State and federal quarantines have been ordered prohibiting the movement of ash logs, ash lumber scraps and any type of firewood from Fayette County to other West Virginia counties or other states, following the detection of emerald ash borers near the New River Gorge late last year.

Since it was first discovered in Michigan in 2002, the emerald ash borer has killed an estimated 25 million ash trees in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Maryland.

Emerald ash borer larvae were discovered in November in a "trap tree" that the West Virginia Department of Agriculture's Plant Industries Division had earlier prepared to survey for the possible presence of the pest. Trap trees are ash trees that have been intentionally damaged to provide attractive habitat for emerald ash borers.

Surveys conducted within a half-mile radius of the Fayette County trap tree have turned up several other trees infested with emerald ash borers, but so far, the pests are not known to occur in any other West Virginia counties.

Since the Fayette County trap tree is located so far from a bordering state with known emerald ash borer populations, it is believed the pest made its way into West Virginia by hitching a ride on firewood brought into the New River Gorge by campers from an infested state.

"This is another example of invasive species and the damage they can cause," said state Agriculture Commissioner Gus Douglass. "The speed of global travel and commerce has potential drawbacks. We had been dealing with gypsy moths, but we now need to deal with emerald ash borers and we need to continue to prepare for the next threat, even though we don't yet know what it is."

The emerald ash borer is native to Asia, and is believed to have entered the United States in packing crates carried by ships or aircraft. In its larval stage, the pest feeds on the inner bark of ash trees, cutting off the trees' ability to absorb water and nutrients.

While the ash accounts for only 2 percent to 4 percent of the tree mix in West Virginia's forests, it is a valuable species, used in the production of flooring, cabinets and paneling. It is also the primary wood type used in manufacturing baseball bats.

So far, forest researchers have not found an effective way of combating the pest.

Purple box traps are being placed at locations across the state to monitor for the pest's presence.

Douglass also announced on Monday the creation of a new position within his department to coordinate the state's emerald ash borer surveillance and public information efforts. The post will be funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection service.

Anyone with questions about the details of the new quarantine should call the Plant Industries Division at 558-2212.

To contact staff writer Rick Steelhammer, use e-mail or call 348-5169.

State and federal quarantines have been ordered prohibiting the movement of ash logs, ash lumber scraps and any type of firewood from Fayette County to other West Virginia counties or other states, following the detection of emerald ash borers near the New River Gorge late last year.

Since it was first discovered in Michigan in 2002, the emerald ash borer has killed an estimated 25 million ash trees in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania and Maryland.

Emerald ash borer larvae were discovered in November in a "trap tree" that the West Virginia Department of Agriculture's Plant Industries Division had earlier prepared to survey for the possible presence of the pest. Trap trees are ash trees that have been intentionally damaged to provide attractive habitat for emerald ash borers.

Surveys conducted within a half-mile radius of the Fayette County trap tree have turned up several other trees infested with emerald ash borers, but so far, the pests are not known to occur in any other West Virginia counties.

Since the Fayette County trap tree is located so far from a bordering state with known emerald ash borer populations, it is believed the pest made its way into West Virginia by hitching a ride on firewood brought into the New River Gorge by campers from an infested state.

"This is another example of invasive species and the damage they can cause," said state Agriculture Commissioner Gus Douglass. "The speed of global travel and commerce has potential drawbacks. We had been dealing with gypsy moths, but we now need to deal with emerald ash borers and we need to continue to prepare for the next threat, even though we don't yet know what it is."

The emerald ash borer is native to Asia, and is believed to have entered the United States in packing crates carried by ships or aircraft. In its larval stage, the pest feeds on the inner bark of ash trees, cutting off the trees' ability to absorb water and nutrients.

While the ash accounts for only 2 percent to 4 percent of the tree mix in West Virginia's forests, it is a valuable species, used in the production of flooring, cabinets and paneling. It is also the primary wood type used in manufacturing baseball bats.

So far, forest researchers have not found an effective way of combating the pest.

Purple box traps are being placed at locations across the state to monitor for the pest's presence.

Douglass also announced on Monday the creation of a new position within his department to coordinate the state's emerald ash borer surveillance and public information efforts. The post will be funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection service.

Anyone with questions about the details of the new quarantine should call the Plant Industries Division at 558-2212.

To contact staff writer Rick Steelhammer, use e-mail or call 348-5169.