May 18th - 24th is National Emerald Ash Borer Awareness week! Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is an invasive forest pest that kills ash trees. All of Maine’s ash trees are at risk of injury & death. There’s a lot at stake if ash is removed from the landscape: loss of a food source for wildlife, ~$320 million dollar impact to forest landowners, and the loss of brown ash, a cultural keystone species for Wabanaki people.

EAB IS IN THE LAKE REGION. Identifying infestations early and slowing the spread will give communities time to plan and mitigate the impacts of EAB.  We’ve been working with the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry over the past 5 years to monitor for EAB and deploy a proven biocontrol to give ash a good chance at returning to the landscape in the future

‍What can YOU do to help stop the spread of EAB and manage your ash trees?

‍🔴 DON'T MOVE FIREWOOD! Buy it where you burn it. All of Cumberland County & parts of Oxford County are in a regulated quarantine zone, meaning you cannot transport non heat-treated hardwood out of the quarantine zone.

🔴 Do you have ash trees on your property? Learn how to ID them and keep an eye out for signs of EAB.

🔴 The State of Maine has compiled some great resources to help landowners make decisions about any ash on their property. These publications may be helpful: Information for Maine Landowners, Ash Treatment Guide

🔴  Learn more about ash protection efforts across Wabanakik here: https://umaine.edu/apcaw/

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