If even one ash tree should become infested with the emerald ash borer, it could mean all of the ash trees in Fort Morgan or any other local city would be destroyed.
On Tuesday, Extension Agent Rich Guggenheim asked the Board of Morgan County Commissioners to meet with other governmental and agency representatives to create a contingency plan for dealing with a state-mandated quarantine if the borer should make it to the county.
State quarantine regulations require all trees within a mile radius of an affected tree be destroyed — either by chopping them up or burning them — and the products of that could not be moved out of the area, Guggenheim said.
In some cases, a tree might be able to be treated with pesticide, but that would be the exception, not the rule. Only trees in which the borer was still in the larval stage could be treated with pesticides, he said.
If an infested tree were in the middle of Fort Morgan, the quarantine circle would have a diameter of two miles, which effectively covers all of the city.
While some are urging spraying to prevent infestations, it is illegal to continuously treat trees with pesticide to prevent infestation, because that might cause some insects to become immune to the pesticides, Guggenheim said.
Emerald ash borers can be spread by the wind and float down the river, so no place is protected, he said.
Ash trees have been removed from recommended planting lists, and homeowners should probably not plant them, Guggenheim said.
Many greenhouses have stopped stocking ash trees, he said.
Ash trees have been popular. Statewide, about 15 percent of urban forests are made up of ash trees. In Morgan County, it is more like 30 percent, Guggenheim said.
This is a serious situation, because the insect was introduced to North America from Asia, and there are no natural predators to kill it, he said.
This is perhaps the most devastating pest to reach this continent, and even worse than Dutch elm disease, Guggenheim said.
One case was discovered in the Boulder area, which means the insect could come to any part of Colorado.
One advantage for Colorado is that the largely ash-free plains could help limit the spread of the insect, according to an extension service report.
There are no highly effective traps or lures for the borer, which makes it hard to track. Discovery depends largely on individuals.
Suspect insects or infestations should be brought to the attention of the extension office.
A document created by a coalition of agencies — including the forest service, the extension service and department of agriculture — says strategies to cope with the spread of invasive species need to be in place before it happens.
It is important to take an inventory of trees in the area and create a more diverse urban forest, the document says. Sustainable urban forests have many different kinds of trees, not just a few kinds. No more than 10 percent of a city’s tree population should consist of one species.
Governments need to determine how to respond to infestations, figure out the costs involved and prepare specific pest readiness plans. They also need to plan disposal methods before a quarantine is in place.
Pests are often transported to new areas through firewood. It is important to spread the word to use local firewood.
It can save money to cut down unwanted ash trees now, says a publication by Neighbors Against Bad Bugs.