The Governor of Illinois says he wants to work with Iowa and other Midwest states on a regional approach to stopping the spread of the emerald ash borer. The emerald ash borer is an insect native to Asia that can decimate Ash tree populations, and was confirmed in the state in May with the discovery of larvae in Allamakee County.
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn says his state has a lot of experience trying to contain the pest. “We don’t want bugs harming our basic infrastructures and environment in Illinois. So we have to work with other states,”Quinn says, “Actually, I’m going to the national governor’s association meeting in Boston this weekend, and I will talk to the Governor of Iowa, Chet Culver, and other Governor’s in the Midwest to make sure we stand against the ash borer.”
Quinn did not provide any specifics on what the states can do to help stop the spread of the bug. Forestry officials say curbing the movement of firewood around the state is the best way to stop the pest from spreading. Iowa has an estimated 58 million rural ash trees and another 30 million used in landscaping in urban areas.