Nature Out of Balance

[JohnGB]

We went camping this weekend in a near by State Park. This is Delaware State Park and we go here often for a weekend get away. See here:

Saturday we went for a walk and the park service had big orange X’s on lots of trees, hundreds all over the CG. Then reality set in. The Emerald Ash Borer did all this damage. This pest showed up here in Ohio in 2003 and looking several years ago at the county quarantine map is like it traveled right down US Rt 23 out of Michigan where they have the problem worse then we do. The infection spread left and right and now in 2011 we have hundreds of park service trees have to be eliminated in CG’s due to safety of falling on campers. SR 23 boarders this park.

Here in this state park we are also blest with many Maples, Oak, Buckeye, Sycamore, pine and others that so far are immune to this insect. Some other state parks are mainly Ash in the campground. Those parks I know where on the real lookout to protect the CG.

It is so sad to see the infestation take out so many beautiful trees. There is no natural enemy in this area and the pests just run wild. Have no idea where they will head next once all the ash tress here are gone, will they create an appetite for other species?

Here is some pics from the weekend. A 10” dia tree behind our camp site. The bark is all popping off. This is one of many right behind the camper.

A closer look

And closer

Now a 15” diameter tree at least 80 feet tall. See the one on the left in the pic with the multi color bark. It is targeted to come down.

Here is the little 6” diameter one to the right with no bark left on the bottom.

And what the borer larvae do under the bark. They mine it to death.

If you want to read up more on this pest, your local state agriculture department has lots.

Here is some of Ohio’s
Ohio Department of Agriculture | Emerald Ash Borer

And some services trying to protect the tress near your house
Emerald Ash Borer Info - Index Page

Nature out of balance for sure. I hope this infection does not reach your area.

John

 

[clueless campers]

I first saw an Emerald Ash Borer on a sidewalk while vacationing in Petoskey, MI the summer of 2002. Had no idea what it was at the time. It was about 5/8 long and a beautiful metallic green (a bit darker than a 7-up can). The damage they do really is a shame.

Now northwest Ohio is losing oak trees to Oak Wilt. I read this story a few weeks ago.

 

[TruckerTed]

Hi John;

I feel your pain, we have a lot of dead trees here in south western Ontario also. At one point they decided to stop it they would cut "All" ash trees down for a five mile stretch from Lake Erie to Lake St. Clair. The only problem is they were going onto private property and cutting trees. Turns out they didn't always know an ash from an oak. There was a lot of upset over it for sure and it never stopped the expansion of it infestation as they hoped it would. It is like every other new bread that comes into an area. It will take a long time before we get over it.

Ted

 

[Sunline Fan]

Yup, I haven't seen too much of the damage other than one area that stands out. It's a neighborhood around Westland, MI. Look down the somewhat small neighborhood streets and they all used to be lined with huge trees in front of the houses and along the street. They came through maybe five years ago or so and cut down all the dead ash trees. The streets are completely bare and bright now, just how I imagine they would have been when the houses were first built in the '50s.