Wilson County Quarantined for Emerald Ash Borer

NASHVILLE – A quarantine for Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), an invasive insect that destroys ash trees, has been expanded to include another Tennessee county.

With EAB discovered in a trap in the Mount Juliet area, Wilson County has now been added to the list of counties restricted for the movement of ash trees and ash tree products. This brings the total number of Tennessee counties under a state and federal EAB quarantine to 47.

EAB is a destructive forest pest that was introduced from Asia into the United States in the 1990s. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture and USDA-APHIS have worked together to identify infestation using purple box traps placed in trees across the state. An inspector with TDA was checking traps for the final time this season when the latest EAB was found. EAB beetles can kill an ash tree within three years of the initial infestation.

The EAB quarantine prohibits the movement of firewood, ash nursery stock, ash timber and other material that can spread the pests. Citizens should report any symptomatic ash trees to TDA and follow these simple rules: 

* Don’t transport firewood, even within the state.
* Use firewood from local sources near where it will be burned.
* If you purchase firewood, make sure that is labeled and certified to be pest free.
* Watch for signs of infestation in your ash trees.

Click here for a symptoms checklist and a map of quarantined counties.

TDA’s Division of Forestry estimates that there are 261 million ash trees on public and private land in Tennessee, potentially valued as high as $9 billion.

For more information about EAB and other destructive forest pests and tips to protect your trees, visit Protect TN Forests.