OHIO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS
NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 19, 2003
Contact: Melanie Wilt, ODA Communications, 614-752-9817 

FACT SHEET

Emerald Ash Borer Poses Economic, Environmental Threat to Ohio

REYNOLDSBURG – Since the first confirmation last month in Lucas County of the Emerald Ash Borer (Agrilus planipennis), an exotic pest from Asia, the Ohio Department of Agriculture has been working diligently with homeowners and entomologists at the state and federal levels to prevent the spread of this pest and minimize the threat to the state’s timber, horticulture, and nursery and landscape industries. 

“The Emerald Ash Borer has been known to exist in North America in Michigan and Ontario where it has killed millions of ash trees,” said Ohio Agriculture Director Fred L. Dailey. “We hope that by catching the problem early and working quickly, we can help soften the environmental and economic impacts of this pest on our state.” 

Here is what is at stake:

·     There are about 3.8 billion ash trees growing in Ohio, according to a 1991 forest survey. While ash trees are found in every Ohio county, most are found in the elm/ash/red maple forest that covers more than 850,000 acres in northern Ohio. (Ohio Department of Natural Resources)

·     Ash wood is used for all traditional applications of hardwood from flooring and cabinets to baseball bats.

·     The nursery and horticulture industries, and the wood, paper, and furniture manufacturing industries contribute a combined $12.6 billion to the state’s economy. (Dr. Tom Sporleder, OSU, 1999 OHFoods Model)

·     A viable portion of the market for ash in Ohio is centered around the tool handle market. Ohio has two major tool handle plants: Ames/True Temper (Dexter City, Noble County) and Crook Miller Co. (Hicksville, Defiance County). The Crook Miller Co. gets approximately 25 percent of its ash from Ohio.

·     Ohio has approximately 2.1 billion board feet (the usable lumber within a log) of standing ash timber (between 11 and 29 inches in diameter) that is worth almost $1 billion at the sawmill. (USDA Forest Service) 

The Emerald Ash Borer belongs to a group of insects known as metallic wood-boring beetles. Adults are dark metallic green in color, 1/2 inch in length and 1/16 inch wide, and are present only from mid-May until late July. Larvae are creamy white in color. The borer is known to affect white, black, and green ash trees and some varieties of horticultural ash. Some healthy, non-stressed trees can fight off the pest, but infestations are fatal in most cases. 

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