TOMAHAWK, WI (WSAU-WXPR) — Emerald Ash Borer has found its way into another Northwoods County.
The Department of Natural Resources detected the invasive species in Tomahawk and the Town of Harrison in Lincoln County, a sign that the bug is continuing its slow march north.
DNR Forest Health Specialist Linda Williams tells WXPR Radio it’s only a matter of time before it shows up everywhere.
“Unfortunately, it is inevitable that it will get everywhere eventually. It just depends on how much time we got, you know whether we move it quickly and introduce it to areas accidently, but it gets there a lot faster or if we take some steps to slow down that progression,” said Williams.
Despite the inevitable, Williams say people can help slow its spread.
Things like not moving firewood and even chemical treatments to prevent ash trees on your property from getting infected can go a long way.
Williams also wanted to emphasize, while we’re starting to see more cases of EAB up here, it’s not nearly as widespread as southern Wisconsin.
You’d notice if it was.
“We do see a fair amount of ash in areas of northern Wisconsin and it will have a big impact when it gets here. Those low areas where black ash tends to grow, it’s going to be very dramatic,” said Williams. “Sometimes in those low areas, black ash is the only thing that’s growing in there. When Emerald Ash Borer shows up and starts to kill it, it’s going to be a pretty dramatic change that people will notice.”
Williams encourages people with forested wood lots to work with a forester to learn about how best to protect ash trees on your property.
The bug has been discovered in 62 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties. Vilas and Forest Counties are among the group of 10 that haven’t turned up any known cases.
