Vancouver Urban Forestry and the Washington State Invasive Species Council are monitoring local forests for tree-killing beetles after they were sighted in Forest Grove, Ore.
Emerald ash borer beetles, originally discovered in Michigan in 2002, have killed 99 percent of ash trees in the country. They made their first appearance on the West Coast in the Oregon town and have yet to be seen in Washington.
Vancouver urban foresters are taking inventory of ash trees on public lands and urge private property owners to do the same. Although the slender, metallic green insects are harmless to humans, they can devastate habitats that contain an abundance of ash trees.
Learn how to identify ash trees and report emerald ash borer sightings on the Washington State Invasive Species Council’s website.
Those who want to remove unhealthy ash trees on their property must obtain a permit from the city. For more information, contact Urban Forestry at 360-487-8308 or urbanforestry@vityofvancouver.us.
