Woodland owners: Learn about ash pest impact

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If you are a woodland owner and are concerned about the potential effects of emerald ash borer (EAB) on your property, plan to attend “Your Woodlot and The Emerald Ash Borer,” a workshop offered by Ohio State University Extension workshop next Thursday, Jan. 24, in Marysville.

The presentation will address how EAB — now present in 34 Ohio counties — will affect your decisions when managing ash timber and determining overall strategies for your woodlot.

“This workshop will help anyone who owns a woodlot containing ash trees,” said presenter Kathy Smith, an OSU Extension forestry associate and coordinator of the Ohio Woodlands Stewards Program. “You will gain information to help you evaluate the current situation, and gain management tools for both ash timber sales and for managing your woodlot in the face of emerald ash borer infestation.”

The workshop will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Union County Ag Center, 18000 State Route 4, just north of Marysville. Registration costs $10 and should be received by Jan. 21. Mail registrations to OSU Extension, 18000 State Route 4, Suite E, Marysville, Ohio 43040.

For more information, contact the Union County office of OSU Extension at (937) 644-8117.

An exotic, invasive insect from Asia, EAB was first discovered in Ohio in 2003. The beetle’s voracious larvae can kill ashes within 3-5 years. For more information about EAB, visit http://ashalert.osu.edu or call (888) OHIO-EAB.

OSU Extension is the outreach arm of Ohio State’s College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.