Ash Trees Dying

[oosik]

We planted a 200 foot row of Mt. Ash when we moved here in 1982. It was to help the existing pine windbreak. Unfortunately - the row was beyond where we could reach with our garden hoses. After a year or two we got tired of hauling water.

Out of 20 trees planted - 8 have survived. Forty years old and only six inches at the base. But - they must be the toughest ash in this area.

 

[lman]

All of my trees were Green Ash that were killed by EAB. Mountain Ash is not a true Ash and is not affected by EAB.

 

[deezler]

Definitely EAB, pealed the bark back and it had the telltale sign of the little burrow paths. Sad! Guess its time for some big bonfires!

No way! Ash makes terrific firewood, don't just burn it up for no reason.

Furthermore, You don't have to do anything any time soon, as long as the sight of dead trees doesn't offend you terribly. Ash tree trunks are very resilient, the trees will stand for 10+ years before falling over. In the meantime the wood dries out nicely. Let the bark fall off and the tree clean itself for a few years, you can take them down at your leisure.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

No way! Ash makes terrific firewood, don't just burn it up for no reason.

Furthermore, You don't have to do anything any time soon, as long as the sight of dead trees doesn't offend you terribly. Ash tree trunks are very resilient, the trees will stand for 10+ years before falling over. In the meantime the wood dries out nicely. Let the bark fall off and the tree clean itself for a few years, you can take them down at your leisure.

Good to know!! Sounds like a plan!! I will probably take the ones down along my driveway, as I have already been screwed by one or 2 other them falling across it.

 

[JamesHW]

No way! Ash makes terrific firewood, don't just burn it up for no reason.

Furthermore, You don't have to do anything any time soon, as long as the sight of dead trees doesn't offend you terribly. Ash tree trunks are very resilient, the trees will stand for 10+ years before falling over. In the meantime the wood dries out nicely. Let the bark fall off and the tree clean itself for a few years, you can take them down at your leisure.

Ash trees are rare in our part of Upstate NY, but in Vermont their fighting it and this stood out in this 2019 document

Logging danger
Trees will start shedding branches within the year, and within 2-3 years have the potential to start snapping. Many noted that trees will only stand for 4-5 years after death.

• Loggersbecomeveryleeryofdeadash.“If it’s freshly dead they'll still cut it. If it's been dead (twigs gone, bark slipping) they'll leave it alone in the woods. ‘Ash snap’ is real...”
• “At least a couple of guys that harvest firewood & low-grade logs have told me they try to avoid hand-cutting EAB infested trees. They’ve told me they won’t cut an ash in advanced decline outside the cab of their feller-bunchers.”

 

[hodge]

They all died around here (Shenandoah Valley of VA) about 6 years ago. They are about done- they are breaking off, losing limbs, and turning to bread. We just split up a bunch today. A good bit of it has turned and is just about a waste to burn.

 

[kenmbz]

Dropping random branches and whole trunk tops hear. Knocking out power along the roads and the load crashes heard weekly.
Most of the ones by the road/power lines are down now, but every now and then, when the wind is up, we lose power.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

They all died around here (Shenandoah Valley of VA) about 6 years ago. They are about done- they are breaking off, losing limbs, and turning to bread. We just split up a bunch today. A good bit of it has turned and is just about a waste to burn.

Ok, so I have 4 to 5 years to get them down and still be useful! I plan on getting most of them down this winter. I only have 2 big ones, the rest are small.

 

[kenmbz]

One of the ash piles in the background. Have 1 bigger one and some stacked trunks too.
Been splitting from this stack for 2 years to cover fireplace and firepit needs and some off to friends/relatives.

 

[deezler]

Ash trees are rare in our part of Upstate NY, but in Vermont their fighting it and this stood out in this 2019 document

Logging danger
Trees will start shedding branches within the year, and within 2-3 years have the potential to start snapping. Many noted that trees will only stand for 4-5 years after death.

• Loggersbecomeveryleeryofdeadash.“If it’s freshly dead they'll still cut it. If it's been dead (twigs gone, bark slipping) they'll leave it alone in the woods. ‘Ash snap’ is real...”
• “At least a couple of guys that harvest firewood & low-grade logs have told me they try to avoid hand-cutting EAB infested trees. They’ve told me they won’t cut an ash in advanced decline outside the cab of their feller-bunchers.”

Interesting. I wonder if the species of ash is different than mine, or maybe they are just much bigger trees?

All my ash were long dead before I bought my land in 2012. Some of them are still standing. I'm talking 15-20" diameter trees. The smaller ones fall down much quicker.

I usually wait for them to fall down in the woods before grabbing good pieces of trunk and limbs for firewood. But the ones I did cut down on purpose, for firewood in our early years of living here, all cut and felled smoothly.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

I reported my issue to the USDA (they have an EAB hotline) evidently the ash borer was first discovered in my area in 2018. They were basically like " Yeah, sorry we know. Nothing we can do about it" But I like to report these kinds of things if it is going to help the scientific community understand an issue better, it's all about data. I do the same thing when I see an armadillo. There is a college professor studying the migration of the armadillo, so when I see one (usually dead) I report it. Helps them understand how the populations are changing.

 

[civilian]

I have been cutting/collecting ash trees for the 5 years we have been on the property. Being in northern Michigan we have lost all of ours. Lots of down trees that we are still gathering for fire wood. Yes, some are junk, if down on the ground to long. Have also processed some on the sawmill. Dropped a lot of standing dead ash along the drive this spring. Stacked in 8ft logs, ran through fire wood processor this Sept, starting to burn now in wood boiler. Jon