Emerald Ash Borer confirmed in Simcoe County

QMI Agency
March 27, 2014
By Miriam King

It has been confirmed: The Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive insect that attacks and destroys ash trees, has been identified in Simcoe County - and as of April 1, the County will be declared a "Regulated Area" by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, with restrictions on the movement of landscaping materials, plants, and firewood.

That will have an impact on residents who normally cottage or camp in the Muskokas. The declaration will mean that anyone used to bringing kindling or firewood on camping excursions can no longer bring wood from Simcoe County.

Asked about the impact of the Emerald Ash Borer on the Town of Innisfil, Director of Infrastructure Andy Campbell warned that the insect will have a "devastating impact." Within 5 to 10 years, "all the ash trees in Town will be dead" - and there are thousands of ash trees in the municipality.

Innisfil is still working on a policy. Campbell noted that impacted municipalities have approached the problem in different ways. Some have clear-cut ash trees on municipal lands, replanting other species where appropriate; some have simply waited and removed dead and dying trees. Others are paying to treat valuable trees, in an effort to protect them from the insect pest.

The Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury has already identified 200 ash trees on municipal land, in local parks and on boulevards, and has set aside $50,000 in its 2014 budget for "forestry." Seventeen trees have already been treated; 91 are scheduled for treatment in 2014 at a cost of $25,000; another 47 mid-sized trees will be treated or replaced at a cost of $8,500 - and 67 smaller-diameter trees will replaced, at a cost of $15,250.

However, there may be thousands of ash trees on private property that are not part of the strategy. Residents are advised to take note of ash trees, and be prepared to treat or remove the trees before they become a hazard.

The Emerald Ash Borer is believed to have been introduced from China, in untreated wood, in 2002. Since then, the pest has killed millions of Ontario ash trees.