Press Release

For Immediate Release
May 2, 2007

Is Emerald Ash Borer in Minnesota

Emerald Ash Borer may have mistakenly been introduced into the State of Minnesota in infested firewood delivered to hardware stores in our region.  While a local infestation has not yet been detected, the tree physicians at Rainbow Treecare are prepared with inoculations to protect ash trees in the Twin Cities.  Rainbow Treecare Company has actively been directing and utilizing research on control methods for Emerald Ash Borer in Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois, where the battle lines currently are drawn for this pest.  Based upon results of Rainbow Treecare Company’s sponsored research at Michigan State University and Ohio State University we are confident that we have treatments and protocols in place that will protect trees when the Emerald Ash Borer becomes established in the Twin Cities.

We would be happy to demonstrate our treatment protocol and discuss the potential impact of Emerald Ash Borer. What follows is our official response to the news release regarding the accidental importation of infested wood.

Emerald Ash Borer in Firewood

As we have all heard from media outlets throughout the Twin Cities there is concern that Emerald Ash Borer may have been transported into the area in firewood created from infested ash trees that was distributed to area hardware stores. While the potential for infestation from firewood to living ash trees is still remote, Rainbow Treecare has an obligation to serve in our clients best interests which is to protect the health of their trees.

To this end we have developed the following protocols to support our clientele who own ash trees and are concerned about their susceptibility to Emerald Ash Borer.

1. Rainbow Treecare will work with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and other appropriate agencies to document potential infestations as our crews provide pruning and tree care services on ash trees.
2. Once active infestations of Emerald Ash Borer are identified in the Twin Cities we will immediately alert all of our clientele who own ash trees of the occurrence and provide them with treatment options for their trees. We will also at this time begin recommending the prophylactic treatment of all ash trees with Xytect insecticide.  We will continue to work with impacted communities and government agencies to assist in quarantine of infected areas and attempt to reduce the potential spread of infestations via removal and disposal of infested trees.
3. Until an active infestation is identified within the Twin Cities metropolitan area, Rainbow TreeCare will provide prophylactic treatments for clientele, only if asked to do so after we have provided the client with the all of the current information on the status of infestation within the region. In no way will we suggest that they treat their trees with our products until we have ascertained that there is an “identified” risk.
4. As per treatment protocols established by Dr. David Smitley, at Michigan State University, we will treat ash trees with Xytect in the spring and fall of the initial year of treatment. This will increase the titer of the compound in the trees to ward off an initial attack at low population levels. The trees will need to be treated in the fall of each year following to provide protection from infestation.
5. When Emerald Ash Borer are present at high populations (several years post introduction) trees that have not been treated previously with Xytect, but are now being considered for treatment, will be provided with two soil injections of Xytect in the spring to be followed by a fall treatment and treated annually thereafter.

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