A Civic Media radio station

Civic Media Logo
Emerald Ash Borer Spreads Throughout Northwest Wisconsin

Emerald Ash Borer Spreads Throughout Northwest Wisconsin

May 8, 2024 2:18 PM CDT

By:

Emerald Ash Borer have been discovered in Washburn and Taylor Counties, leaving Burnett as the only Wisconsin county with no detections.

According to a press release from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, officials detected the presence of emerald ash borer in Washburn and Taylor Counties for the first time since the invasive species was first discovered in the state in 2008. The larvae samples were collected from the Town of Springbrook and the City of Medford. So far, Burnett County is the only county left in the state that has not detected the bugs.

The emerald ash borer can have a huge negative impact on ash trees, often killing trees in urban areas which can be costly for local municipalities.

Earlier this year, Eau Claire Forestry Department officials announced that about 34% of the ash trees that lined the streets of the City were infested with the invasive beetles. The City had planned to remove about 400 of the infested trees, but officials say the total number that needed removal was closer to 2,000.

Department of Natural Resources officials have asked residents to keep an eye out for ash trees showing signs of Emerald Ash Borer activities. In a January press release, they advised residents that infected trees may look like they’ve suffered woodpecker damage, as the birds often target the bark of the trees looking for the larvae underneath.

If left untreated, the troublesome bugs kill an estimated 99% of the trees that they infest. If you see evidence of emerald ash borer on a tree, you should contact the Department of Natural Resources to report it. The DNR website also features an interactive map showing each place in the state where the bugs have been detected.

More Articles

  • New legislative districts in NW Wisconsin give Dems a better chance in 2024, experts say

    5/17/2024 | Hina Suzuki / The Badger Project

    A Tyrannosaurus Rex took a big blue bite out of the 73rd Assembly District in Douglas County and spit it into the neighboring district. That’s how some commenters described the change to the 73rd after Republicans redrew it before the 2022 election. The GOP swapped those bluer areas with rural, Republican-leaning parts of Burnett County […]

  • New, compacted political maps in Marathon County boot long-time legislator from old district

    5/17/2024 | Hina Suzuki / The Badger Project

    The new maps separated the towns of Schofield and Rothschild from the new 85th District and put them into the 87th.

  • Oldest UWM Honors College Graduate

    5/17/2024

    A former Richland Center resident has found herself in a prestigious minority. JoAnne Potter, 72 of Milwaukee, is graduating with a bachelor’s degree at UW-Milwaukee. After living in Richland Center for more than 20 years, JoAnne moved back to Milwaukee in 2020. After getting settled, in 2022 she decided to go back to college to […]

  • 8th Congressional District to have 2 elections on fall ballots

    5/17/2024 | Lisa M. Hale

    Two elections for the 8th Congressional District will be on the same ballot and the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) is trying to find a way to explain the elections to avoid voter confusion.

  • Pianos + Art + Music equals Keys to the City

    5/17/2024 | Lisa M. Hale

    This weekend a unique live art and music festival will take to public locations throughout the Green Bay community. The Keys to the City Painted Piano Festival features music from local artists, donated pianos, live art by area artists, and culminates in the unveiling of five new, interactive art installations throughout the city.

image
WAUK - Waukesha - The 'SHA