# Cheboygan ash borer meeting 1/30/06



## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Ash borer meeting set
Eradication efforts to be outlined Monday

http://www.record-eagle.com/2006/jan/29ash.htm

January 29, 2006 SHERI MCWHIRTER Record-Eagle staff writer

CHEBOYGAN - Ash trees will fall in Cheboygan County.
How many and where will become evident soon.
Eradication efforts for two known infestations of emerald ash borer beetles will be unveiled Monday night at a hearing in Cheboygan hosted by the Michigan Department of Agriculture.
Residents of quarantine zones can learn about the bug's biology and how the state intends to obliterate the pest. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at Cheboygan High School. 
Typically, forestry officials recommend cutting all ash trees within about a half-mile of infestation sites, said Jennifer Quimby, MDA spokeswoman. That includes trees on both public and private properties.
"We do have the responsibility to go in and remove those trees," Quimby said.
One site is in the southeastern corner of Cheboygan County, while the other is at a campground near the M-27 and M-33 intersection. 
Quimby said the Cheboygan sites are a priority because they are near the Straits of Mackinac. Officials want to prevent the bug from spreading across the Upper Peninsula, she said.
Jeff Boughan owns a home on Inverness Trail Road, within one of the Cheboygan County quarantine zones. He's not looking forward to losing ash trees in his neighborhood.
"There's got to be a viable option to cutting all the ash trees down. Something - a pesticide, aerial sprays - something," said Boughan, who criticized state officials for not improving eradication methods since the beetle was first found in Michigan in 2002.
"The state's mentality on this is taken to an extreme. If you have a hangnail, you don't cut off your finger. I'm just not sold on it. Granted, they have to do something."
Eradication plans are formed for both Berrien and Cheboygan counties, but not for the dozens of other areas with isolated cases of emerald ash borers. Known infestations in northwestern Lower Michigan are in Emmet, Charlevoix, Antrim, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse and Benzie counties.
"It's going to depend on where our funding levels come in at. We'll do all we can with the federal funding we get," Quimby said.


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## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

:tdo12: :yikes: :sad: :bloos: :help:  Wish there was one for crying!


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

I live in SE Michigan, and know what EAB infestation looks like. I noticed evidence of them in EVERY SINGLE COUNTY IN MICHIGAN I VISITED IN 2005. They are everywhere already, and cutting down dead trees to stop them is not the solution. By the time the tree is dead, the beetles have done their damage and moved on. 

I do not have a solution, but can tell you that this infestation is just kicking into high gear. If you drive East along I-80/90 in Ohio, from Toledo, you will see large patches of infested trees when you get near Cleveland. They have already escaped Michigan, and are moving fast to other areas.


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## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

Yeah Fishndude,
Whats the difference if we kill the trees or the bug does. I under stand they fly.
Hmmm, whats that vibration (chainsaw) on my tree? This cannot be good, I better get outta here! If I was an ash borer, thats probably what I would do.
I know we cannot just let it happen. I do not have the answers either but, killing all the ash trees around any given area is only gonna make so much of a difference when they can just look for another stand of trees to relocate to.

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that in the Feb. MOOD mag there is a tid bit on page 14 about them being in Brimley State Park in Nov. 2005 (the UP isn't it?) and the article Hamilton Reef quotes (1-06) says they are NOT in the UP yet. What is up there?


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

Not trying to argue with anyone - the whole problem is truly sad. My point was that by the time we notice that a tree is infested and dying, the bugs which infested that tree are already gone for the most part. 

There are some treatments which have been shown to work, but they are fairly expensive, have to be applied to each tree individually, and must be repeated annually to work. 

It would not surprise me if they had crossed the Straits of Mackinaw. It did surprise me to see the damage in Ohio, last Summer. I guess living next to Canton - which is where the infestation really started; and seeing evidence of these bugs everywhere I drive in Michigan, just has me down. I am thinking that they are here to stay. Nobody has figured out a real solution yet. MSU is storing seeds of native Ash trees, in case this is ever solved, so they can re-populate the native trees.


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## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

I agree with you Fishindude, no argument from me.
Lets hope the ash does not have to go through what the elm did many years ago.


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## fishinlk (Apr 14, 2000)

Fishindude,

Please take a look at this link, unless there is another Canton Ohio beyond the one next to me here in Akron we have FORTUNATELY not seen the bug over here. "yet". I'm not sure what you were seeing but it was not caused by the ash borer.

http://www.ohioagriculture.gov/eab/plnt-eab-regulations.stm


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## MAttt (Dec 15, 2004)

Map of Emerald Ash Borer in Michigan

http://www.michigan.gov/mda/0,1607,7-125-2961_6860_30046---,00.html


They say EAB was in Michigan for 7 years before it was discovered.
In my area only a few of the green ash planted in the cities are not
totally dead yet. The white ash in the woods are all dead with no survivors.
Trees from 1 inch diameter to 6 ft diameter are all gone now.
Some woods look like a forest fire went thru them when
you see them in the summer.
It leaves you speechless when you see it first hand.
And as hard as ash wood is they'll probably be laying there for the next 100 years. Makes good bedding areas for the deer at least. lol

EAB makes the elm disease seem like it was just a bad cold.
On a positive note, the elms are doing quite well in Michigan
and quite a few huge trees still exist that never succumbed to it.

I believe I have read that EAB has been found in at least 5 other states
and Canada at this point. 

Mattt


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

Sorry for not being more clear - I live next to Canton, Michigan; which is where the infestation supposedly began. I took a trip to Cleveland with my family last Summer, and came across stretches of road along I-80/90 where there were HUGE areas of infestation. I mean nothing but dead and dying Ash trees. I know the signs all too well, and it could only have been the EAB. 

I honestly think that cutting down perfectly healthy Ash trees everywhere might be the solution. Take the wood while it is good, and remove the food source, and the bugs will die off much quicker. And in about 10 years Agriculturists who have saved seeds can start repopulating the Ash trees. As fast and this has spread so far, I do not think anything short of removing every Ash tree would stop the spread.


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## fishinlk (Apr 14, 2000)

ahhhhh! ok!  I sure hope they some how get it under contol. The part that worries me is there are a lot of poeple that are afraid they're going to lose the wood and will cut it and unfortunately probably transport it to other areas.


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## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

Great link MAttt. I thought that it had reached the UP already from what I read.
What a nightmare, your probably right about the Dutch elm disease being minimal compared to this bug.
Just another sign of the times.


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## Michigan Mike (May 21, 2004)

If I owned property with ash trees outside the quarantine zone
I'd have them cut down now at a profit.
Once your area is quarantined, it'll not only cost you money to do it
but the wood is basically worthless at this point.
Unfortunately from what I've seen it do here, it's going to run it course and take them all out within the US.
I don't remember anyone being able to stop any tree disease that is
so widespread in my lifetime.
Took about 8 years here for EAB to eliminate them all.



Mike


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## MAttt (Dec 15, 2004)

http://ncrs.fs.fed.us/4501/eab/maps/

The above link will show current maps of the Ash disease
for Ohio, Michigan, Ontario, Indiana, Maryland and Virginia.


Mattt


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

That is a nice map, but I can show you places in an additional 15 or 20 Counties in Lower Michigan, where there are dying Ash trees from this. And some additional Counties in Ohio as well.


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## MAttt (Dec 15, 2004)

Fishndude said:


> That is a nice map, but I can show you places in an additional 15 or 20 Counties in Lower Michigan, where there are dying Ash trees from this. And some additional Counties in Ohio as well.


I agree and I'm sure you could.
It's really easy to see in the summer just driving down the X-ways.
Give it 10 years and these same maps will just be showing
the few counties where live ones still exist.
It's one of the #1 trees for Morels in the Eastern United States
and it'll definitely be missed by quite a few folks.


Mattt


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## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

MAttt said:


> It's one of the #1 trees for Morels in the Eastern United States
> and it'll definitely be missed by quite a few folks.
> 
> 
> Mattt


YUP!


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## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

I wanted the pics of trees that are described in this file link from the State website. Was unable to view the pictures in this Adobe file for some reason. Any one have a link to the pics of the tree starting the infestation? I had heard about the shoots and bark peeling, this file had em but they did not show up on my PC. Never had an Adobe file screw up like that.
Please post if you have any, THANKS!

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mda_Signs_and_Symptoms_of_EAB_124431_7.pdf


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## MAttt (Dec 15, 2004)

http://www.michigan.gov/mda/0,1607,7-125-2961_2968_18323---,00.html

Hello OGM
see if this will do.
you can click next to each picture to blow them up also.

Mattt


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## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

Thats it. Not sure how I missed this page in my search. Was a lot of stuff to wade through.
Thanks,

Mark


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## Topshelf (May 24, 2005)

I live right in the center of an Ash borer zone. SE Michigan Cottrellville Township. This is mostly because of some knob neighbor bringing in a huge amounts of firewood from the Detroit area that was infected. Now all the ash trees on my property (+/- 2,600) were cut down by the State. They ended up cutting all the Ash tree's in a 1/4 mile radius from his house, yet he still denies it was his fault? One neighbor had a 4-5 ft Dia. tree cut down because of this. 

To make matters worse, a certain large tree company whose name sounds like Azzpen, did the work. What a ******* mess they made. They were supposed to only cut Ash tree's. Guess what they cut Oak, Maple etc etc. They were supposed to haul all the brush from the ash tree's out for chipping and then haul it away so there wouldnt be any food for the bugs the next spring. Guess what they didnt, I found large piles of brush tucked into weedy areas not chipped after they were gone. The State was supposed to monitor this.... right, they disapeared after the tree's were cut and wouldnt return phone calls. The tree company buried pickup trucks to the axles in my back field after I told them repeatedly NOT to drive there because it was too wet. They left empty plastic jugs of herbacide all over in the weeds, they trashed my sons deer blind eating lunch, drinking beer, and leaving their trash for us to clean up. They promised to come back and repair and fix the damage done by the trucks, havent seen them since.:rant: 

Anyone being effected by this and having the DNR/DEQ tell them they are going to cut Ash trees down, better watch them like a hawk. Take pictures, take Video and get names, dates and times. You cant stop them from doing it, but at least you can monitor the work and make them accountable.

Your tax dollars at work!


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## Michigan Mike (May 21, 2004)

Sorry to hear that TS.
I hope they at least paid you for the trees.

I've read Michigan has a total of 1 billion ash trees that
are going to be effected by this sooner or later.

The funny thing is that after the elm demise where these were the major and sometimes only trees planted, went and planted all green ash
due to the fact that they were one of the most disease resistent trees
and also had the small leaves that would not clog up the sewer
systems.
It's taking them years right now to take down all the dead and
dying ones in the metro area since ash were planted almost
exclusively.

Mike


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## Topshelf (May 24, 2005)

Michigan Mike

No they dont pay anyone for the tree's because its a government project to try and control the bugs and stop the spread of the bugs. The best they will do is give you a tally of the trees that are cut for a possible tax break or loss to claim on your homeowners? 

Its a no win for the State and the property owners. My feeling is its just a "Political feel good move" by the DNR/State to give them something to hang their hat on when called on the carpet about why they let this happen. They say the bug was imported from China in packing crate wood. Well import so much junk from China on a daily basis, that this will never stop and the bugs will continue to be imported into the U.S. and the State. Its pretty much just like the Gobey, The sea lamprey, Purple Loosestrife, etc etc. It will continue until someone in Washington decides that its a politicly advantagous for to them to fight it. For now its just another story on the back page of the newspaper.


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