EAB Reported In Portland Area

The Oregon Department of Agriculture announced this week that the destructive emerald ash borer has spread to Multnomah County.  The ODA’s Cody Holthouse, said this invasive pest is a difficult one to stop.

"It is a cryptic beetle and as much as we try to slow it down it can jump our lines and show up in novel locations," he noted.

EAB has also been found in Washington, Yamhill, Marion and Clackamas counties, killing almost all ash trees it attacks.  Portland City Forester Jenn Cairo said it could be devastating for the city.

"Emerald ash borer is a threat to Portland's urban forests, specifically about 95,000 ash trees that we have in the city," Cairo said.  "That's a significant part of the trees in Portland."

The only way to prevent it is to inject trees with a pesticide every two to three years, and city officials said they are already doing that in parks.  Multnomah County is now under a quarantine, preventing ash wood from being moved.

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