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NEWS RELEASE l Ohio Department of Agriculture |
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Governor Bob Taft Lieutenant Governor Jennette B. Bradley Director Fred L. Dailey |
Communications Office8995 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 |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 7, 2004
Media contact: Melissa Brewer, EAB Communications, 614-728-6404
REYNOLDSBURG - The Ohio Department of Agriculture will
target areas in and around Oak Openings Metropark and Maumee State Forest in
Lucas, Fulton, and Henry counties for Emerald Ash Borer eradication designed
to eliminate this destructive insect. To help educate local residents about
the program, ODA will host an open house where residents can talk with the department's
plant pest officials and view displays about Emerald Ash Borer and maps of the
local eradication zones.
Who: Local residents and business owners in the Oak Openings Metropark and Maumee State Forest areas, including Swanton Township and eastern Swancreek Township, and ODA plant pest officials What: Emerald Ash Borer Open House When: Tuesday, Dec. 14, noon-3 p.m. and 5-8 p.m. Where: Oak Openings Metropark Lodge, 5230 Wilkins Road, Whitehouse (located south of Airport Highway) Why: To educate residents about eradication and provide a forum for individual questions How: Open house-style meeting. Citizens may come and go any time during open house hours.
The Emerald Ash Borer was first discovered in Ohio in 2003 in Lucas County and to date has been found in Defiance, Franklin, Fulton, Henry, Lucas, and Wood counties. Infestations were discovered in Oak Openings Metropark in early 2004. In May, nearly 1,000 infested trees were removed and destroyed by ODA before adult emergence. Since that time, surveyors have continued marking the area for further eradication. Infestations also were found in June near Swanton, close to the intersection of Reed Road and County Highway 64, and on trap trees in the Maumee State Forest in September.
Marked trees within ½-mile radius of initial infestations will soon be cut down, depending on U.S. Department of Agriculture funding. All ash trees within the ½-mile radius, regardless of whether they are visibly infested, will be destroyed in order to stop the spread of the insect. The 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 Ohio's homeowners and nursery, timber, and tourism industries.
For more information about the open house, call 1-888-OHIO-EAB, or go to www.ohioagriculture.gov/eab for pest and identification information or a map of the local eradication zones, located under “Maps.”
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