Emerald Ash Borer Confirmed in Saratoga County

EAB Found in Waterford and Ballston Lake

Emerald ash borer (EAB) has been confirmed for the first time in Saratoga County by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the Capital-Mohawk Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (CapMo PRISM) and the USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Acting Commissioner Basil Seggos announced today. DEC staff and the CapMo PRISM coordinator verified the presence of EAB in Waterford, NY after a concerned landowner contacted the PRISM to report their discovery. Additionally, APHIS confirmed EAB in Ballston Lake as a result of the regular monitoring efforts to detect the beetle.

"With this confirmation in Saratoga County, the number of New York counties with EAB has climbed to 34," said Acting Commissioner Seggos. "Although the invasive beetle has continued its march through the state, a large number of communities still remain uninfested. DEC continues to survey for EAB within the state to notify municipalities and private landowners of new detections or expansions of existing infestations."

New York has more than 900 million ash trees, representing about seven percent of all trees in the state; all are at risk from EAB. Urban and suburban communities face particular risks, as ash is a common street and park tree. Green ash, in particular, has been widely planted as an ornamental tree in yards. Locating infested sites early can significantly delay the loss of ash trees and decrease the subsequent costs for their removal and replacement.

DEC urges residents and municipalities to inventory their ash trees and inspect them for signs of infestation. Homeowners and municipalities can contact the nearest DEC Forestry Office for technical assistance and management recommendations to prepare for the threat of EAB. Management options include treating healthy trees with insecticide, removing stressed trees that may attract the EAB and replanting with non-host trees, among other techniques. Forest landowners can request a DEC Forester visit their woodlot and develop a free Forest Stewardship Plan. This plan would address the landowner's objectives and discuss how the arrival (or proximity) of EAB could impact the owner's forest resources. Forest owners can schedule a site visit by contacting their local DEC Forestry office. To learn more about EAB, as well as efforts to reduce its negative impact and save trees, visit DEC's website.

The EAB is a small but destructive beetle that infests and kills North American ash tree species, including green, white and black ash. Damage from EAB is caused by the larvae, which feed just below the ash tree's bark. The tunnels they create disrupt water and nutrient transport, causing branches, and eventually the entire tree, to die. Adult beetles leave distinctive D-shaped exit holes in the outer bark of the branches and the trunk. Other signs of infestation include tree canopy dieback, splits in the bark, and extensive sprouting from the roots and trunk. Infested trees may also exhibit woodpecker damage from larvae extraction.

Keep in mind, human assisted movement is the primary means by which EAB is spread and moved around the State, particularly on firewood and infested ash logs. Please be aware DEC regulations prohibit the movement of firewood beyond 50 miles from its source. Quarantine regulations also prohibit the movement of ash wood out of "Restrictive Zones" in order to delay the spread of EAB to nearby uninfested areas. Updated quarantine maps are available on DEC's website. When infestations are found outside of the Restrictive Zones, DEC recommends that infested wood be kept local or destroyed, to avoid spreading the beetle to new areas.

To report signs of EAB, or ash trees showing symptoms of EAB attack, call DEC's Forest Health Information Line at 1-866-640-0652 or submit an EAB report available on DEC's website.