SPEARFISH, SD – As spring begins and people’s thoughts turn to their gardens and outdoor spaces, the Spearfish Parks Department has fielded questions about the treatment of ash trees, in relation to emerald ash borer (EAB), an exotic beetle that attacks certain ash trees. Because EAB has not been detected in/close to Spearfish, such treatment is not required or recommended at this time.
Parks and Recreation Director Tyler Ehnes explained chemical treatment for ash trees is not recommended until EAB is found within 15 miles of Spearfish.
“The closest verified detection of EAB is in Lincoln and Minnehaha counties and the front range of Colorado,
” he said.
EAB was discovered in the United States in 2002 near Detroit, Michigan. EAB attacks species of ash trees including green ash, white ash, black ash, and blue ash.
“EAB
will not infect your mountain ash trees such as European mountain ash or American mountain ash as they are not true ash trees
,” Parks and Recreation Director Ehnes explained.
More information about EAB is available at https://www.cityofspearfish.com/DocumentCenter/View/337/Emerald-Ash-Borer-PDF, and the City’s Emerald Ash Borer Action Plan is available at https://www.cityofspearfish.com/DocumentCenter/View/1265/City-of-Spearfish-Emerald-Ash-Borer-Action-Plan.