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Don't move firewood...
High school students generate awareness about the invasive Emerald Ash Borer.
FOR years, an invasive pest has caused headaches for people in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan and recently prompted an "Ash Bash" awareness event in Central Michigan. The exotic, wood-gnawing beetle called the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis (Fairmaire), is believed to have been accidentally imported from Asia in the 1990s, and since its discovery has killed six to 10 million ash trees in Southeastern Michigan alone.
On April 28, the entire Springport, Mich, school district gathered near the football fields of Springport High School for the educational "Ash Bash" event to promote awareness to the community, hosted by the local FFA chapter. Representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and the Jackson County Conservation District were on hand to participate with the event, as well.
"It became a community event, it wasn't just the entire school district," explains Robin Millsap, communications manager at Michigan State University Extension in East Lansing. "It takes a lot of manpower to do this, and to have the FFA chapter at Springport do this, we were just thrilled. They asked a lot of us to attend from different agencies and the university to come and represent our organizations and provide materials. For us it was a huge thing. It's not often that we are able to hit that many people, an entire community in one kind of campaign. I wish we could do that all the time."
Amidst the speakers and informative materials that were distributed, tree seedlings, hot dogs and temporary tattoos were also offered to the students of Springport, which is located about 100 miles west of Detroit. After learning about EAB and its effects on Michigan's ash trees, students signed large cuts of ash wood and threw them into a massive bonfire, which served as the centerpiece for the Ash Bash.
"The Ash Bash did very much for generating awareness," says Pat Henne, the Springport FFA Advisor and a biology teacher at the high school.
"We had kids from prekindergarten up through 12th grade bringing home these magnetic bumper stickers that read
'Don't Move Firewood, it Bugs Me They're all over the place on their parents' cars, and its really having a long-lasting effect." Henne also notes that the appreciation for the event has spread around the state and the region.
About Emerald Ash Borer
Discovered in southeastern Michigan near Detroit in the summer of 2002, the EAB feeds on ash foliage and causes marginal damage, while the larvae consume the inner bark of ash trees, which interferes with the tree's ability to transport nutrients and water. Because the insect, unfortunately, has no natural enemies, it multiplies rapidly and mainly spreads due to people moving lumber and firewood from one place to another. Also found in Southwestern Ontario, EAB was discovered in Ohio and Indiana in 2003 and 2004, respectively; while Maryland and Virginia received shipments of EAB-contaminated ash a few years ago from a Michigan nursery - luckily, without reports of infestation.
Pat Lockwood, the state EAB policy officer from Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm's office, made an appearance to award the Springport FFA Chapter with a certificate of appreciation and recognition for its efforts to stop the spread of EAB.
In 2004, Ohio State Extension's EAB team responded to Ohio's infestation crisis by producing a CD to teach volunteers how to educate the general public about the pest. The presentation recently earned the National Award in the National Association of County Agricultural Agents communications awards contest in computer generated graphics.
by NICK WRIGHT
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