NEWS RELEASE l Ohio Department of Agriculture
Governor Bob Taft Lieutenant Governor Jennette B. Bradley Director Fred L. Dailey		Communications Office 8995 East Main Street • Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068 Phone: 614-752-9817 • Fax 614-466-7754 ODA URL: www.ohioagriculture.gov • e-mail: agri@agri.ohio.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 19, 2004

Media Contact: Melanie Wilt, ODA Communications, 614-752-9817

Agriculture Officials to Mark Easton Area Ash Trees

REYNOLDSBURG – Ohio Department of Agriculture plant pest surveyors next week will be in the Easton area of Columbus to mark ash trees within ½ mile of the infestation at a commercial property on Sunbury Road as part of its Emerald Ash Borer eradication program. The Emerald Ash Borer, an exotic pest from Asia that is lethal to ash trees, was identified there last year. At least some of the marked trees will be cut down as early as April, regardless of whether they are infested, in order to stop the spread of the insect, department officials said.

“A healthy ash tree is as good as dead if it's within ½ mile of an infested tree,” Ohio Agriculture Director Fred L. Dailey said. “We are finalizing an eradication plan based on recommendations of a science advisory panel that would effectively eliminate the pest and spare as many of those marked trees as possible.”

An eradication program will be conducted under the department's authority in Ohio Revised Code Section 927.70 to control, eradicate, and prevent the spread of invasive species and prevent massive economic losses to homeowners and the nursery, timber, and tourism industries.

Governor Bob Taft signed an emergency order in September to prohibit the importation of ash trees, logs, firewood, branches, wood chips, and bark from Michigan into Ohio. In addition, the following areas in Ohio are under separate quarantines: Hicksville Township in Defiance County; two properties in Paulding County; two properties in Wood County, and one property in Franklin County.

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 present only from mid May until early August. Their boring leaves D-shaped exit holes in the bark about ¼ inch long.

Citizens can help by reporting signs of Emerald Ash Borer to the Ohio Department of Agriculture's EAB Helpline at 888-OHIO-EAB or at www.ohioagriculture.gov. They should also refrain from moving ash trees, lumber, or firewood inside or beyond the borders of quarantined areas and call the department if they receive such items from those areas.

A public open house is being planned for March before eradication begins to allow citizens to see eradication maps and ask questions of experts.

-30-