In the 1940s through the 60's, Dutch elm disease killed millions of elm trees all over North America. It caused the virtual elimination of the American elm from our forests, towns, boulevards, and backyards.
Similarly, the Emerald ash borer is poised to virtually eliminate ash. You can save some trees with insecticide, but that is expensive and has ecological costs. In this recent article from the Sheboygan Press, the Wisconsin Dept of Ag representative laid it out very clearly;
"If science and research doesn't give us a silver bullet, and we do nothing to slow the spread, meaning people move firewood without regard, then every ash tree in Wisconsin could fall," said Mick Skwarok, spokesman for the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. "That's not hyperbole, that's the way this beetle works."
That is what is at stake. Every ash tree in every affected area, which is to say every area that somebody takes firewood into. Scary, isn't it.
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