By Scout Nelson
The South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR) is responding to recent detections of the emerald ash borer (EAB) in Codington and Grant counties by hosting two public meetings. These events aim to educate communities about this invasive pest and how to manage it.
The first meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 26 at 6:30 p.m. at the Codington County Extension Complex in Watertown. Attendees should use Entrance I on the south side of the building. The second session will be held on Monday, June 30 at 6:30 p.m. at the Visitor Center in Milbank, located at 1001 East 4th Avenue.
Both meetings are open to the public. Officials from DANR and SDSU Extension Forestry will provide presentations about the emerald ash borer and its impact on South Dakota’s tree population. Landowners, city officials, and anyone with ash trees on their property are especially encouraged to attend.
Topics to be covered include:
- Why EAB is a serious threat to ash trees
- How to identify signs of infestation in trees and communities
- Ways to manage or remove infested trees
- Treatment options for healthy trees
- Details about the state quarantine and wood movement restrictions
The emerald ash borer is a beetle that feeds on all types of North American ash trees. It was first detected in the U.S. in 2002 and appeared in South Dakota in 2018. Since then, it has continued spreading and threatening urban and rural trees alike.
Photo Credit: istock-fangxianuo
Categories: South Dakota, Business