Joseph Gale Elementary School has the first confirmed sighting of emerald ash borer in Oregon
Emerald ash borers, originally hailing from north-eastern Asia, have killed hundreds of millions of Ash trees in 35 states. Forest Grove has the dubious honor of the first confirmed sighting of the beetle.
The beetles, originally hailing from north-eastern Asia, have killed hundreds of millions of Ash trees in 35 states.
The first confirmed sighting of the emerald ash borer in Oregon was June 30 in a row of trees between parking spaces at Joseph Gale Elementary School, Jim Gersbach, a spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Forestry told
this publication.
Sixteen trees were cut down and chipped to eradicate the infestation.
"The Oregon Dept. of Agriculture and Oregon Dept. of Forestry commends the school district’s personnel for their swift response in removing the infested trees once alerted," Jim Gersbach with the ODF said in an email.
"Emerald ash borer does not bite or sting and is otherwise harmless to people, pets and other animals, so there is no danger to students or staff, other than sadness at the loss of trees on their schoolgrounds," he added.
