MARLBORO – The Township Council has begun preparing for the arrival of an invasive species of insect known as the Emerald Ash Borer.
On Aug. 10, council members approved a survey of Marlboro to be conducted by representatives of CME Associates. The firm is expected to note the size, condition and location of ash trees in the community.
The Emerald Ash Borer originated in Asia and was first found in the United States in 2002 in Michigan. Since then the insect has spread east and has made its way to New Jersey.
The insects feed on leaves and during their reproductive cycle they leave their larvae in cracks and holes in a tree and burrow into the tree and eat the tree from the inside out.
Their larvae tunnel their way into the trees and feed on the layer of tissue under the bark. This disrupts the trees’ flow of nutrients and kills the trees. When the trees are dead they become brittle and fall apart, creating a hazardous condition for people and property.
“The township is being proactive on this issue by educating residents about the Emerald Ash Borer and by conducting a survey and letting residents know if they have an ash tree on their property in order to give them a choice of whether or not to treat the trees. If no action is taken, the trees will eventually die, fall apart and potentially cause some damage,” Shade Tree Committee Chairman Jeffrey Weiss said.
