The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has confirmed the presence of emerald ash borer (EAB) in Isanti County for the first time, making it the 37th county in the state with EAB.
According to the MDA, a tree care company contacted them after suspecting that a group of trees in Stanchfield Township was infested.
MDA staff were able to find EAB larvae and collect samples. Another pocket of infested trees was found about a mile from the originally reported location.
Since this is the first case of EAB in Isanti County, the MDA says they are enacting an emergency quarantine of the southern portion of Isanti county south of State Highway 95, which limits the movement of firewood and ash material out of the area.
A virtual informational meeting for residents and tree care professionals in Isanti County will be held on Wednesday, November 30, 2022. You can register for the meeting through the MDA website.
The MDA is also taking comments on the proposed formal quarantine now through Dec 22, 2022, and recommends adopting the quarantine on January 3, 2023. The proposed quarantine language can be found at www.mda.state.mn.us/eab.
Emerald ash borer was first discovered in Minnesota in 2009. The insect larvae kill ash trees by tunneling under the bark and feeding on the part of the tree that moves nutrients up and down the trunk.
Photo was taken from the U of M Extention Website.