Managing Emerald Ash Borer with USDA’s Sawyer Gardner

You might be aware of the destruction that this little emerald green insect is reeking across the northeast on ash trees recently, especially in the southern Catskill Mountains and Hudson Valley. Currently, the only treatment available are chemicals to treat individual ash trees with sentimental importance in the yard-scape. But, what about possibly treating entire stands or forests of ash trees?

The USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is working on releasing some BIOCONTROLS to subdue the devastating ash impacts on a forest-wide basis. Sawyer Gardiner of the USDA APHIS will discuss how they are going about finding sites to release parasitoids of emerald ash borer in the Catskill Mountains. Hopefully, this is good news for ash going forward.