Ash Utilization Options Project of Southeast Michigan

The Damage: Widespread Devastation to Urban and Rural Forests

Several species of ash trees have been popular in widespread plantings across North America due to their hardiness and beautiful form. Ash, while known to most people as a common street tree, is also regularly found in many natural forested ecosystems in the eastern U.S.

Unfortunately, the emerald ash borer has now killed more than eight million ash trees in Michigan to date, thereby destroying neighborhood greenways, stretching landowner and municipal forestry budgets to the limit, and creating an overwhelming demand for adequate disposal facilities.

To identify infected trees, look for ash exhibiting dead and dying outer and upper branches, peeling bark, D-shaped exit holes, and aggressive growth of small shoots (also called epicormic branching) along the trunk. Generally, an EAB infestation will kill an ash tree within three years. Some insecticides have shown to be effective in preventing and/or controlling infestations.

A project of the Southeast MI RC&D