Devils Lake is preparing for unwelcome visitors in the form of a possible wood-boring insect infestation that could prove devastating to ash trees in the area. During the last week of January, an insect larva found in Fargo by city forestry staff has been confirmed to be emerald ash borer (EAB), a wood-boring beetle originally from Asia first found in the U.S. in 2002. It has since spread to 37 states and killed hundreds of millions of ash trees.
This is the second finding of the insect in North Dakota. It was first detected in LaMoure County in August 2024. While the insects fly no more than a mile or two on their own, they can be moved long distances through the movement of firewood, tree trimmings and ash nursery stock.
“Really how this all started out is we knew EAB was coming,” said Devils Lake City Manager Spencer Halvorson, who oversees forestry maintenance.
As a result, Halvorson has been working with the City Commission’s Shade Tree Committee to create a five-year strategic and EAB preparedness plan, and canopy study. “We laid out our goals and objectives, which is (to) enhance urban canopy coverage, improve tree health and maintenance routines, engage the community, create sustainable tree planting and species diversity across town,” he said. “And then develop efficient tree management practices.”
The canopy study was conducted of the entire town in partnership with Lake Region State College including such diverse areas as the park district property, golf course, Lakewood, school district properties, the library and the cemetery. The study determined that currently, 35% of trees on city property are ash trees. “And so, the prospect of all of those going away, and when you compound that with what happened (in the Devils Lake area) with Dutch elm disease a while back, we’re really taking a one-two punch to our canopy,” Halvorson said. “And so we need to get really serious about tree planting. … That’s kind of one of the biggest priorities the Shade Tree Committee and the City Commission is to plant trees at a higher rate than we have been previously.”
Halvorson noted that, as part of the five-year plan, sustainable tree planting and species diversity to increase the variety of native and climate resilient tree species must aspire to follow the 10-20-30 Rule, with no more than 10% of one species, 20% of one genus, or 30% of one family having such a proportion of the city’s urban forest.
Originally, the committee’s goal was to plant 200 trees. So, during the fall, they applied for Emerald Ash Borer Mitigation, a North Dakota Forest Service competitive grant program available to ND communities, whose purpose is to serve as a preemptive approach to lessen the impact EAB will have in the state. One of the requirements is removal of publicly owned ash trees and replanting a mix of diverse shade trees. At least 20% of the requested grant funds must be contributed by the applicant in the form of cash, services, and/or in-kind contributions. Public entities are eligible to receive a maximum grant award of $25,000.
Although they were not selected at the time, Halvorson said they are preparing to apply for the same grant when it becomes available again in the spring; the applications must be sent electronically by the deadline on April 23, 11:59 p.m., CST. “Right now, our plan is to plant 100 trees, but if we get the grant, then we would have to go back and gauge the Shade Tree Committee and the City Commission to see if we want to purchase … and plant more trees,” he said.
Residents who want to help are encouraged to do the following:
- · Don’t move firewood from outside areas into Devils Lake
- · Learn to recognize signs of EAB and report suspicious ash decline to the city.
- · Plant a variety of tree species to ensure a resilient canopy.
- · Volunteer for tree planting and monitoring events.
“This detection is unfortunate, but not surprising, considering the insect was detected in Moorhead in 2023,” Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said. “The North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) and our partners are prepared and will monitor the infestation. Travelers should leave firewood at home and purchase or gather from local sources, if allowed, to prevent further spread.”
According to a NDDA press release, North Dakota has more than 90 million ash trees in native and rural forests, and ash trees make up between 20% to 80% of the trees along city streets and parks. Unless treated, infested ash trees can be killed in a few years. Treatments are not recommended until EABs are detected within 15 miles. Residents who choose to treat their ash trees are strongly urged to select a reputable tree service company with a certified applicator able to do these treatments. Most treatment options are restricted use and can only be done by a tree care professional.
In Fargo, the city maintains a list of contractors on their website that conducts treatments for emerald ash borer.
“The City of Fargo has aggressively diversified the urban forest with other tree species, reducing boulevard ash populations to less than 21%. The City Forestry Department has placed and monitored traps each summer and promoted awareness through outreach events, news releases and neighborhood mailings,” Fargo City Forester Scott Liudahl said. “We have been preparing for the eventual arrival of emerald ash borer for many years.”
NDDA will collaborate with the City of Fargo, North Dakota Forest Service, NDSU Extension and others to determine the extent of the infestation, continue to monitor ash trees and conduct outreach in the coming months.
NDDA maintains a quarantine restricting movement of regulated commodities from infested areas. The quarantine will be extended to Cass County. Regulated materials include all hardwood firewood, ash logs and branches, nursery stock and wood chips. Moving regulated materials from a quarantined to a non-quarantined area without a permit can result in civil penalties of up to $5,000.
Devils Lake recently completed a public tree inventory which is being maintained on the North Dakota TIP Tool at https://ndcitytrees.org/NorthDakota/.
For more information about emerald ash borer, what to look for in ash trees and possible treatments, please visit www.ndda.nd.gov/eab. To report suspect infestations, use the same link or leave a voicemail at 701-328-5146 or email [email protected].
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