 2 years forever or until they come up with something to kill this bug. I have been a wood burner for over 25 years and just changed over to a pellet stove last year and I am seriously considering changing back over to wood again. I easily have 6-10 years of wood on my property. Just venting a little because I am pretty depressed over this news. I have probably only slept a few hours at night for the past few weeks. Has anyone out there ever gone through this?

Would coppicing be an option? You could beat the EAB to the punch and in 15 or so years have new trees again....and have stacks of firewood for years to come. If not, as mentioned by another response above, you went to pellets for a reason last year. If that reason is still valid, sell the wood after coppicing and you'll have new trees in another decade or two. The trees may be lost but the root system can be saved.

 

[Husky]

Would coppicing be an option? You could beat the EAB to the punch and in 15 or so years have new trees again....and have stacks of firewood for years to come. If not, as mentioned by another response above, you went to pellets for a reason last year. If that reason is still valid, sell the wood after coppicing and you'll have new trees in another decade or two. The trees may be lost but the root system can be saved.

This is interesting. Reading about it, I think I'm going to try this in a lot of trees that are near a road which acts as a buffer to my property.
I am going to stick with my pellets. All the reasons I decided to switch are still relevant. I have a few buddies who burn wood and also grow corn so I might be able to work a deal with them and exchange wood for corn to supplement my wood pellets and save me a few bucks. I burned 5 tons of pellets last year so I could easily take 2 ton of corn to mix with the pellets. I have never burned a mix but looking on the forum I see many do. Thanks for the ideas and thoughts everyone.

 

[Ashful]

Not sure of the logistics or ground toxicity of treating 200 trees on one acre, but I do know that a $70 bottle of imidacloprid will treat several hundred trees, and has a high level of effectiveness via root soak when timed right (April), particularly on trees < 14". I'd be checking into it, if I were you. Trees are more than just fuel supply, when they're providing privacy and tranquility for your home.