Save My Big White Ash

This White Ash Tree is my favorite tree on the planet. It is the tree that was the center of my childhood backyard and playground. It is the tree that shades the picnic tables where we held every backyard family celebration. It is the tree I used to take outdoor naps and daydream under.

But  for more than just personal nostalgic reasons, this tree has historic and ecological value . The Ash tree sits at the center of the property of the Quaker meeting house I grew up on in Pennsylvania. It is one of the largest surviving Ash trees that was planted to line the original Baltimore Pike. There is still a chain that connects to its trunk which served as a hook up for Quakers who rode horseback to meeting. It is over 150 years old, 5 feet in diameter and is home to many birds, insects, squirrels, and one year I even saw a  black rat snake (apparently they can climb!). Every early spring at the base of the tree grows a lush patch of Morel mushrooms. It's a haven for many living things. 

The tree was recently assessed by an arborist and it is in good health with another 50 or so years to keep giving. But there is an emminent threat out there to its health. The threat is called the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). This invasive Asian beetle was introduced to the US in Michigan in 2002. Since then it has spread eastward and killed over 40,000,000 Ash trees in its path. Currently the Emerald Ash Borer is in almost every county in Pennsylvania, and most likely moving into our area in the next few seasons. But we can keep this beetle from killing this tree. My plan is to donate the money to get the tree treated with a systemic insecticide called Tree-age. This treatment has been studied and is considered the safest and most effective way of preventing infestation. It is actually injected into the trunk of the tree in the late spring while the tree is leafing out. You can read more about EAB studies here.  

The cost for treating this tree, due to it's large size,  $675. This treatment will last for at least 2 years, possibly more and we will reassess the situation after that time period. I am considering it  an insurance for this valuable resource, this beautiful Ash tree that gives so much.