Emerald Ash Borer

Caring for Our Ash Trees in Light of the Emerald Ash Borer

Newtown Township’s staff and members of the Environmental Advisory Council have been busy preparing and studying about the threat posed by the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), a beetle invading the United States that has been detected in most of Pennsylvania and attacks Ash Trees. A two-page article was mailed to all homes and businesses in Newtown Township as part of the Fall 2015 issue of IN Community Magazine. Read Pages 30 and 31 (PDF).

Since that time, an inventory of Ash trees on Township property was conducted, and an Emerald Ash Borer Management Plan (PDF) was developed to address over 250 of these Ash Trees. The plan was accepted by the Board of Supervisors in November and reviewed and accepted by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

The increase in quality of life that trees offer to Newtown Township is invaluable. Fully aware of the benefits, Newtown Township works constantly to protect the health, well-being and beauty of the community, ensure the continued vitality of the community’s tree canopy and to safeguard the essential ecological services which trees provide to all our residents, businesses and visitors.

How You Can Help

While a plan to address the anticipated infestation is now in place for Newtown Township’s public property, residents and business should be thinking about the care of Ash trees on their private property too. For owners of ash trees, the wisest approach is to be informed and be proactive:

  • First, identify all ash trees on your property.
  • Second, check out the many excellent resources for information that can be found below.
  • Finally, evaluate your options for action after doing careful research.

Should you choose to remove any Ash trees or to engage a licensed, reputable arborist who is certified to treat ash trees with chemicals that can protect the tree against EAB, be sure to be comfortable with whatever proposals you receive, check all references and understand the commitment.

Please note that some resources for treatment options propose a “drenching” method utilizing store-bought chemicals. Newtown Township strongly cautions against and discourages this particular method of treatment due to concerns for the protection of groundwater and streams.