Emerald ash borer has now been discovered in Palo Alto County, making Emmet County the only county in Iowa where the pest has not yet been officially confirmed.
According to the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services, the pest was found in samples collected in March from an ash tree in the Basswood Recreation Area outside of Emmetsburg, after staff with the agency noticed woodpecker damage in an ash tree.
The Iowa DNR says landowners with ash trees on their property should consider a course of action for at risk trees, which are generally those within a 15 mile radius of known infestations. More information can be found at iowatreepests.com.