ND Invasives

Accessibility


| Share

Management Recommendations

Delaying its arrival

Prevention of EABs arrival into North Dakota is of the utmost importance, since adequate techniques to manage EAB are currently lacking and the sole cost-effective choice is to remove and destroy infested trees. Therefore, if its arrival can be delayed for one or more decades, new tools and techniques needed to manage this pest effectively may be developed and some of North Dakota’s ash resource could be spared. All citizens can help stop the spread of this insect into our state. If someone you know is planning a trip to North Dakota, strongly encourage them to leave their firewood at home and only use local firewood sources.

Reducing potential impacts through diversifying tree plantings

North Dakotans are encouraged to incorporate diversity into tree plantings. There has been an over-reliance on the use of ash over the past two decades in the state’s communities and rural tree plantings. These plantings are at risk to EAB. As a rule, diverse tree plantings are more resilient to damaging factors (including climate, insects, diseases, etc…). Tree species selection should not hinge on substituting one single species for another, but rather, diversifying the overall species composition of the planting.  

Click the following link for a list of currently recommended tree species for North Dakota.

Insecticides

The use of insecticides within areas currently infested with EAB continues to be a topic of debate. Because the damage is caused by larvae that feed beneath the bark, conventional insecticides are ineffective. Research is being conducted to assess the effectiveness of ‘systemic insecticides.' These insecticides are translocated beneath the bark in the living tissue of the tree where feeding larvae exist. Generally, these products are either applied as a soil drench or are injected in the root flares (flared area at the base of the tree). Such products can be expensive and may need to be re-applied every year. In some situations, treated trees may still succumb to EAB attack and consequent mortality.  Homeowners must weigh the costs of treatment, the value of individual trees, the likelihood of success, and the current regulatory actions in place when deciding to use insecticides.


The North Dakota Forest Service and the North Dakota Department of Agriculture do not recommend the use of insecticides for emerald ash borer at this time in North Dakota. Research may prove insecticides more effective in preventing damage to individual trees caused by EAB in the future however, the current eradication protocols do not prompt their use at this time. The implication that insecticides will save ash trees when EAB arrives is misleading. Preventing the beetle’s spread into our region and diversifying tree plantings to minimize the impacts upon its arrival must be key messages.

Additional information

Click the following link to view the Joint Pesticide Use Statement for the control of EAB in North Dakota at this time.

Click here to view the Coalition for Urban Ash Tree Conservation: Emerald Ash Borer Management Statement

Lastly, stay current with the status of this pest. The emerald ash borer website (www.emeraldashborer.info) is an excellent source for current and reliable information about EAB.

Creative Commons License
Feel free to use and share this content, but please do so under the conditions of our Creative Commons license and our Rules for Use. Thanks.