What is Wisconsin doing to prevent EAB?
Although EAB can fly up to one-half mile and spread on their own, people are more effective and more likely to spread EAB to new areas.  Raising awareness, restricting the movement of firewood and materials that could potentially carry EAB into new locations and monitoring for evidence of the insect are some of the steps that our department has taken along with our partners including the Department of Natural Resources, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the US Forest Service, and the University of Wisconsin Extension.

DATCP Rules
Our agency has revised our rule (ATCP 21) that allows us to restrict the movement of certain items coming from areas infested with emerald ash borer, in order to prevent the spread of EAB.  These items include firewood, logs, mulch or nursery stock.

DATCP Activities
Here is a partial list of activities related to EAB prevention and detection:

• Created a response plan should EAB be identified in Wisconsin
• Tabletop exercises with urban foresters, national forests, extension staff, nurseries, and others to identify responsibilities and shortcomings in a state response
• Outreach materials to private campgrounds
• Workshops with paper and pulp industry, and saw mills to discuss use of ash wood should tree removal become necessary
• Multiple presentations to urban foresters, Wisconsin Council on Forestry, legislative committees, arborists
• Displays at Madison Garden Expo, Milwaukee Realtors show, Wisconsin campground owners convention

Wisconsin's EAB Response Plan - 33 page PDF
Should emerald ash borer be identified in Wisconsin, DATCP and our partner agencies will follow this plan. The 2008 Wisconsin Emerald Ash Borer Response Plan incorporates new science and research surrounding the emerald ash borer.

Partner Activities – this is a partial listing

Department of Natural Resources

• EAB Detection 2004 & 2005 Survey Summaries

• Firewood Restrictions

Because firewood can harbor many invasive pests including emerald ash borer, Wisconsin is restricting the movement of out of state firewood. 

• Private Campground Survey - In 2006, DNR is meeting with each private campground owner to gain permission for visual surveys of trees

For more information on DNR Activities, contact Jane Cummings Carlson, 608-275-3273.

What will happen if EAB is found in Wisconsin?
If we positively identify EAB in Wisconsin, our response plan will guide us through four general steps:

• Determine extent of infestation
• Quarantine affected area
• Develop a plan of action
• Disposal of trees

Survey to determine extent of infestation
DATCP, DNR and APHIS will conduct an intensive survey to determine (delimit) the extent of the infestation.  Survey crews will be sent to the area surrounding the positive find to visually identify the number and distribution of ash trees.  This effort may include the use of more aggressive survey techniques such as the use of tree climbers or bucket trucks, and the felling and peeling of suspect trees, or a combination of these activities.

Quarantine the affected area
DATCP has the authority to issue a quarantine to restrict the movement of EAB and infested host material such as trees, logs, firewood, mulch or nursery stock.  A quarantined area may be an individual property, a township, a county or an entire state.  Affected businesses are notified, and press releases are issued to notify the public once quarantine conditions are met and the quarantine has been enacted.  Host material may be removed from a quarantined area if inspected and certified as free of EAB.

Develop plan of action, based on results and resources
The results of the delimitation survey will provide information for state, federal, local and tribal officials to develop a plan of action to minimize the spread of the EAB from the site of the initial infestation, and to ensure eradication of the pest.

Identify the Source of the EAB
We will also work to determine the original source of the EAB infestation.  This will help identify whether additional actions need to be taken to locate as-yet unknown infestations or prevent further introductions of the pest.  For example, was the EAB brought in on firewood, infested nursery stock or shipping containers?  This is known as trace back/trace forward and with both state and federal authorities, other infested articles would be quarantined and prevented from moving either within the state or to other states or countries.

Tree Disposal/Utilization
Eradication of EAB involves the destruction of significant numbers of ash trees.  Therefore, one of the largest challenges in EAB eradication projects is the disposal or utilization of ash material.  Because quarantine regulations restrict the movement of ash material out of quarantined areas (with some exceptions), wood utilization becomes even more difficult.  These restrictions may limit the ability to use this material as commercial landscape mulch, wood pulp chips and solid wood products (lumber, railroad ties) or as a biomass fuel.

For more information, contact 1-800-462-2803 or send an email.