ASH TREE DENSITY AT WOODWARD AREA
WHITE ASH With the threat of emerald ash borer looming, many landowners have been preemptively harvesting ash trees before they become damaged by the beetles. Trees compromised from insect damage are less valuable as timber and can break and fall in unpredictable ways, endangering loggers. Farm & Wilderness’ forester has not been preemptively cutting ash trees beyond the amount they normally cut. Ash Trees Other Tree Species State Forest
Figure 9. Density of ash trees at the Woodward Area, calculated from forest management statistics on the percentage of tree species growing in mapped forest stands. Because the count of trees per acre is not known, this map assumes a uniform density of growth across all acres.
Forest Ecology |
With such a high quantity of ash trees on the property, Farm & Wilderness has an opportunity to see if any individuals survive infestation and may therefore offer a genetic resistance to the beetles. Withholding from interference in the face of emerald ash borer presents the opportunity for a large-scale experiment to see what might happen following the arrival of the beetles. Because Farm & Wilderness holds such a large acreage, research institutions may be interested in monitoring the site before, during, and after infestation and studying the findings. Seeking partnerships with organizations interested in conducting research on Farm & Wilderness property could contribute to regional strategies for dealing with impacts from the emerald ash borer.
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