What happens after EAB?

[farmlegend]

Perhaps some from Michigan can comment. They had EAB over 20 yrs ago there. Kinda one of the first spots in Midwest.

Ground zero for the EAB was somewhere in western Wayne County, where I reside. Allegedly from crates made from chinese ash, likely opened in Livonia/Westland/Plymouth/Canton area. There were some that thought it could be contained, but that quickly proved impossible, as the borers are able to fly. That and the countless people that hauled ash firewood to burn at their cottages throughout the state, in spite of the public warnings(as if the average Joe can ID an ash log).

Very unfortunate. At my farm(60 miles WSW of ground zero), it devastated the ash quickly. I may have even had a few pumpkin ash (really huge trees that I later read were found in Hillsdale County) that succumbed - obviously impossible to verify after the fact. I did a timber sale in 2003 just as the EAB issue was starting up over there, and sold hundreds of ash. Many of the white ash ecotype that grew on my place produced wonderful purple fall foliage that was really striking, something I'll likely never see again.

 

[Brian662]

The green ash at one of my MN properties is all dying now. I need to finish as much of my buckthorn removal as possible before the sky is wide open from the dying ash. Also have to move a redneck blind before some dead ash fall and crush it.

How long have you guys noticed it takes trees to go from damaged to falling over?

 

[rocksnstumps]

Ground zero for the EAB was somewhere in western Wayne County, where I reside. Allegedly from crates made from chinese ash, likely opened in Livonia/Westland/Plymouth/Canton area. There were some that thought it could be contained, but that quickly proved impossible, as the borers are able to fly. That and the countless people that hauled ash firewood to burn at their cottages throughout the state, in spite of the public warnings(as if the average Joe can ID an ash log).

Very unfortunate. At my farm(60 miles WSW of ground zero, it devastated the ash quickly. I may have even had a few pumpkin ash (really huge trees that I later read were found in Hillsdale County) that succumbed - obviously impossible to verify after the fact. I did a timber sale in 2003 just as the EAB issue was starting up over there, and sold hundreds of ash. Many of the white ash ecotype that grew on my place produced wonderful purple fall foliage that was really striking, something I'll likely never see again.

Pumpkin ash. Never heard of that one. Another habitat rabbit hole to crawl down.

I'm sure I'll hear some more impacts where I live on Friday when our annual local woodland owners meeting (WWOA) is happening. But I already know the latest from some traveling down miles of river in my county this summer while fishing or a group kayak adventure. Just groves and groves of green ash dying off last couple years.

Was at my buddy's house yesterday and the woods near his house is pretty swampy and they were taking down over a dozen dying green ash close to the house

My hunting land area just about 40 miles NW is still not showing obvious signs yet but the clock is ticking. Just scattered white ash in that spot

 

[farmlegend]

Pumpkin ash. Never heard of that one. Another habitat rabbit hole to crawl down.

I'm sure I'll hear some more impacts where I live on Friday when our annual local woodland owners meeting (WWOA) is happening. But I already know the latest from some traveling down miles of river in my county this summer while fishing or a group kayak adventure. Just groves and groves of green ash dying off last couple years.

Was at my buddy's house yesterday and the woods near his house is pretty swampy and they were taking down over a dozen dying green ash close to the house

My hunting land area just about 40 miles NW is still not showing obvious signs yet but the clock is ticking. Just scattered white ash in that spot

Fraxinus profunda (Pumpkin ash) - Michigan Natural Features Inventory

mnfi.anr.msu.edu

Generally found in seasonally wet areas. A large tree, usually featuring swelling at the base. I had a few that fit this description, and they were around 32" dbh.

A pic contained in the link below of the MO state champion.

Weiterleitungshinweis

 

[farmlegend]

The green ash at one of my MN properties is all dying now. I need to finish as much of my buckthorn removal as possible before the sky is wide open from the dying ash. Also have to move a redneck blind before some dead ash fall and crush it.

How long have you guys noticed it takes trees to go from damaged to falling over?

Highly variable. Anywhere from three to eighteen years. I had one big one that died around 2005 that fell over in 2023. I had to abandon tree stands because they were imperiled by big dead ash trees.

Oddly, there’s a big dead ash that died a few years before the EAB arrived, from other causes, right on my north boundary. It’s still upright 25 years after dying.

 

[deepsleep]

My place is around 30 miles N of Farmlegend's, and we had the same experience where we noticed all of our ash die over 2-5 years and fall over the next 5 or so. We do have some seedlings that have sprouted, but I haven't kept track of them to see their fate. A few years ago, you could drive around our area and see large stands dead in a state of standing and falling over, particularly in wet areas, where it is often the dominant species. Most of ours have hit the ground, but occasionally you run into one standing or hung up in another tree. I will say, it would behoove you to cut (or have logged) now the ones that will pose a danger when standing dead. I found cutting them when dead to be too dangerous in a lot of instances. It's a real pain when you have a favorite stand setup or expensive blind surrounded by dead ash trees.

 

[cavey]

The ash is gone around here ... the last of it is dying now.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

The ash around us all died about 5 years ago. There are some large ash around the area that don’t seem to be affected though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Allegedly from crates made from chinese ash,

Gotta love "globalization." EAB, spotted lantern fly, thrips of various kinds from foreign origins, adelgids, gypsy moths, blights of various kinds, etc. All from foreign lands = billions of dollars spent trying to control / eradicate them here in the U.S. All those costs passed on to consumers ..... or should the affected producers eat those costs 100%? I wonder if all the producers have a lobby in D.C.? Consumer lobby paid for by our $$$$$billions???

 

[farmlegend]

Pics I took today of the aftermath of EAB.

Makes for more of a workout to traipse through the woods.

 

[rocksnstumps]

I will say, it would behoove you to cut (or have logged) now the ones that will pose a danger when standing dead. I found cutting them when dead to be too dangerous in a lot of instances. It's a real pain when you have a favorite stand setup or expensive blind surrounded by dead ash trees.

The only "good" news around this ash topic is that stump prices are high for ash right now around here. Higher than red oak by a fair margin. The latest crop of consumers and homeowners are favoring the whiter woods over somewhat darker furniture and woodwork made from red oak. Guess that oak look is too Grandma and grandpappy looking, can't be trendy with that.

Whole logs being loaded in shipping containers and off to China. They either need to strip the bark off or fumigate the container to pass customs inspections.

While red oak is down in prices, white oak is hot. #1 white oak is almost double that of #1 red when delivered to the mill

 

[farmlegend]

The only "good" news around this ash topic is that stump prices are high for ash right now around here. Higher than red oak by a fair margin. The latest crop of consumers and homeowners are favoring the whiter woods over somewhat darker furniture and woodwork made from red oak. Guess that oak look is too Grandma and grandpappy looking, can't be trendy with that.

Whole logs being loaded in shipping containers and off to China. They either need to strip the bark off or fumigate the container to pass customs inspections.

While red oak is down in prices, white oak is hot. #1 white oak is almost double that of #1 red when delivered to the mill

It's amazing how volatile the hardwood timber market is. Way way more volatile than the stock market or real estate.

When I did my timber sale (800 trees) in 2003, red oak was highly sought for flooring and prices were high. White oak? Timber buyers had no interest at all, even for good specimens. They seriously wouldn't take mine for free.

Sugar maple and black cherry frequently draw high prices, then drop precipitously.

Black walnut almost always seems to be desired. Stumpage prices for it usually range from high to very high. Seems to me this is the species to manage for if you're a woodland landowner.

Hickory? That's an odd one. Timber buyers appear to want it but want to pay nothing for it.

 

[rocksnstumps]

A fair amount of the white oak demand is being driven by the craze for craft and micro distillery places. White oak is used for barrel making due to closed pores in the heartwood while red has open and poor choice for whiskey barrels and such.

Your assessment of wild swings in timber pricing is accurate.

Walnut is typically always best prices while cherry and others are rollercoasters. Our WI cherry is not as nice as PA so prices not premium but were still decent. Right now white oak prices are not that much below walnut while cherry is about the same as ash!

The other whiter woods like soft maple whether red or silver also have good support.

Sugar maple is still ok around here as the local stuff is high quality. The Great Lakes states have some of the best hard maple in the world and this area is known to grow some of the better ones.

 

[marlin]

I’m located I’m guessing 80 miles north of where farm legend is describing. My property is exactly how he described his. I was a little surprised today to find a dozen pockets of 10 to 50 black Ash approximately 2 inches in diameter. Is it just a matter of time for these? Is there a spray? Should I cut them down and let regeneration happen quicker?

 

[Jerry-B-WI]

I’m located I’m guessing 80 miles north of where farm legend is describing. My property is exactly how he described his. I was a little surprised today to find a dozen pockets of 10 to 50 black Ash approximately 2 inches in diameter. Is it just a matter of time for these? Is there a spray? Should I cut them down and let regeneration happen quicker?
View attachment 73652

Judging from the tracks in the snow, I'd let the dinosaurs knock'em down. lol

 

[Bowsnbucks]

A fair amount of the white oak demand is being driven by the craze for craft and micro distillery places. White oak is used for barrel making due to closed pores in the heartwood while red has open and poor choice for whiskey barrels and such.

Your assessment of wild swings in timber pricing is accurate.

Walnut is typically always best prices while cherry and others are rollercoasters. Our WI cherry is not as nice as PA so prices not premium but were still decent. Right now white oak prices are not that much below walnut while cherry is about the same as ash!

The other whiter woods like soft maple whether red or silver also have good support.

Sugar maple is still ok around here as the local stuff is high quality. The Great Lakes states have some of the best hard maple in the world and this area is known to grow some of the better ones.

White oak whiskey barrels - that's the stuff. The used barrels go many times over to Scotland and Ireland to age their native whiskey. They like the flavors imparted by our used white oak barrels. Some of the finest Scotch & Irish whiskeys have soaked in our used barrels.

Around here, there are tons of EAB-dead ash. The line companies and the townships have cut the tops off a load of them to keep them from falling on power lines, cable, etc., and from falling onto roads. Lots of standing "matchsticks" - trunks with no tops - easy firewood pickin's. Strange sight.

 

[farmlegend]

I’m located I’m guessing 80 miles north of where farm legend is describing. My property is exactly how he described his. I was a little surprised today to find a dozen pockets of 10 to 50 black Ash approximately 2 inches in diameter. Is it just a matter of time for these? Is there a spray? Should I cut them down and let regeneration happen quicker?
View attachment 73652

In my experience, the EAB is not virulent until the tree reaches 3-4” in diameter and the bark roughens up.

 

[Maddog66]

My 5 acre stand of black ash (swamp) in Northern WI is mostly dead now. I had our local DNR forester out a couple years ago and asked him what species he thought would be successional to the ash in my case (ie. Leave it alone). He said “tag alders and invasive grasses”.

So that’s nice…..I guess I’ll call it a sanctuary now?

 

[rocksnstumps]

Would think that tamarack could grow in same places as black ash but maybe the ash can tolerate a bit more water. Tamarack grows well in boggy areas

 

[Knehrke]

We have forty acres or so or Tamarack extending to a creek bottom that's littered with Ash. While the Ash will grow among the Tamarack, apparently the wet areas that are 90% Ash aren't compatible environs for Tamarack.

As many have stated, the downed trees make travel difficult. On the up side though, they definitely funnel deer.