Governor Granholm declares May 24-30 as

“Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week”

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Governor, Michigan Emerald Ash Borer Task Force urge travelers

not to move firewood over Memorial Day holiday


Contact: Sara Linsmeier-Wurfel, Department of Agriculture                  

517-241-4282                 

May 21, 2004                 

 

            LANSING – Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today formally declared the week of May 24, 2004 “Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Awareness Week” throughout Michigan.

            With her declaration, the governor cited the importance of raising public awareness of EAB and the steps everyone can take to prevent its spread, as well as fostering a cooperative spirit between citizens, communities, government and industry to reduce the risk the insect poses to the 700 million ash trees blanketing the state. 

            “As Memorial Day approaches, signaling the beginning of Michigan’s treasured camping and tourism season, it is a great time to think about ways to preserve our state’s fabulous natural resources for now and future generations,” Granholm said.

            During the week and throughout the year, Granholm is urging Michigan residents and visitors to learn about EAB, be on the look-out for and immediately report possible signs of infestation, and adhere to the state’s order banning the transport of ash trees, materials and all firewood from quarantined areas.

            “Since its discovery in Michigan less than two years ago, emerald ash borer has caused major economic, social and environmental impacts in our Great Lakes State,” Patricia Lockwood, State EAB Policy Director said. “We have taken aggressive action to stem these impacts and will work tirelessly to save our state’s forestland and natural resource heritage. However, such efforts also require the assistance and cooperation of every Michigan resident.”

Michigan Emerald Ash Borer Task Force members – the Michigan Departments of Agriculture (MDA) and Natural Resources (DNR), Michigan State University (MSU) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture – noted that many of the infestations discovered in “outlier” areas of the state, which have required substantial financial and human resources, have been caused by the movement of firewood. In its larval stage, EAB feeds undetected under the bark of ash trees disrupting water and nutrient flow, ultimately killing the trees in as little as one to three years.

During the week of May 24, many outreach, education and compliance activities are planned or will be highlighted to help increase awareness and understanding of EAB. These include:

·         Firewood checkpoints at key rest stops pre-Memorial Day weekend. EAB educational materials will be distributed and firewood will be inspected, with any coming from the quarantined areas or showing signs of infestation being confiscated and properly destroyed.

·         Partnership with the Michigan State Police and its annual Operation Care forces at 30 rest stops across the state. Travelers will be offered coffee in cups printed with information alerting them to EAB and the importance of not moving firewood.

·         An EAB legislative open house for members of Michigan’s House of Representatives and Senate on Tuesday, May 25 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Capitol rotunda.

·         Billboards along key travel corridors leaving quarantined areas and heading north.

·         Radio public service announcements airing on numerous stations across the state.

·         Firewood/EAB alerts published in outdoor publications and posted in state and private parks, forest campgrounds, rest stops, welcome centers and outdoor goods retail stores.

·         Direct mailings to registered recreational vehicle and camper users.

·         Highway signs developed and placed in partnership with the Michigan Department of Transportation alerting travelers leaving or entering an EAB-quarantined area.

·         Beginning of Michigan’s statewide trap tree survey program in each township in every Michigan county to help the state proactively detect any additional EAB infestations that may exist. (More detailed information/announcements to be released next week.)

Emerald Ash Borer is an exotic insect native to Asia that attacks ash trees and was previously unknown on the North American continent until its discovery in Michigan during the summer of 2002.  The borer has already devastated approximately six million ash in southeastern Michigan. EAB continues to damage or destroy trees in this region as well as infest other localized areas in various counties and communities due mainly to the pre-quarantine movement of ash materials or firewood.  The state has an active, multi-agency Emerald Ash Borer task force working collectively to detect, contain and respond to EAB and minimize its damage.

For more information, visit www.michigan.gov/mda and click on “Emerald Ash Borer” in the spotlight section or www.emeraldashborer.info or contact your regional MDA, DNR or local MSU Extension office.