January 28, 2009
Nebraskans Honored for Work on Emerald Ash Borer
LINCOLN, Neb. — A partnership formed to address an emerging pest that's expected to kill billions of dollars worth of ash trees has resulted in national recognition for Nebraska's state forester and conservationist.
Scott Josiah, state forester and director of the Nebraska Forest Service, and Steve Chick, chief of USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service in Nebraska, have received the Two Chiefs Partnership Award from the U.S. Forest Service and the NRCS.
The award is for the pair's work on the $1.8 million Great Plains Tree & Forest Invasive Initiative. The four-state project was initiated in Nebraska in 2008 to prepare for the arrival of the emerald ash borer. The pest, which came to the United States from China, has been detected in Missouri, putting it right at Nebraska's doorstep, Josiah said.
EAB is virtually impossible to control.
"It's spreading like wildfire, largely from the transportation of infested firewood and by insects hitchhiking on cars," he said.
EAB infests the tops of ash trees and lays eggs that hatch and burrow into the bark, cutting off circulation within the tree. The trees die piece by piece.
In response to the anticipated infestation, the forest service and the NRCS developed a multifaceted program in partnership with their counterparts in North Dakota, South Dakota and Kansas. The program includes inventorying ash and other trees in rural and urban forests across all four states; developing monitoring and detection efforts; creating opportunities to use the wood generated by dead trees; and developing a readiness and response plan.
Current estimates indicate there are nearly 30 million ash trees in Nebraska that are expected to die from the EAB's invasion – 29 million of them in riparian forests where ash is common. About 700,000 ash trees are expected to be lost in urban areas. Damage estimates are expected to be in the billions, Josiah said.
"While residents can protect a high-value landscape tree with chemical treatments, municipalities probably won't have the money to save trees in parks and along streets," he said. "Plus, it will be costly to remove dead trees."
To remove and dispose of the average street tree costs $600, he said.
Developing the program was a major effort across the two agencies, Josiah said. Steve Rasmussen, forest service district forester, coordinates the project in the four states.
"It is a very proactive effort to respond to the problem," Josiah said. "This national award is a huge recognition by both the chief of the United States Forest Service and the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the value, innovative nature and impacts of this project and of the strength of the partnerships we continue to forge with the USFS, the NRCS and other organizations."
The Nebraska Forest Service is housed in the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
1/28/09-LM Scott Josiah - Ph.D.
School of Natural Resource Sciences State Extension Forester (402) 472-6511
 
Lori McGinnis IANR News and Photography (402) 472-0918
Department:
Nebraska Forest Service
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