Good point, and considering the vulnerabilities of American beech, ash, hemlock, and (Oh, yeah!) American elm, it’s probably better to plant a variety of species. 

From: Peter Payzant [mailto:peter@payzant.net]
Sent: April 30, 2021 10:43 PM
To: Doug Linzey
Cc: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: [Naturens] Re: CBC: Emerald Ash Borer in Bedford

As the old joke goes,

Q: "When is the best time to plant a tree?"

A: "About thirty years ago."

Probably about time to start putting some replacements into the ground - neither Beech nor Ash, of course.

- - - Peter

On Apr 30, 2021, at 9:22 PM, Doug Linzey <doug@fundymud.com> wrote:

On Wednesday, a fine sunny, warm day, our south-facing windows were covered with little black randomly moving spots, which proved to be Orchestes fagi, Beech leaf-mining weevils. They're waiting impatiently for the beech leaves to emerge and turn much of our property into what you describe, Peter -- dead beech trees. They began the insult last year, and this year I expect a pretty thin canopy by the end of June. That, plus a change in the way water accumulates and sticks around more than it used to, causing some tree dieoff, not to mention much higher and regular winds (and a neighbour who would rather have a well-groomed yard than those pesky natural trees) causing blowdown, all adds up to a seriously challenged bit of forest here on the N. Mountain. Can't wait for the Emerald Ash Borer!

Doug

Arlington, Kings Co.

On Fri, Apr 30, 2021 at 3:28 PM Peter Payzant <peter@payzant.net> wrote:

CBC had a disheartening story yesterday about the presence of the Emerald Ash Borer in Bedford. It seems that it's now just a matter of time before ash trees in the province are history.

The forest behind our home opened up tremendously with the deaths of all the Beech trees; Ash trees are one of the more common remaining deciduous species.

You can read the story here.

--- Peter Payzant
Waverley

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