1,000 Trees Destroyed As Ohio Begins Battle Against Ash Borer

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In Ohio's continuing effort to stop the destructive emerald ash borer, felled trees from the Oak Openings Preserve Metropark are now being trucked to an incinerator in Flint, Mich. By yesterday, at least 1,000 trees had been destroyed or marked for destruction after the discovery last week of an infestation of the tenacious beetle, said Melanie Wilt, spokesman for the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

The worst news may be yet to come: "We're looking for the limits of the infestation and haven't identified them yet," she said. In short, there are certain to be more trees from the metropark that will have to come down.

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The problems at Oak Openings were discovered last week when an official from the nearby Maumee State Forest noticed suspicious-looking bark while driving in the vicinity of Reed Road and State Rt. 64. The park is about two miles northwest of Ohio's first confirmed emerald ash borer sighting, near Whitehouse, in February, 2003. Officials said they identified an infestation cluster in about 25 trees and noticed signs of possible infestation in others away from that site. They want to remove all ash trees within a half-mile of infestation perimeters because the adult borer is known to travel that distance. Through Friday, 500 to 600 trees had been cut down at the park and burned on site."

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