Five American Ash Species On Criticially Endangered IUCN Red List; Emerald Ash Borer Wiping Them Out

[hatrack]

Five prominent species of ash tree in the eastern U.S. have been driven to the brink of extinction from years of lethal attack by a beetle, a scientific group says. Tens of millions of trees in the U.S. and Canada have already succumbed, and the toll may eventually reach more than 8 billion, the International Union for Conservation of Nature said Thursday.

Ash trees are a major part of eastern forests and urban streets, providing yellow and purplish leaves to the bounty of fall colors. Their timber is used for making furniture and sports equipment like baseball bats and hockey sticks.

The rampage of the emerald ash borer is traced to the late 1990s, when it arrived from Asia in wood used in shipping pallets that showed up in Michigan. Asian trees have evolved defenses against the insect, but the new North American home presented it with vulnerable trees and no natural predators.

"The populations are exploding," said Murphy Westwood of the Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinois. Infestations have been detected in 30 states. "it's a very efficient killer," Westwood said. "As the ash borer moves through a forest, it will completely kill all of the mature ash trees within three or four years."

EDIT

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/scientists-ash-tree-species-pushed-brink-extinction-49842606

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. I'm going to lose one in a month or two.

The city arborist said he'd be out to mark out so that the city crew could cut it down. It is glorious. I have not known life without it. But it is infected. The city took down two other ash trees on the same street about two years ago.

I will miss it. I hope they wait until its leaves have fallen. I'll put in a request for that, but the schedule is up to them.