The best way to slow the spread of emerald ash borer (EAB) is simple: don’t move firewood. Transporting firewood is one of the main ways EAB spreads to new areas. If you’re camping, especially outside Yamhill County, buy firewood near your destination. It is illegal to transport wood out of the EAB quarantine area. Even within the county, avoid moving ash wood if you can. Burn it where you buy it!

Property owners should begin to prepare for the arrival of emerald ash borer. If you have ash trees, especially if you have a lot of them, consider coming up with an underplanting list. These are trees and shrubs that you can begin to plant now, that will eventually take the place of the ash trees on your property.

Another consideration should be identifying and removing any ash trees that could present a hazard. These would be ash trees that are near infrastructure like houses and barns, or even roads or power lines. Once ash trees are dead or dying, they can quickly become more difficult and dangerous to remove. Ash wood dries out quickly and becomes brittle, which poses a risk to any nearby structures if the trees were to fall.

The final option for preparation is to treat the trees. This is a good option for properties with a few ash trees that have cultural, emotional, or ecological significance. The costs average around $200 per tree, and treatments must be repeated every 1-3 years, depending on the proximity to a known infestation.