Maryland Quarantine
The emerald ash borer (EAB) is an exotic pest of ash trees. It is native to Asia and thought to have arrived in the United States in solid wood packing material from its native Asia. It was first detected in the Detroit, Michigan/Windsor, Ontario area in July 2002. Because of EAB, millions of ash trees have died in the central and northeastern United States. USDA estimates that at the national level, if the Emerald Ash Borer went unchecked in the lower 48 states, the undiscounted loss could range from $20 - $60 billion dollars. Many consider it far more serious than gypsy moth, and perhaps equal to the chestnut blight.
The greenhouse and nursery industry is the second largest agricultural sector in Maryland. It accounts for $1.96 billion in gross receipts. (Source: Agriculture in Maryland Summary 2010 - USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service).
Ash trees are one of the most common landscaping trees used in the U.S. and are common in western Maryland forests.
Ash wood is used for all traditional applications of hardwood from flooring and cabinets to baseball bats and tool handles.
Ash is the most common tree in Baltimore - 293,000 trees, 10.4% of trees total population.
Ash accounts for 5,982,000 - 6,591,000 trees in the Baltimore metro area. USDA has estimated losses could exceed $227,568,000 in the Baltimore area alone.
*Galvin citing DNR, MDA, and USDA sources 2003.*
MDA Forest Pest Managment Activities to Monitor and Control EAB
The Maryland Department of Agriculture in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has conducted several programs to monitor and suppress EAB as well as release biological control agents. More information on these programs can be found at the following resource:
Forest Pest Management Section Activities to Monitor and Control Emerald Ash Borer.
Below are updated maps detailing MDA's 2020 Forest Pest Management EAB activities conducted around the state.
2020 EAB Parasitoid Release Locations:
2020 EAB Treatment Locations:
