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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> Mastrati, Gail (DEM) <gail.mastrati@dem.ri.gov>
<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, May 5, 2021 9:54 AM<br>
<b>Subject:</b> EMERALD ASH BORER CONTINUES TO SPREAD ACROSS RHODE ISLAND<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Impact",sans-serif;color:#00457A">Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#00457A">235 Promenade Street | Providence, RI 02908 | 401.222.4700 |</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0070C0">
</span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#0070C0">
</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#00457A">| @RhodeIslandDEM</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:#1F497D"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT:
</span></b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Gail Mastrati, 401-255-6144<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Wednesday, May 5, 2021
</span><a href="mailto:gail.mastrati@dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">gail.mastrati@dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span lang="DE" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">EMERALD ASH BORER CONTINUES TO SPREAD ACROSS RHODE ISLAND<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">DEM urges residents and visitors to protect Rhode Island’s forest resources by buying and burning local firewood.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><i><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
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</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><img width="207" height="284" style="width:2.1562in;height:2.9583in" src="cid:image007.png@01D7419D.59657050" align="left" hspace="12" v:shapes="_x0000_s1026"><![endif]><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">Providence
- The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) reports that Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), a destructive forest insect from Asia, continues to spread throughout Rhode Island. EAB was first detected in the state in 2018, with small numbers of the pests found
in Burrillville, Cumberland, Hopkinton, Lincoln, Providence and Westerly. Since then, EAB has been found in greater numbers and in nine additional communities: Charlestown, Foster, Glocester, North Smithfield, Scituate, Smithfield, South Kingstown, West Greenwich
and Woonsocket. Ash mortality is also being reported in some of the affected communities.
</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">EAB overwinter as larvae under the bark of ash trees where they feed on the inner bark tissue. Once infested, ash trees rapidly decline and can be killed in as few as three
to five years. This pest is responsible for widespread decline and mortality of hundreds of millions of ash trees in North America.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">EAB threatens all ash species in Rhode Island, including white ash, green ash and black ash. Ash trees comprise approximately one to two percent of Rhode Island forests, and
are a common urban tree because of their hardiness, tolerance to pollutants, and for the shade they provide. At present there are no proven methods to control EAB in forested areas, though individual landscape trees can be treated.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">Research into control efforts continue, including parasitoid insects, such as the parasitic wasps being released by the University of Rhode Island (URI). If a population of
these wasps establishes successfully, they could help slow the spread of EAB, buying time for the research efforts into genetic research into the small number of ash trees that have survived EAB infestation. Ongoing genetic research on these “lingering ash”
may be key to the survival of the species.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">While adult EAB can fly short distances, humans have hastened their spread by moving infested material, particularly firewood. The most effective way to slow the spread of
EAB is to follow the recommendations of the “</span><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.dontmovefirewood.org/__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!Y0fNzlEJT49WGYu1x6S3SvtNgrAsQJ0PTqU1b1h3cjvZVetNH0mu2gVTe4FG1wDwtEWBOwLG$"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Don’t Move Firewood</span> [dontmovefirewood.org]</a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">” program. Residents
and visitors are reminded to protect Rhode Island’s forests by buying and burning local firewood.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">To address the destructive effects of EAB to Rhode Island’s ash resources,
<span style="color:black">DEM finalized an action plan in 2019 in partnership with URI, National Grid, USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and the USDA Forest Service State & Private Forestry. DEM’s Divisions of
</span></span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/agriculture/"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Agriculture</span></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"> and
</span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/forestry/"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Forest Environment</span></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">, in cooperation with project
partners, are using the </span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/forestry/documents/EABResponsePlan_Final_2-28-19.pdf"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">EAB Technical Response Plan</span></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">
to guide Rhode Island communities, </span><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_s1027" type="#_x0000_t75" style='position:absolute;margin-left:0;margin-top:752.4pt;width:398pt;height:223.9pt;z-index:251658240;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:left;mso-position-horizontal-relative:margin;mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:text;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-width-relative:page;mso-height-relative:page'>
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woodland property owners, and other stakeholders that may be affected by EAB<span style="color:black">.
</span>The guidance document is also used to <span style="color:black">assist RI landowners and municipalities in raising awareness of EAB and other invasive pests, how to identify and inventory ash trees, and how to minimize risks.</span>
<span style="color:black">DEM and URI continue to survey for EAB to determine the extent of the EAB infestation. Results of the surveys will inform subsequent management decisions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="NL" style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">For more information on Emerald Ash Borer or other exotic agricultural pests, invasive insects, or plants, please visit
</span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/agriculture/pests.php"><span lang="NL" style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">DEM’s website</span></a><span lang="NL" style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">.
</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:10.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">EAB larva in feeding gallery.
<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Photo by DEM Forest Health Program Coordinator Paul Ricard<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="NL" style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="NL" style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">To report a suspected exotic or invasive insect or plant, please fill out the
</span><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://appengine.egov.com/apps/ri/dem/demcaps__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!Y0fNzlEJT49WGYu1x6S3SvtNgrAsQJ0PTqU1b1h3cjvZVetNH0mu2gVTe4FG1wDwtKHcOF5X$"><span lang="NL" style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">DEM Invasive Species Reporting Form,</span> [appengine.egov.com]</a><span lang="NL" style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black"> which is
posted on DEM’s website. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">For more information on DEM programs and services, visit
</span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">. Follow DEM on Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM) or Facebook at
</span><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM__;!!KKphUJtCzQ!Y0fNzlEJT49WGYu1x6S3SvtNgrAsQJ0PTqU1b1h3cjvZVetNH0mu2gVTe4FG1wDwtCCRxKQr$"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM</span> [facebook.com]</a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"> for timely updates.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><b><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">-30-<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
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