Emerald Ash Borer Cripples Bedford Ash Trees

The emerald ash borer has landed in Bedford and appears to be unpacking for a lengthy stay.

Larvae of this exotic beetle, which has its own webpage, www.emeraldashborer.info, “feed on the trees’ tissue, cutting off the flow of water and sugars from the roots and lower sections of the tree up to the leaves, killing the tree from the top down,” said Nick Pouliot in an email. Pouliot, operations manager of the DPW Grounds Division, recently was appointed town tree warden.

The resulting dead branches become hazardous, and indeed several ash trees in the Town Hall parking area have been condemned and will be removed before Bedford Day, said Public Works Director David Manugian.

“The trees tagged at the Town Hall area have been inspected and are beyond treatment. They are considered a hazard to people or property,” he wrote.

Normally there’s a public hearing for town trees destined for removal, but Pouliot noted, “Trees at risk to people or property do not require a hearing.  We do post risk trees on the Grounds Division website (https://www.bedfordma.gov/department-of-public-works/webforms/grounds-division).”

Dan Churella, chair of the Bedford Arbor Resource Committee (BARC), said the beetle is on the agenda of Thursday’s virtual committee meeting.

“We just heard about this at the BARC meeting on July 28 and have not discussed it in any detail,” Churella said. He added he was advised that “the town will ask for a significant capital request for next year to address the issue by treating healthy trees, removing dead ones, and planting replacements.”

“We are early in the stages of identifying infected trees on town properties and trying to be proactive about treatment options,” Pouliot wrote in an email. “I have met with another arborist from Bartlett Tree and we are developing a plan to treat the trees which might benefit from it.”

“Unfortunately, some trees are already beyond treatment and will have to be removed as hazard trees.”

According to data on the ash borer website, the species arrived in Massachusetts from the west, first documented 10 years ago in the Berkshires. It wasn’t confirmed in Middlesex County until earlier this year.

Even with a presence in 217 cities and towns, the emerald ash beetle has yet to be confirmed in Billerica, Burlington, and Wilmington, as well as the Dual County League towns of Wayland and Weston.

“Emerald ash borer probably arrived in the United States on solid wood packing material carried in cargo ships or airplanes originating in its native Asia,” the website reported.

“There is a lot of information available regarding this insect and its devastating effect on ash trees,” Pouliot wrote. “It is an invasive species and treatment options are slim.”

“Everyone can do their part protecting our ash resources by avoiding moving ash materials,” the website advises. “If you are working with ash trees, chip any materials or leave them on site.”

Mike Rosenberg can be reached at [email protected], or 781-983-1763