Allegan Conservation District

Emerald Ash Borer Found in Allegan County

The Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) has confirmed that the emerald ash borer (EAB) is present in Allegan County, in Section 27 of Gun Plain Township along M-89. The pest was likely transported to the county on firewood. The presence of this serious pest of ash trees does not mean that all Allegan County ash trees will be dead soon. The beetle does not spread very far on its own, only about ½ mile per year. To slow this spread, it is recommended to remove ash trees within ½ mile of known infestations. However there are no longer any government funds to do so. It is likely that areas within 5 miles of the known infestation will see impacts from EAB in less than 10 years. Ash trees for timber should also be removed or salvaged from these areas within that time frame to minimize EAB losses. To date, no widespread effective treatment has been found for EAB. There are some chemical treatments available to homeowners for valuable yard tree applications, but these treatments can be costly since annual applications are necessary for effective control in an infested area. The most important things all Allegan County residents can do is to be aware of the problem, talk to their neighbors, look for symptoms of the beetle and comply with the statewide and federal quarantines that restrict the movement of firewood. Suspected new EAB infestations may be reported to the MI Department of Agriculture in St. Joseph at 269-428-2575.