All of the State DNR agencies and such, while meaning well with all the firewood transportation rules and trying to eradicate the EAB, are futile in my opinion. Back several years ago when the EAB was first discovered in a town about 16 miles north of me, they would cut trees in peoples yards, city streets, parks etc. wherever they found evidence of it. Banned firewood movement, etc. In a year or so it was EVERYWHERE around these parts. (North west Ohio).
You drive anywhere around here now days, thats all you see is dead Ash trees in woodlots, fence rows, ditch & creek banks, peoples yards. I have been cutting mostly Ash for the last 3-4 years. We have 26 ac. of woodlot here. Not many good size trees left to cut, mostly small stuff. I think the only way the EAB is gonna be done with, is when it eats its way out of house & home, so to speak. They need live trees to lay eggs and feed on. I can't recall seeing one for some time now. Eventually they just move on to greener pastures. But they are gonna run out of live trees...then what do they do?
All the measures we take or can come up with do little to solve the problem. Nature will ultimately take care of it one way or the other. Good or bad. Maybe someday, probably not in my lifetime, the Ash trees will make a comeback. With the efforts of some to collect seed and such. Or maybe they actually missed a few trees and they will survive.
Gregg,
