Rutherford County is one of 59 Tennessee counties in which there is a quarantine for Emerald Ash Borers.

The list of quarantined areas in the state is growing due to the Emerald Ash Borer, (EAB), an invasive pest targeting ash trees. The prohibition on the movement of ash trees and ash tree productshas expanded to neighboring Bedford, Cannon, Coffee and DeKalb counties, as well as Lincoln, Van Buren, Grundy, Moore, Sequatchie, and Warren.

The Emerald Ash Borer is a destructive forest pest that was introduced from Asia into the United States in the 1990s. It was first detected in Tennessee in July 2010. EAB beetles can kill an ash tree within three years of the initial infestation.

Humans tend to contribute to the spread of this bug, unknowingly transporting it through infested nursery stock, firewood, unprocessed saw logs, and other ash products.

Citizens should report any symptomatic ash trees to TDA and follow these simple rules:

• Don't transport any firewood, even within the state.
• Use firewood from local sources near where it will be burned.
• If you purchase firewood, make sure that it is labeled and certified to be pest free.
• Watch for signs of infestation in your ash trees.

Visit www.tn.gov/agriculture/topic/ag-businesses-eab for a symptoms checklist and a map of quarantined counties.

TDA's Division of Forestry estimates that there are 261 million ash trees on public and private land in Tennessee, potentially valued as high as $9 billion.

For more information about Emerald Ash Borer and other destructive forest pests, as well as tips for infestation prevention, visit www.protecttnforests.org.