The emerald ash borer is a destructive tree pest that attacks and kills ash trees. To prevent the spread of the emerald ash borer, a quarantine is in place for Hennepin and Ramsey counties. 

What can I do to prevent emerald ash borer from spreading? 

Take these steps to keep emerald ash borer from spreading:

  • Don't transport firewood.
  • Don't bring firewood along on a camping trip. 
  • Buy the wood you need locally from an approved vendor. 
  • Don't bring extra wood home with you.
  • Do not dig up any ash tree and take it outside of the two counties and replant it.
  • Watch for signs of infestation in your ash trees. The earlier that emerald ash borer is found, the sooner it can be addressed. 

How do I dispose of ash tree waste?

Waste from ash trees cannot be hauled out of Hennepin or Ramsey counties, and some yard waste haulers and sites cannot accept ash tree waste. Ash tree waste should be taken to the closest disposal site to minimize the spread of the emerald ash borer.

See the list of ash tree waste disposal sites for disposal options.

What is the emerald ash borer? 

The emerald ash borer is an invasive beetle that attacks and kills ash trees. Its larvae kill ash trees by tunneling into the wood and feeding on the tree's nutrients.

Since its accidental introduction into North America in the 1990s, the emerald ash borer has killed millions of ash trees in 10 eastern states. With an estimated 900 million ash trees, Minnesota is a prime target for the emerald ash borer. 

What are the signs of an emerald ash borer infestation? 

The metallic-green adult beetles are a half inch long and are active from May to September. Signs of emerald ash borer infestation include one-eighth inch, D-shaped exit holes in ash tree bark and serpentine tunnels packed with sawdust under the bark. 

What is being done to prevent the spread of emerald ash borer? 

The emerald ash borer spreads slowly on its own, but it can spread more rapidly to new areas when people transport firewood or other wood products infested with the larvae. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has issued a quarantine prohibiting the movement of firewood, ash nursery stock, ash timber or any other article that could spread the emerald ash borers in Hennepin and Ramsey counties. 

The quarantine prohibits the movement of the following items outside of Hennepin and Ramsey counties:

  • Firewood from non-coniferous (hardwood) species
  • Entire ash trees (Fraxinus spp.)
  • Ash limbs and branches 
  • Ash logs or untreated ash lumber with bark attached 
  • Uncomposted ash chips and uncomposted ash bark chips larger than one inch in diameter 
  • The emerald ash borer in any living stage of development 

For more information

The MDA and University of Minnesota Extension have numerous resources to answer common questions, including:

  • How do I identify ash trees? 
  • How do tell the emerald ash borer from other common insects?
  • I suspect my ash tree is infested, now what?