A study on the emerald ash borer found the beetle in 12 out of 195 sites in New Hampshire.
When an emerald ash borer was found in Concord this spring, it spurred further inspections at nearly 200 sites concentrated in Merrimack County. The borer is an invasive species that kills ash trees, and UNH Cooperative Extension Forester Karen Bennett says it poses a risk for N.H. forests.
“The results showing only 12 sites out of 195 sites looked at may sound like it’s not a big problem, but any emerald ash borer is a big problem because if a tree’s infested, it will die within three to five years – there’s just no two ways about it.”
The borer can move to other regions via firewood transport. While Merrimack County is the only county quarantined for firewood, Bennett recommended that firewood in other parts of the state only be used locally, and that residents with infested ash trees use approved pesticides to combat the bugs.
