Emerald Ash Borer Workshop and Field Tour

The public is invited to attend a field tour on the Emerald Ash Borer infestation. The tour will take place on September 18, 2014 in Southbury. The Emerald Ash Borer is an invasive insect that destroys Ash Trees and that is rapidly spreading its range in Connecticut. Speakers will include representatives from The Connecticut Tree Protective Association, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. During the course of the day, participants will visit infested sites, see a demonstration of the treatments available to save important landscape trees, and be given the opportunity to pull larvae from infested ash logs. There is a rain date of September 19.

The Emerald Ash Borer was first found in Connecticut in Prospect, in 2012. Each year since then, the Connecticut Tree Protective Association has organized an educational event open to foresters, arborists, tree wardens and anyone else wishing to know more about this highly-damaging insect. The goal is to encourage both municipalities and individual property owners to be prepared for the arrival of this insect in their community. In 2013 the EAB was found in Middlebury, Waterbury and Oxford. In 2014 it was found in Southbury, Woodbury and many more towns around the state. It is now known to be in some 44 towns and 6 of Connecticut’s 8 counties.

This year the tour is open to homeowners.

“This is a serious issue that should be addressed by homeowners and professionals now,” says Chris Donnelly, DEEP Urban Forester and Board Member of the CTPA. Bud Neal, Woodbury Arborist and CTPA Board Member, adds, “If we don’t pay attention immediately, next year it could be too late to save some of our specimen ash trees in the Woodbury and Southbury area.” Bud has been in charge of hosting the tours since 2012.

The tour will begin at the Southbury Firehouse at 461 Main St. South at 8:00 a.m. The first part of the day will involve updates by Dr. Rich Cowles and Dr. Claire Rutledge of the CT Agricultural Experimental Station, and Chris Martin, Director of the CT DEEP Forestry program.

The group will then visit infested sites in Southbury, where specific indicators of the infestation will be pointed out. The latest control methods will be demonstrated, including recommended pesticide treatments, along with other recommendations for dealing with the Emerald Ash Borer. Lunch will be served back at the firehouse and then the group will visit the Southbury garage, to learn how to peel logs and see the insects up close. This part of the day will be very hands-on. The tour is expected to end at approximately 3:30.

CEU credits for arborists and forest practitioners are planned. Also credit toward Tree Warden certification has been requested.

If you are interested in attending this tour, you are asked to call the CTPA office at 203-484-2512 and leave a message that you will be attending. The CTPA is requesting a donation of $20.00 to cover expenses for the day and for people to dress appropriately for walking in the woods and using a drawknife. For more information you can visit www.ctpa.org for a detailed agenda.