Ash borer continues march across Ohio

Ash borer continues its decimation of Ohio trees:
By Doug Page
Staff Writer
Updated 9:21 AM Wednesday, May 20, 2009
The state is no longer monitoring the spread of the emerald ash borer in counties already under quarantine for the destructive insect.
“Once you are quarantined, no one is looking,” said Wendi Van Buren of the state division of urban forestry. “The state is focusing limited resources on counties not quarantined.”
Kaleigh Frazier of the state Department of Agriculture said the department has $1 million in federal funds to monitor the insect’s spread, down slightly from last year.
All of the Miami Valley, with the exception of Greene County, is under the quarantine, which means no ash wood products may be moved outside the area.
The ash is a major tree species in the urban landscape, often used as a boulevard tree for its hardiness and expansive green canopy. Ohio has an estimated 3.8 billion ash trees