Background:
Emerald Ash Borer poses a uniquely devastating threat to Maine’s ecology, economy, and cultural history. Three native species of ash, all of which are key ecological and economic keystones, are being destroyed by the invasive pest which has been introduced in North American temperate forests. Climate change has aided the insect’s broadening range, while also adding to other stresses these trees and our forests face. International governments have been observing, studying, and responding to the EAB crisis for over a decade. As the borer advances east from Michigan, we have learned from federal, state, and tribal officials and experts what to expect, how we can prepare, and actions we can take to make our forests and communities more resilient. Through this partnership, this project will help develop a response to the EAB crisis as it unfolds across Maine, and will also contribute to the broader continental response by indigenous and settler governments and communities.

The Franxinus or Ash genus is unique in several ways. It is among the most abundant trees in Maine forests. Two species, F. pennsylvanica and F. americana, are also prolific street and landscape trees in developed areas. The third species, F. nigra, is a species central to the origins and culture of indigenous nations, communities, and people that continue to thrive and use Brown Ash for medicine, ceremony, artwork, and forest products throughout the entire region affected by EAB. These three attributes of Ash convey the magnitude of what is at stake when an entire genus of trees is potentially wiped from diverse landscapes which depend on it.

Announcing our Spring 2025 Webinar Series: Preparing for EAB

Since the earliest documented occurrences of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in Maine in 2013, Maine Audubon has been working with federal, state, and municipal forestry staff, as well as with indigenous scholars, cultural knowledge sharers, and basketmakers to better understand and plan our response to the ecological, cultural, and economic threats this invasive insect poses for the three species of Ash (Fraxinus spp.) native to Maine.

During May and June, Maine Audubon and partners will host a four-part series of evening webinars, each of which will focus on a specific aspect of the looming EAB crisis. Leaders from government, research, and cultural organizations will educate and inspire us about ash trees and what can be done to conserve them. The webinars will take place at 6 pm every other Thursday evening starting on May 8 and run through June 19.

Register for these free webinars:

May 8: Allison Kanoti, MFS – Impacts and response in Maine
Maine Forest Service entomologist Allison Kanoti will introduce us to the importance of Fraxinus (all three species) to forests, developed landscapes, and the economy. Allison will also cover the history of EAB presence and impacts in Maine to date, the state response, and how we all can get involved to help.  Register >

May 22: Tony D’Amato, University of Vermont—Benefits and ecosystem services of Ash
Tony D’Amato is a regionally esteemed forest ecologist who will share the natural history of Fraxinus and present for us the innumerable benefits of having Ash in our forests and in our neighborhoods. Register >

June 5: APCAW panel—Cultural importance of Ash, multicultural response to EAB
Ash Protection Collaboration Across Wabanakik presents a panel of basketmakers, scholars, foresters, and researchers to share and discuss the importance and benefits of a blended, multicultural approach to protecting our ash, as well as how people can get involved to support this work. Register >

June 19: Theresa Secord—Honoring basketmakers, MIBA, and our shared cultural heritage
Founder of the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance (MIBA) and recent recipient of a $100,000 award from the Ruth Foundation for the Arts, Penobscot basketmaker Theresa Secord will offer a culminating presentation on the cultural and community implications of conserving Brown Ash. Theresa will share her craft and connections related to the tree at the center of Wabanaki origins. Register >

Thanks to a new grant from the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund, Maine Audubon is partnering with our friends at Ash Protection Collaboration Across Wabanakik, a group of Indigenous and non-indigenous researchers, Tribal members, and forest caretakers, to develop new educational programming, community science, school curricula, and publications which will help leaders, land managers, and the general public understand, honor, and conserve our beloved and critically important Ash trees in forests and communities throughout Maine and beyond.

Look for more news on our website and at Maine Audubon centers and sanctuaries starting this summer.