3/14/13 - The US Department of Agriculture is seeking permission to use local parks to wage biological warfare against the invasive emerald ash borer. A representative from the USDA went before the county Parks and Open Spaces Committee yesterday afternoon to ask for permission to harvest some young ash trees from the countyâs park land. Ash trees 3-4 inches in diameter will be harvested to be infected with the emerald ash borer as a breeding ground for three distinct species of insects that feed on the ash borerâs eggs and larvae. The parasites will be bred in a laboratory and released into the wild, where they will feed exclusively on the ash borers and provide a natural deterrent to their population. While the committee was receptive to the idea and supported the plan, the legality of cutting the trees has to be investigated before full permission can be granted. However, some members of the committee volunteered to give the USDA access to the ash trees on their own private property to help the fight against the ash borer. (TD)
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