Village of South Orange: Emerald Ash Borer In South Orange

Press release from the Village of South Orange:

Posted on: March 19, 2021

Emerald Ash Borer In South Orange

Please be aware the Emerald Ash Borer, a tree-killing beetle, has invaded South Orange.

Emerald Ash Borer In South Orange

Maybe you’ve noticed our Department of Public Works in your neighborhood taking down trees recently and wondered why? Unfortunately, Emerald Ash Borer, a non-native species that specifically infests and kills Ash trees, has invaded South Orange and many of our 719 Ash trees are already too far-gone to save. The metallic green insect is slightly smaller than a penny and often infests the upper branches of the tree first making it difficult to see there is a problem. It generally takes 2-4 years for infested trees to die however there are preventative and treatment options available if detected early enough.

What Should You Do?Start by checking the trees on your property. Contact a certified tree specialist if you think you have a problem or want to get started on preventative measures. Report confirmed signs of EAB on your property to the Department of Agriculture at 609-406-6939.

If you see a municipal tree (street tree or in a park) that might be infested report it to Public Works at 973-378-7741 Ext 1.

See the following links for more information.

What to look for:https://www.nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/forest/community/Emerald_Ash_Borer.htm

What to do:https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/divisions/pi/prog/whatdoidowithmytrees.html

More on EAB:https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs141p2_017913.pdf

This press release was produced by the Village of South Orange. The views expressed here are the author’s own.