Date: 04/09/2014
Final
Briefing on Emerald Ash Borer and Emerging Pest Issues
COMMITTEE ON JOINT AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES
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08:18 AM -- Briefing on Emerald Ash Borer and Emerging Pest Issues
Staff distributed a folder of information on the emerald ash borer to the committee (Attachment A).
140409 AttachA.pdf
John Kaltenbach, Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA), Keith Wood, Colorado State Forest Service, and Robert Davis, City Forester for City and County of Denver, introduced themselves. Mr. Wood discussed the origins of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB); the biology of the EAB including the impact of the EAB to all species of ash; the life cycle of the EAB; symptoms of EAB infestations on an ash trees; distribution of EAB in the United States; the movement patterns of EAB infestations; and the economic impacts in urban areas of EAB infestations. Mr. Wood talked about the website www.emeraldashborer.info, which offers information on the EAB.
Mr. Davis discussed the urban forests in Colorado's front range; the 2013 U.S. Forest Service Canopy Assessment of Colorado's front range to determine the benefits of front range trees; the benefits of trees in Denver's metro area including economic benefits, storm water control, energy benefits, air quality benefits. He talked about potential property value decreases that might occur if Colorado's ash trees are killed by the EAB; the comparison of Dutch Elm Disease to the EAB infestation; treatment options to mitigate the effects of the EAB; the cost of various treatment options; wood utilization options; challenges to municipalities in EAB mitigation; social factors of EAB mitigation; and public safety risks of not managing the infestation. He discussed the current state of the EAB infestation in Boulder and the importance of educating the public about the EAB.
Mr. Kaltenbach discussed that EAB is a federally quarantined pest; the role of CDA in declaring and implementing a quarantine; Colorado's response to the EAB; and the financing and challenges of quarantines as well as potential solutions to those challenges.
Mr. Wood further explained challenges to mitigating the EAB infestation and possible solutions to those challenges, and he discussed past success with mitigating the effects of Dutch Elm Disease in the 1960s and 1970s. Mr. Davis responded to questions from the committee regarding the distribution of ash trees on Colorado's western slope.