Entomologist warns emerald ash borer could devastate Sweet Home’s ash trees; committee told to inventory and educate

Rich Little, a local entomologist and former county plant‑health official, told the Sweet Home Park and Tree Committee on Nov. 19 that the emerald ash borer is likely to be ‘‘the most devastating introduction of a forest pest in this country’’ and urged immediate local planning to limit losses.

"I have no good news for you," Little said. He cited eastern U.S. experience and regional detections near Marion County and said the insect can decimate ash populations. "If you take about 95% of all the ash trees that we have right now and yank them out, that's what it's gonna look like," he told the committee.

Little recommended the city and committee undertake an ash‑tree inventory — prioritizing special or high‑value specimens for protection — and consider preventive insecticide programs for those trees while they remain healthy. He described two common treatment approaches used elsewhere: stem injections and soil drenches, and said those treatments are most useful if applied well before visible symptoms appear.

The entomologist warned that moving firewood is a primary pathway for spread and urged the committee to build that concern into any public‑facing outreach. He also cautioned against public announcements that claim a positive identification without confirmation from state quarantine authorities, noting that formal identifications trigger regulatory processes.

Committee members responded by recommending that staff, Public Works and volunteers identify a single city point of contact for reports, develop an inspection and reporting process, and pursue an education campaign that includes ‘‘burn it where you buy’’ messaging and child‑oriented materials. The committee said it will coordinate with Oregon agencies and the presenter for technical guidance and will bring a proposed process back to a future meeting.

Little offered to provide training materials and to serve as an on‑call local resource; he asked residents to email him with clear subject lines so he can triage insect questions. The committee agreed to begin scoping an inventory and to investigate treatment and monitoring options with neighboring cities that have experience protecting high‑value trees.

What happens next: committee members asked staff to draft a process for reporting suspected infestations, to identify staff and public‑works points of contact, and to assemble educational materials to share with the public. No formal funding decision was made at the meeting.