A shocker!

I'm not that much of a pessimist. I also keep up on current research.

I also don't give up easily. The ash around my parents that are doing well leafing out nicely are in an area that had EAB take plenty of them out about 5 years ago.

The ones we have, and the ones at my parents land are all sizes. The ones at my house are huge, for ash, except one that is small, only about 7-8" diameter. The ones at my parents house, in an area that has been hit by the EAB, are all small to mid sizes. The biggest there is about 16" diameter.

 

Not being a pessimist just stating a fact. Look at how much it's ranged since it hit the D in 2002. You may see some bad winters slow them down but they're not going away. I've read a bunch of the cold weather testing done in MN, sure the bugs died when the logs were put in a freezer or out in the cold but the results also show that tree's warm up significantly from the sun which will help the little buggers tolerate a bit more in the cold temps.

I hope between the cold and the wasp they're releasing we see some recovery just not expecting much.

A good hybrid needs to become available. I've read about them using the Chinese ash trees to come up with a tree that is more resistant to the bug. These trees grow like weeds in 20-30 years we could all have some decent sized ash trees.

 

Theory, not fact.

I just see too much pessimism regarding this subject.

Nature has a way of evening it out eventually. Maybe the trees have a resistance building up? Maybe robins will eat every adult EAB stopping the life cycle? Maybe me riding circles around my land with my quad will eradicate the EAB because big green kawi machine out competes the Lil green ash death machine?

I hope whatever it takes for the EAB to die off happens.

 

I do believe nature will find a way to live in harmony with the EAB, just not sure it'll happen in my lifetime! I don't expect established tree's to build a resistance but I like to hope the seedlings popping up every year have a chance.

All I can say is keep driving in those circles!!

 

http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/scient...y_native_ash_trees_in_southeast_and_northwest

Interesting read rdust. MSU has issued a bulletin in Oct of 2014 looking for " survivors" of the EAB . I surely woudn't have thought it as well until I seen it with my own eyes.
With that said , I cut this load this morning and checked on the living ash tree. Doing well!

 

The front of my parents' suburban house in the Cleveland area is shaded by a big ash that I've been expecting to see fall prey to EAB for the last couple of years, but so far it seems okay. I hardly dare hope, because it would be a real loss. As a kid I used to climb into its branches to get some time away from other people.

 

Interesting stuff! I really thought my brothers property had some of those a couple years back since his surrounding area was a mess, I was sad last year when they were all dead on his property. This winter I'll have some great straight trees to cut for firewood though.

 

We've got 3 huge ash trees in my suburban/ rural acre house lot.

I treat mine every June with the Bayer granules. I would be mighty mad if they were killed by EAB.

 

They used to have ash in the olive family, but I know they've been moving things around lately? Box Elder does almost seem like a 'missing link' between the 2 species.

I have plenty of healthy ash here. I thought I was seeing signs of it earlier this year, but now I'm not sure. I saw quite a few stands of them in various stages of dieback on my drive to and from Ohio this weekend.

 

I'm itching to get back out and cut some more with these cool temps Dennis.

No cost ? I paid dearly for my lease , that 1 load probably is in the neighborhood of .10 cents !