The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed that the deadly emerald ash borer has reached Oregon, marking the beetle’s first appearance west of the Rocky Mountains.
Three years ago, forest scientists on the U.S. West Coast launched an effort to gather nearly 1 million seeds of the Oregon ash. The ecologically valuable tree, found from southern California to British Columbia in Canada, often grows along streams and in wetlands, anchoring rich ecosystems.
Now, it appears that rescue mission began none too soon. Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed that the emerald ash borer had reached Oregon—and likely has been there for up to 5 years. The discovery marked the borer’s first appearance west of the Rocky Mountains; previously it had only gotten as far as Boulder, Colorado. Forest managers now fear for the future of the Oregon ash and at least eight other ash species found only in western North America.
On 30 June, a biologist with the city of Portland alerted officials to adult beetles he saw emerging from a tree in nearby Forest Grove, Oregon. The next day, Wyatt Williams, an invasive species specialist with the Oregon Department of Forestry, confirmed that an Oregon ash was infested. “My heart just sank,” he says.
Once the borer shows up, “You cannot, generally speaking, get rid of [it],” says Leigh Greenwood, a forest specialist at the Nature Conservancy. But by taking actions such as limiting the movement of firewood and other ash material, states can buy themselves—and their neighbors—time to prepare, she says.Macroscopic Solutions/SCIENCE SOURCE
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