A bug’s nature lesson

By The Gazette Editorial Board

One month ago, the presence of the emerald ash borer in Iowa was verified.

Monday, state agriculture officials declared a quarantine of wood products in Allamakee County, where the dreaded insect was first found on a Mississippi River island in that county. They also proposed a rule that would require, as of Jan. 1, all firewood sold or distributed in Iowa to be identified by its county and state of origin.

These are likely only the first steps in our state's effort to slow the spread of this bug, which has destroyed millions of ash trees since it arrived in Michigan from Asia in 2002. Quarantines are in effect in 13 other states.

The actions announced Monday for Iowa will be seen as a nuisance by campers and other residents, and may make things more difficult for firewood retailers.

But they're necessary.

The quarantine and identification won't stop this bug. There is no proven way to control or kill this pest on a broad scale. But if effectively used, the measures will buy Iowans more time to prepare for infestations.

In Cedar Rapids, for example, structurally unsound ash trees are being removed and a variety of other species are being planted to replace them. That's critical because up to 30 percent of the trees in Cedar Rapids and statewide are ash trees.

Not all area communities have a plan in place yet. But getting a jump on the spread of the ash borer can help, as its presence isn't expected in the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City region for at least five years. Planting several kinds of replacement trees is important, too.

We don't want to repeat the mistake that many cities and developers made after the Dutch elm disease outbreak of 40 years ago wiped out elm populations in dozens of states, including Iowa. Ashes were commonly used as an inexpensive, fast-growing replacement.

Look where that's gotten us. Relying too much on any one species is risky. The elm and ash tree devastation should remind us of nature's lessons about diversity.