A PLAN FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF EMERALD ASH BORER

The Tree Pest and Disease Plan for the City of Colorado Springs provides information for various existing and potential tree pest and disease concerns but focuses on the emerald ash borer. The framework provided for the management of emerald ash borer can be amended and applied to other tree pests and diseases based on recommended approaches, budgets, and data.

Emerald ash borer (EAB) is an extremely destructive insect of ash trees (Fraxinus species). The emerald ash borer (Agrilus plannipennis) is a wood-boring beetle of Asian origin that has become established in many parts of the United States and Canada where native and urban ash are found. Ash tree species such as green and white ash are very common in Colorado landscape settings. It is far more damaging to urban trees than any other insect that has previously been found in the state. As populations of this insect increase in the infested areas, all untreated ash trees will die as a direct result of EAB.

This pest is not very damaging in its native land due to naturally occurring biological control organisms and the natural development of EAB resistance within the native ash populations. Unfortunately, native ash trees in the U.S. have zero resistance to EAB with the small exception of blue ash in the southeast states. in the Midwest and eastern areas of North America, where this insect has been present for several years, EAB has already killed many millions of ash trees resulting in losses of over $4 billion worth of resources. An estimated 15 percent or more of Colorado’s urban and community trees are ash, accounting for over 30 percent of urban tree canopy in the state, and many of these trees are located on private property.1 Experts agree that EAB has a strong potential to ultimately kill every unprotected susceptible ash tree presently growing in North America. Furthermore, if preventative treatments are not implemented within a community it has the capacity to kill every ash tree within a given community within ten years.

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