The emerald ash borer has arrived in Winnipeg, which has some Dauphinites being cautious to not allow it to spread here.
The emerald ash borer is an invasive wood-boring beetle, that is native to Asia. It was first detected in North America in 2002.
Although it's a small bug, the emerald ash borer is a huge problem because it harms and kills up to 99 per cent of ash trees in its path.
Patti Eilers from Communities in Bloom says the best way to prevent the spread is to not move firewood.
“What happens is it can be carried to other communities. With the Dutch Elms Disease, we have lost over 200 trees this year, and if we get the emerald ash borer, that affects the ash trees and that’s a real concern because if the elm trees and ash trees both get affected that’s the demise of the trees in your community.”
Eilers says another method of prevention is the diversification of the trees.
“We don’t plant one kind all in a row. We’ve got all these elms trees down a lot of these streets so we’re planting other trees that are resistant to disease and infestation.”
Eilers says preventing the spread of the emerald ash borer is important to sustain our tree population.
“The trees take so many impurities out of the air. They take carbon and convert it to oxygen. One mature tree can actually provide oxygen for a family of four.”
You can report potential emerald ash borer infested trees to the tree line at 204-945-7866.
