Bangor expected to be latest municipality to confirm infestation by destructive, invasive beetle

For immediate release: Sept. 9, 2024

Contact: City Forester Benjamin Arruda
Telephone: 207-992-4514
Email: [email protected]

BANGOR, Maine - A highly destructive invasive beetle called the emerald ash borer, which infests and kills ash trees, has impacted much of southern and central Maine, in addition to far northern Maine, and Bangor officials say they'll likely be able to soon confirm an infestation here as well.

Emerald ash borer (EAB) is a small, iridescent, green beetle that will cause an ash tree to decline for several years then die. The signs of EAB are difficult to recognize until a tree is severely infected. EAB has already been detected in Stetson and Hermon. Dead ash trees pose a risk to residents and property in the City of Bangor, so the City is working with the UMaine School of Forest Resources to develop a plan to address the impending EAB problem.

This summer the Bangor Public Works Department completed an inventory of all City street and urban park trees. This helped the City to identify around 1,700 ash trees at risk. What the City does not have is an inventory of ash trees on private property. The City is asking the public to help identify privately owned ash trees by reporting those trees on their property.

Residents can visit the City's emerald ash borer webpage, www.bangormaine.gov/eab, to learn how to identify the three species of ash tree affected by the infestation, as well as learn more about the infestation elsewhere in Maine and in the United States.

Once a resident has identified an ash on their property, it can be reported through the SeeClickFix portal on the City website or app at Submit a Service Request. SeeClickFix will allow residents to submit each ash tree on their property by location. It's helpful if residents can include a picture of each tree that's reported.

Green and white ash are often planted as street trees in urban areas because they are excellent at absorbing storm runoff, and provide good canopy coverage for shade. Brown ash has deep cultural importance to the Wabanaki people of Maine and is used for basket making. All three species of ash are susceptible to EAB. Ash trees make up around 20% of the total street and urban park tree inventory in Bangor.

The City isasking the public to comply with the Maine Forest Service ash wood quarantines. MFS recommends that no ash firewood be moved in or out of the Penobscot County or other quarantine zones. See more about these wood quarantines at the MFS EAB website.

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The City of Bangor, Maine, is a service center community of 31,753 residents and is the county seat of Penobscot County. Bangor is the major commercial and cultural center for much of northern and eastern Maine. The City is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. For information on City projects and news, see www.bangormaine.gov.

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