E
merald ash borer (EAB) is a tiny pest
that is affecting ash trees in a not-so-tiny
way. In summer 2002, EAB made its first U.S.
appearance in Michigan, quickly spreading to
regions all over the U.S. EAB made its first
Ohio appearance in 2003 and has continued
to infest several Ohio cities.
To combat the EAB outbreak in Toledo,
Ohio, the community and Davey crews have
banned together to treat infected ash trees and
stop the infestation from worsening.
Davey's Toledo crew has partnered with the
Sisters of St. Francis for more than 30 years
and has recently begun an extensive project
to rid the property of the viciously spreading
EAB. Since 2005, Davey's Toledo R/C crew
has volunteered with the Sisters of St. Francis
to make sure their property is EAB free.
The Sisters of Sylvania grounds, an 89-acre
property, obtained quarantine regulations when
more than 1,800 trees showed signs of EAB.
Davey removed the 1,800 infected ash trees
and has overseen the replacement of 179 differ-
ent varieties of those removed. The new trees
will be incorporated into i-Tree to report the
amount lost with the infested trees and to track
the growth of new trees over the next 10 years.
The work did not end there; Davey's Toledo
crew also volunteered to tag and measure
each of the property's trees to determine their
values. With the collaboration of a community
determined to stop the outbreak and Davey's
Toledo crew, the trees on the Sisters of St.
Francis' grounds have received care and
maintenance that could help them get back
to a healthy state.
Sister Jeremias meets with Davey's Toledo R/C
crew to discuss the ash tree replacements on site.
November/December 2014 | 13
Community
Support to
Combat EAB
Hanging Out with Bats
Adam Benshoff
educates the public
about the importance
of bats and how they
are being harmed.
D
id you know bats are the only mammals
capable of flying? Or, that they eat
thousands of mosquitoes and crop destroying
insects? But did you know many bat species
are fighting for survival and some are
even endangered?
These were just some facts that surfaced
during an educational bat event at Towner's
Woods in Kent, Ohio. Davey Resource Group's
Adam Benshoff, biologist/site manager, and
Shawn Bruzda biologist/senior urban forester,
partnered with Mike Johnson of the Summit
County Metroparks and Portage Parks to
educate the public about the importance of
bats and their habitats. At the event, the volun-
teers used three captured bats to reach out and
interact with the public, especially children, in a
fun, interactive way. After demonstrations, the
bats were released back into their habitats.
With the outbreak of white-nose syndrome,
a fatal disease that causes hibernating bats to
grow white fungus on the muzzle and other
body parts, Benshoff feels it is more important
than ever to educate the public on the
importance of bats and how their environment
and health are affected.
