FINDLAY - To ensure the safety of visitors, dead trees will be removed along the boardwalk at Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife.
Only trees that are in danger of falling on the boardwalk, walking trails and parking lot are to be removed.
Most of the dead and dying trees are ash trees that have been attacked by the non-native emerald ash borer, which is an insect native to Asia that was detected in Michigan in 2002.
Since 2002, EAB has spread to Ohio and other states. The ash borer has been responsible for killing millions of ash trees in the Midwest, and there is no large-scale method to control the borer at this time.
Wildlife area staff will be removing trees that are in imminent danger of falling. Additional trees are marked as well, so they can be monitored.
The Division of Wildlife will allow natural tree regeneration to replace the ash trees. Species likely to colonize the site are cottonwood, box elder, Kentucky coffeetree and hackberry.
