Due to the fact that the Indiana Department of Natural Resource has confirmed that the emerald ash borer has been found in Allen County, the county is now under quarantine. The quarantine prohibits transporting any ash products such as trees, logs, untreated lumber with the bark attached and any firewood, except pine, or composted wood chips or bark chips that are an inch or longer out of Allen County.

The Department of Natural Resource is asking the public to report evidence of the emerald Ash borer by calling the exotic insect education coordinator at Purdue University (888-398-4636) or the Department of Natural Resource invasive species hotline at 1-866-663-9684. For more information  about the Emerald Ash Borer and the Asian Lady Beetle  CLICK HERE. A map from the DNR is now available on the quarantined counties.  

Check out the Emerald Ash Borer Update   for information on the Fort Wayne Parks & Recreation Department's managment plan. Also, check out how you can help with the Emerald Ash Borer by clicking here. 



Ash Tree Identification 


THE CITY OF FORT WAYNE HAS BEEN ATTACKED - well, actually the upper Midwest is under attack by a tiny insect that is destroying our Ash tree population. Michigan was hit first -- and hit hard. A large portion of their native Ash population has killed by the Emerald Ash Borer. Entire neighborhoods lost their beautiful tree-lined streets, which also affected their property values and utility costs. 

That is why it's so important that we identify our Ash trees and try to save what we can. The White Ash (Fraxinus Americana) and the Green Ash (fraxinus Pennsylvanica) are easily identified by the bark on their trunks. It has a distinctive diamond pattern that flows throughout the entire tree. 

Ash trees are one of the few trees in our urban forest that have opposite branching structure. The limbs grow opposite each other. To visualize, hold your arms out from your torso. The arms are like the branches that extend opposite each other from your trunk! Most trees are alternately branched, this means that the limbs do not grow directly across from one another.    

Finally, Ash trees have compound leaves and the leaflets also grow opposite each other. The edges of the leaves may be either toothed or smooth.