Texas Forest Service looking for landowners with ash trees

News

Discussion

February 2, 2012

From Staff Reports Corsicana Daily Sun The Corsicana Daily Sun Thu Feb 02, 2012, 12:37 AM CST

COLLEGE STATION — The Texas Forest Service soon will be surveying ash trees across the state for signs of the emerald ash borer, an invasive insect that kills its host.

An exotic wood-boring beetle from Asia, the dark, metallic green insect bores into ash trees and feeds on the area between the wood and the bark, effectively killing the tree.

The half-inch long pest first was found in Michigan in 2002, and since has spread to at least 15 different states and Canada. The survey is designed to help tree experts determine if the beetle also has spread to Texas.

“It’s killing millions of ash trees in the Lake states,” said Ron Billings, Texas Forest Service Forest Health Manager. “Right now, the emerald ash borer hasn’t been detected in Texas. The closest known location is Missouri. But these insects can be easily spread.”

Beginning in March, foresters — working together with partnering agencies and trained volunteers — will begin hanging large, purple traps from select ash trees in Central and East Texas. They’ll be checked in June and August and then removed.

Resembling a three-paneled box kite, the purple traps will be hung in or near ash trees in state and federal parks, campgrounds and on private lands with landowner permission. Any suspicious-looking beetles that resemble emerald ash borers will be collected for review by experts.

More than 700 survey traps will be set out in 71 Texas counties this year as part of a cooperative effort between the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Texas Forest Service, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Stephen F. Austin State University College of Forestry and Agriculture and several volunteer citizen scientist groups.

If you’re a landowner with ash trees — the only known host — on your property, live in one of the counties being monitored (marked in green on the map) and would like to participate, surveyors could use your help. Notify your closest Texas Forest Service office or contact a Regional Forest Health Specialist in your area.

• Joe Pase at 936-639-8170 or jpase@tfs.tamu.edu (East Texas)

• James Houser at (512) 339-4589 or jhouser@tfs.tamu.edu (Central and South Texas)

If the location is suitable, surveyors will set up and monitor the trap for you and then remove it at the end of the survey.

If present in Texas, adult beetles would be searching for new hosts between April and August. After selecting a tree, the adults reproduce and their young larvae spend the winter feeding just beneath the bark before emerging in the spring as adults. The process repeats as the new adults fly off to find their own host.

“Early detection and eradication are key steps in preventing the emerald ash borer from becoming established in Texas,” Billings said, explaining that infestations often start when people move infested nursery trees, logs or firewood into uninfested areas.

For more information on the emerald ash borer and the trapping program, visit www.emeraldashborer.info. Emerald Ash Borer photos are available on the Texas Forest Service facebook page.

Text Only

News

Griffin retires after three decades teaching
When the school bell rings today, it will signal for most the end of the school year and the beginning of summer vacation.
But for Dana Griffin, it will mark the end of his 30-year career teaching ag science at Corsicana High School, the only job he’s had since graduating from college.
Though he is excited about his new horizons, this day will most likely be bittersweet, as 30 years of animals, ag projects, and kids — it’s always been about the kids — draws to a close.

May 24, 2012 1 Photo
Schools ready for summer
With a nearly balmy winter, local school districts faced the end of the year with so-called “snow days” still in their pockets. Corsicana schools will spend one of those bad weather days Monday, taking off Memorial Day.
The other free day was spent on April 9, the Monday after Easter.
“We called it Good Friday, Better Monday,” said Susan Johnson, spokeswoman for the district.

May 24, 2012
Church News
Open Door Church of God in Christ at 1201 E. Eighth Ave. will host a service tonight at 7 p.m. Pastor James Jones and wife Theresa A. Jones will be speakers. Pastor Jones is currently serving as Chairman of Evangelism for the Greater Huntsville Interdenominational Ministerial Fellowship in Huntsville, Alabama. Theresa A. Jones serves as co-pastor of the Reunited Christian Fellowship Church in Huntsville, where they both reside.

May 24, 2012 3 Photos
Entertainment Beat
May 25
VFW Post 3366 invites all its members and guest out for an evening of karaoke with Country Sue’s Karaoke!! Canteen opens at 4 p.m. and karaoke starts at 8 p.m. until closing. Come early to get a good seat! Admission is free! Call (903) 872-3811 after 4 p.m. for more information.

May 24, 2012
Local Beat
May 26
Union High Volunteer Fire Department will hold a fundraiser at 6 p.m. at the fire station on FM 638. The menu consists of fried chicken, macaroni salad, green beans, rolls, tea and dessert, and there will be entertainment following the meal. Tickets are $6 for adults and $3 for children.

May 24, 2012
Walk Across Texas wraps up
Do you want to know an easy way to get fit and reduce your risk for cancer, diabetes, heart disease and stroke?
All it took for 312 Navarro County citizens this spring was a decent pair of walking shoes and 150 minutes of their time every week for eight weeks in the “Walk Across Texas” program sponsored by Texas AgriLife Extenstion.

May 23, 2012 1 Photo
Man suspected in Corsicana heist may have done others
The man accused of robbing the Corsicana Shell station at Interstate 45 and Texas Highway 31 is now being investigated for even more hold-ups, according to police investigators up and down I-45.

May 23, 2012
Power plant proposal still active
The Navarro Generating power plant project is buried in red tape, but it’s not dead.
Changes by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regarding Texas air emissions meant the proposed power plant had to do some new air modeling, the results of which were just recently submitted.

May 23, 2012
Lon Morris staff furloughed
All but a core minimum group of Lon Morris College employees received furlough notices Wednesday morning, and Miles McCall, president of the Jacksonville college, handed in his letter of resignation Tuesday, officials said Wednesday.

May 23, 2012
Boys & Girls Clubs Bowl-a-Thon set June 2
Things are being “spiced up” for the 2012 Boys & Girls Club Bowl-a-Thon.
This year, organizers are encouraging some “friendly competition” amongst the local businesses and churches in the surrounding area. Each organization is being asked to sponsor a bowling team.

May 23, 2012
More News Headlines

News

Search Results

Discussion

Texas Forest Service looking for landowners with ash trees

Site Map

Contact Us