How to deal with EAB

To help Manitobans understand the implications of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) infestation and the regulations that come with it, WAM has compiled Frequently Asked

Adult EAB

Adult EAB

Questions (FAQs) on regulations, and issues woodlot owners and homeowners will have to deal with. The Regulated Area for EAB in Manitoba is currently the entire City of Winnipeg. It is, however, just a matter of time before the deadly beetle is found in rural areas, too.

 

Effective from January 2018, the transportation of all firewood out of the City of Winnipeg is banned, no matter what the species of wood. The movement of all materials from ash trees out of Winnipeg is also regulated. However, regulated articles can be transported out of the regulated zone if they have been properly treated. Transporting treated articles requires written permission from CFIA.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is in charge of enforcing the ban as a means of slowing down the spread of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), and has announced stiff fines for violations of the ban.

  • Fines for individuals: up to $1,300
  • Fines for commercial enterprises: up to $15,000
  • Prosecutions: up to two years in prison or fines up to $250,000

Here is a high-resolution map of the City of Winnipeg (pdf) that defines the EAB regulated zone, and shows where the Perimeter Highway and other roads enter and exit the restricted zone :

Read how the City of Winnipeg is handling the EAB infestation:

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) issued a notice January 24, 2018 that the City of Winnipeg is now a restricted zone due to the confirmation of the Emerald Ash Borer in St. Boniface last November.

This means that no ash logs, branches or woodchips and no firewood of any kind can be moved from the City of Winnipeg to outside areas without written permission from CFIA.

Read the statement from CFIA:

Read the EAB articles in the January/February 2018 issue of The Manitoba Woodlot:

The CFIA sets the regulations for the movement of wood products, logs, lumber and firewood in infected areas.

The Asian invasive pest Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) was confirmed in a Winnipeg neighbourhood on November 30, 2017. Unfortunately, once EAB has been discovered, it has likely been in the area for several years. Even with Manitoba’s extended periods of severe cold in the winter, 100-percent die-off is unlikely.

How can you help deal with EAB? Learn what to look for. This easy-to-read visual guide to identifying EAB infestations from the Canadian Forestry Service is an excellent resource.