Southeast Michigan RC&D
7203 Jackson Rd
Ann Arbor, MI 48103-9506
734-761-6722
The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has killed 10-15 million ash trees in southeastern Michigan, causing environmental and economic damages to this region of the state. In response to the destruction, the Southeast MI Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) Council began work on its Ash Utilization Options Project in early 2004. This project aimed to reduce wood waste disposal costs for communities, promote sustainable use of urban wood resources, and create economic development opportunities for the area. To date, this project has been successful in creating new market opportunities for EAB-impacted ash wood and in building public support for urban wood utilization programs.
Based upon the RC&D’s experiences, the findings of a Tri-State Ash Utilization Meeting, and the Emerald Ash Borer Scientific Advisory Panel’s work, this project will focus on additional needs that have been identified. These needs include programs:
1. To expand the availability of ash and other urban wood resources to potential markets.
2. To further develop urban wood markets.
The project will assist the RC&D Council with support for demonstration projects, applied research, training programs, surveys, and outreach efforts to address these issues. Given the significant infrastructure that has already been developed in southeastern Michigan, the additional programming could allow the region to further develop into a model for both sustainable urban wood utilization and for strategic response to invasive species outbreaks.
The Ash Utilization Options project resulted in the completion of various activities focused on markets and utilization options for ash trees prone to emerald ash borer (EAB) damage. The RC&D Council has compiled an extensive list of on-line resources to assist municipal governments, industries, and landowners in turning EAB-impacted ash wood (and other urban wood waste) into value-added products. The on-line resources can be viewed at www.semircd.org/ash.
For detailed results of this project, please see the references below.
