APHIS Extends Tree Removal Hours for Tate Township, Ohio

APHIS Extends Tree Removal Hours for Tate Township, Ohio

 

WASHINGTON, September 23, 2014—The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) is announcing extended work days in Ohio in order to remove more than 2,000 trees infested with the invasive Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) before winter weather moves in.

 

The Ohio Asian Longhorned Beetle Cooperative Eradication Program contractor Davey Tree Experts’ has tree removal crews currently working 50 hour weeks, Monday through Friday. In the coming weeks, they will add five Saturdays and Columbus Day to their schedule:

 

• Saturday, October 4
• Saturday, October 11
• Monday, October 13 (Columbus Day)
• Saturday, October 18
• Saturday, October 25
• Saturday, November 1

 

Tree removal operations will take place on private properties in Tate Township that have trees in which ALB has been detected. Crews will follow work plans developed with property owner input and coordination. Crews will be off the properties by 5:30 p.m. each day. The tree removal crews are monitored by USDA APHIS and Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) government employees while they conduct their work.

 

This invasive beetle has no known natural predators and poses a threat to Ohio’s hardwood forests (more than $2.5 billion in standing maple timber) and the state’s $5 billion nursery industry which employs nearly 240,000 people.

 

The Ohio ALB Cooperative Eradication Program management team is available to answer questions from the public during office hours this Wednesday, September 24, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. The office is located at 1761 State Route 125, Suite C, Amelia OH 45102.

 

Members of the public are encouraged to inspect their trees for signs of damage caused by the insect and report any suspicious findings. The sooner an infestation is reported, the sooner efforts can be made to quickly contain and isolate an area from future destruction. People are encouraged to be mindful of moving firewood, as moving ALB-infested firewood can unintentionally spread the pest. For more information or to report, please visit the APHIS Asian Longhorned Beetle webpage at www.asianlonghornedbeetle.com, or call the Ohio ALB Cooperative Eradication Program Office at (513) 381-7180.