Albert Lea and Minnesota officials are encouraging area residents to avoid transporting firewood in an effort to stem an emerald ash borer infestation in the state.

Last week, Wisconsin state officials confirmed an emerald ash borer infestation south of La Crosse. This was the first time the beetle had been found in western Wisconsin.

It was found near the town of Victory, Wis., on the east bank of the Mississippi River just one mile southeast of the Minnesota-Iowa border.

Albert Lea Parks Superintendent Joe Grossman said he thinks it is only a matter of time before the invasive species moves into Minnesota.

“It’s probably in Minnesota already,” Grossman said.

In response to the Wisconsin finding of the species, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture sent inspectors to Houston County to determine if the infestation has spread into Minnesota.

There has not been speculation about how quickly it will spread, Grossman said.

The emerald ash borer, a metallic-green, invasive beetle that attacks and kills ash trees, has killed millions of ash trees in 10 eastern states, according to a MDA release.

The beetles, which are active from May to September, leave signs of infestation such as one-eighth inch, D-shaped exit holes in ash tree bark and serpentine tunnels packed with sawdust under the bark, the release stated.

Emerald ash borer larvae kill ash trees by tunneling into the wood and feeding on nutrients between the bark and the hardwood. While they spread slowly on their own, the beetles can also spread to new areas when people transport firewood or other wood products infested with the larvae, the release continued.

Though the invasive species was first discovered in Michigan in 2002, there are indications that it may have been introduced in the country from eastern Asia as early as 1990. Since, it has been found in Ontario, Canada, and the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Missouri and Wisconsin.

The release stated there are an estimated 900 million ash trees in Minnesota, which makes the state a prime target for the beetles. This is one of the highest volumes of ash trees on forest land in the United States.
Don’t transport firewood, even within Minnesota. Don’t bring firewood along on a camping trip. Buy the wood you need locally from an approved vendor. Don’t bring extra wood home with you.
Don’t buy or move firewood from outside Minnesota. If someone comes to your door selling firewood, ask them about the source of the wood. If it came from outside Minnesota, don’t buy it.
Watch for signs of infestation in your ash trees. If you suspect your ash tree could be infested by emerald ash borers, visit www.mda.state.mn.us/invasives/eab and use the “Do I Have Emerald Ash Borer?” checklist.
— Information from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

In Albert Lea, Grossman estimated, ash trees make up probably 25 to 30 percent of the total community forest. He said many of these trees were planted during the 1970s and 1980s, after the Dutch elm disease came through the area.

At that time, people planted only a few types of trees — such as ash trees — mainly because of low cost, Grossman said. However, in the last 12 years, the city has planted very few ash trees. A healthier community forest is one that is diverse, he noted.

If there are diseased trees, he said, Albert Lea has an ordinance in place that allows city staff to enter private property, mark the diseased trees and remove them.

If this were to have to happen because of an emerald ash borer infestation, “it could potentially be a very expensive process for the city and its residents,” Grossman said.

For the last three years, Albert Lea has worked with the state Agriculture Department to set up trap trees on the north end of town, he said. The city tells the department which trees can be girdled and then used as potential targets for emerald ash borers. Because the beetles generally go after weakened trees, the idea is that if there were emerald ash borers in the city, they would go after the identified trees.

After a certain amount of time, the Department of Agriculture staff go back and look at the trees to see if the species has made its way into the city, he said. So far, it has not.

Grossman said the next round of testing for the beetle will probably be in May.

In the meantime, he said, he encourages people to not haul any ash firewood, or ash in general if they can avoid it.

“If you do have to haul it, it should probably be rapped in plastic or burnt or buried,” he said.

There are chemical controls that can also be used if the insect is found within 15 miles of Albert Lea.