Foresters and woodlot owners knew that it was only a matter of time before the deadly Emerald ash Borer (EAB) found its way into Manitoba, and now it has.
The question now is how it will impact woodlot owners and family foresters, and those supplying and selling firewood.
On December 7, 2017, Manitoba Sustainable Development announced that the wood-boring beetle that has devastated ash trees in the eastern United States, Ontario and Quebec was identified in a tree in St. Boniface in Winnipeg.
The EAB kills all species of ash trees, and the options for saving ash stands are limited. At this point, the preferred methods of preventing the spread of the borer include quarantines for infested areas, and the use of some pesticides.
The province is working with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, which regulates EAB, and is planning additional surveys and surveillance measure to determine the extent of the invasion and what the next steps are likely to be.
WAM’s woodlot people are monitoring the situation and will keep members informed of changes to regulations or whether quarantines will be implemented.
In the meantime, you can use the links below can learn more about the EAB in Manitoba, its impact on woodlots based on Ontario’s experience in that province, and how to identify the presence of the borer in your tree stands.
