Emerald Ash Borer

For Immediate Release - Emerald Ash Borer(EAB) found in Buffalo!

Emerald ash borer discovered in Buffalo check out the PRESS RELEASE (PDF) from Minnesota Department of Agriculture..

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) confirmed an emerald ash borer (EAB) infestation in the City of Buffalo. MDA is using grant money to investigate communities that are in close proximity to confirmed infested areas. With Buffalo having confirmed infestations to the North, East, South, and Southwest, Buffalo was a good candidate to have current infestation, and that was confirmed by MDA on February 14, 2023.

The City of Buffalo encourages residents to look for signs of EAB 

Residents of Buffalo should be aware that EAB is in the area and to begin making decisions on what they’d like to do with their ash trees. If residents want to save their ash trees, they should begin having their trees treated with insecticide this coming spring/summer. More information for homeowners and other information can be found on this site under Important Information.

EAB Banner

Basic options for a property owner are the following:

  • If the ash tree still looks healthy enough after it leafs out (no more than 30% canopy decline), you can begin having it treated with insecticide to begin protecting it this spring/summer. This is an annual or biennial expense and best to have a certified arborist assess the health of the tree and apply the treatment. If the tree is over 15” in diameter at breast height it is important to have a licensed pesticide applicator treat the tree. The chemicals available to the average homeowner typically aren’t rated for trees that size or larger. Homeowners guide to insecticide selection (PDF)
  • If the tree is past the point of being a good candidate for treatment or would prefer not to go that route, plan to do removals during fall, winter or early spring. Try to avoid doing any pruning or removals during the summer months (May-Sept) when EAB is actively flying around. Ash trees become very brittle and hazardous quickly after they die and that can greatly increase removal costs depending on where it happens to be located in the yard. It typically takes about 3 years for signs of infestation to become initially visible (i.e. woodpecker damage in branches 3-5 inches in diameter) and a total of 5-6 years for EAB to kill the tree.
  • If the ash trees are in a natural area where they don’t pose hazards to persons or property, they can be left to die and fall apart. 
  • As for the wood, it is best if it can be kept as close to where it was cut as possible. You can save it for firewood and burn on-site if you have a fire pit, bring to closest tree waste disposal site, or have a tree care company haul it if you hire one to cut the tree. It is just important that the wood doesn’t get hauled outside of the known infested area and emerald ash borer quarantine restrictions are followed.

City of Buffalo Receives Emerald Ash Borer GrantENRTF Logo

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is awarding grants to cities in Minnesota to assist communities with managing ash trees for emerald ash borer (EAB) on public and tribal lands and to improve community forests by planting a diversity of trees and involving community members.

The City of Buffalo was recently awarded a grantDNR Logo in the amount of $64,160. Funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).

EAB Gallery & Exit Hole

EAB Gallery and Exit Hole

(photo courtesy of the MN Department of Agriculture