Maine’s natural beauty is one of the state’s defining features. From marshes and lakes to deep woodlands and tree‑lined neighborhoods, the landscape is central to the state’s identity. But one beloved group of trees is now facing the same fate as the American elm and chestnut: ash trees are rapidly disappearing.
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| The emerald ash borer is an invasive beetle from Asia that has already killed hundreds of millions of ash trees across North America and is now decimating ash and elm trees in multiple counties across the state, including in Lakes Region communities. COURTESY PHOTO |
"Unfortunately, there is no stopping the spread. That’s been learned from the long history of this insect,” said Michael Parisio, forest entomologist with the Maine Forest Service. “It has marched across North America.”
The emerald ash borer is tiny – a metallic green beetle less than half an inch long – but its larvae are lethal. They tunnel beneath the bark and feed on the tree’s vascular tissue, cutting off the flow of water and nutrients.
Signs of infestation include D‑shaped exit holes, S‑shaped larval galleries beneath the bark, Woodpecker damage, Crown dieback and sprouts emerging from the trunk or base.
Once infested, an ash tree has a 95 percent chance of dying, according to Vermont Invasives. In Maine, EAB has been confirmed in parts of Androscoggin, Cumberland, Kennebec, Oxford, Penobscot, and York counties, as well as northern Aroostook County. Because the insect can be present for years before detection, the true range could be larger.
In Raymond and Windham, the decline is easy to spot.
“Anywhere and everywhere you can see the ash trees – they’re losing their bark and they’re all gonna die,” said Travis Corson of TLC Tree Service, LLC. “There’s not a lot we can do about it.”
Parisio acknowledges that in areas where emerald ash borer is already present, options are limited.
“Most of our focus and energy now is toward long‑term management,” he said, describing the approach taken by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry. The agency is now looking ahead to “what we’re going to do after EAB has passed through in the killing front, as we call it, or the initial wave has passed through. What’s that future forest going to look like?”
To preserve ash trees as a species, Maine DACF is taking significant steps. To protect select ash stands small pockets of ash are being treated with insecticides to maintain seed sources and preserve genetic diversity. It also is releasing biological controls by introducing tiny parasitic wasps – natural predators of EAB from its native range. These wasps locate EAB larvae beneath the bark and lay their eggs on them. “Over the winter, something out of the movie Alien happens, but on a much smaller scale,” notes Vermont Invasives.
Residents play a crucial role in spotting new infestations. Parisio encourages anyone who notices signs of emerald ash borer activity to report it at tinyurl.com/52kvfx7k.
For property owners who have ash trees, the Maine DACF recommends coming up with a plan now. A proactive plan, the department says, “empowers you to make informed decisions about your property or community.”
Plan components for property owners would include staying informed about known EAB locations, which can be done through websitemaine.gov/eab; identifying ash trees on their property and assessing their value; determining whether their trees are on public or private land, and check for municipal EAB plans; estimating costs for removal, replacement, or treatment using local arborists or online tools.
“Once you have determined your investment in ash and considered your budget, you can develop a plan for which trees will be removed, replaced or treated with insecticides when emerald ash borer arrives,” the Maine DACF says.
For more details about emerald ash borer in Maine, visit maine.gov/eab. <
Signs of infestation include D‑shaped exit holes, S‑shaped larval galleries beneath the bark, Woodpecker damage, Crown dieback and sprouts emerging from the trunk or base.
Once infested, an ash tree has a 95 percent chance of dying, according to Vermont Invasives. In Maine, EAB has been confirmed in parts of Androscoggin, Cumberland, Kennebec, Oxford, Penobscot, and York counties, as well as northern Aroostook County. Because the insect can be present for years before detection, the true range could be larger.
In Raymond and Windham, the decline is easy to spot.
“Anywhere and everywhere you can see the ash trees – they’re losing their bark and they’re all gonna die,” said Travis Corson of TLC Tree Service, LLC. “There’s not a lot we can do about it.”
Parisio acknowledges that in areas where emerald ash borer is already present, options are limited.
“Most of our focus and energy now is toward long‑term management,” he said, describing the approach taken by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry. The agency is now looking ahead to “what we’re going to do after EAB has passed through in the killing front, as we call it, or the initial wave has passed through. What’s that future forest going to look like?”
To preserve ash trees as a species, Maine DACF is taking significant steps. To protect select ash stands small pockets of ash are being treated with insecticides to maintain seed sources and preserve genetic diversity. It also is releasing biological controls by introducing tiny parasitic wasps – natural predators of EAB from its native range. These wasps locate EAB larvae beneath the bark and lay their eggs on them. “Over the winter, something out of the movie Alien happens, but on a much smaller scale,” notes Vermont Invasives.
Residents play a crucial role in spotting new infestations. Parisio encourages anyone who notices signs of emerald ash borer activity to report it at tinyurl.com/52kvfx7k.
For property owners who have ash trees, the Maine DACF recommends coming up with a plan now. A proactive plan, the department says, “empowers you to make informed decisions about your property or community.”
Plan components for property owners would include staying informed about known EAB locations, which can be done through websitemaine.gov/eab; identifying ash trees on their property and assessing their value; determining whether their trees are on public or private land, and check for municipal EAB plans; estimating costs for removal, replacement, or treatment using local arborists or online tools.
“Once you have determined your investment in ash and considered your budget, you can develop a plan for which trees will be removed, replaced or treated with insecticides when emerald ash borer arrives,” the Maine DACF says.
For more details about emerald ash borer in Maine, visit maine.gov/eab. <
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