City of Fitchburg, WI

Emerald Ash Borer (EAB)

Ash Trees in Fitchburg Face Grim Future

In August 2008, the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed the presence of emerald ash borer (EAB) in Wisconsin, near Newburg and West Bend. Emerald ash borer, a nonnative, invasive beetle from Asia and Russia, thus far has killed more than 70 million ash trees, mostly in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio. Since then, emerald ash borer has been confirmed in Brown, Crawford, Kenosha, La Crosse, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Rock, Trempealeau, Vernon, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha counties.

EAB Locations and Quarantined Counties

Emerald ash borer has not yet been detected in Dane County, but is known to be as close as Janesville (less than 30 miles away). The 2012 statewide EAB detection program was limited in southern Wisconsin to high-rish locations such as campgrounds and industrial facilities. Therefore, emerald ash borer could be already be present in counties such as Dane County where it has not been officially detected. EAB is generally established in a tree for several years before it is detected or the tree dies.

Waiting to deal with emerald ash borer until it gets here and begins killing trees could be a mistake. That approach will cost significantly more, endanger public safety, and disrupt daily city management. Therefore, the City has prepared a EAB Readiness & Response Plan.

Information for Fitchburg Residents

The information that follows is divided into four sections, with pictures and links to helpful websites along the way:

Basic information on emerald ash borer: how it kills trees, how it spreads, and the prognosis for preventing widespread damage.
Information for property owners: how to identify an ash tree, treatment options for a healthy tree, signs that a tree is infested with emerald ash borer, whom to contact if you suspect you have an infested tree, and city regulations pertaining to diseased trees on private property.
EAB in Fitchburg: ash tree abundance and distribution along streets, in parks, and on other City property; and how the City intends on dealing with emerald ash borer.
Steps you can take to slow the spread of emerald ash borer.