Ellsworth mulls $100K program to protect ash trees from emerald ash borer

Ellsworth mulls $100K program to protect ash trees from emerald ash borer

Ellsworth may spend $100,000 to fund a two-year program to protect its ash trees from a destructive invasive insect spreading across Maine. The presence of emerald ash borers was confirmed on Mount Desert Island last April, adding to a growing list of infestations in many parts of the state. The invasive wood-boring beetle kills ash trees by feeding on their inner bark, nearly always ensuring the tree’s death within three to four years. The inse…