On 1/4/2019 2:28 PM, AMuzi wrote:

There's a constant admonishment to not move lumber/logs/mulch as it may
spread the insects. I assumed that if there were uninfected trees in the
area a pile of infected branches would be a liability. I'm not an expert
just wondering.

When the Emerald Ash Borer was still confined to Michigan (where it
started in the U.S., IIRC) and northwest Ohio, there was all sorts of
publicity about not moving firewood.

That strategy failed. The bug raced across Ohio far faster than they
believed possible. Notably, it seemed to spread along freeways. I don't
recall reading any theories on the mechanism, but it seems to have been
much more than a few campers carrying logs.

Anyway, they've given up on saying "don't move firewood." I've heard
some reports of borer-resistant ash trees (one of my friends seems to
have one in his woods, right next to a tree of similar size that died)
and I think one idea is to begin breeding those. I think there are also
plans to look for natural controls. But it's difficult. The insect
starts its work at the top of the trees and is almost impossible to
detect until damage is well underway.

--
- Frank Krygowski