‘West Windsor is about to be Invaded — Again,” read the headline of a recent letter to the editor (The News, January 9). The letter was referring to the expected invasion of an exotic insect — Emerald Ash Borer — or EAB. However, unlike the Martians, our area was not the first landing place for this invasion.
EAB was brought to the United States 2002, first appearing in southeast Michigan. Since then the species has rapidly flown into 22 states, leaving barren streetscapes and denuded forests in their wake Over the past decade, untold millions of Ash trees have perished across the central and eastern United States. However, the Ash trees are not the only species to perish. EAB’s direct impact is upon Ash trees but, as part of a complex ecosystem, the demise of the Ash tree worsens deforestation, negatively affecting flora, fauna, and even humans.
It’s no secret that plants play an essential role in the health and well-being of our planet. But a recent study suggests that if the trees around us are removed, it may incur an unexpected and tragic expense — human lives.
A U.S. Forest Service team, led by Geoffrey Donovan, analyzed the impact of wide spread Ash tree loss was having, if any, on human health. The researchers examined mortality data from over 1,200 counties where EAB are present, comparing pre-invasion figures to those after the massive tree loss, from 1990 to 2007. Adjusting their findings for demographic variables, like education and income, the researchers discovered a devastating correlation: the loss of trees aligned with an increase in human deaths.
The study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, uncovered an increase in mortality related to cardiovascular and lower respiratory-tract illness in counties infested with the EAB. The magnitude of this effect was greater as infestation progressed and included counties with above-average median household income. Across the 15 states in the study area, EAB was associated with an additional 6,000 plus deaths related to illness of the lower respiratory system, and more than 15,000 cardiovascular-related deaths.
In an interview with PBS News Hour, Donovan said of trees, “Not only do they do the things we would expect like shade our houses and make our neighborhoods more beautiful, but maybe they do something more fundamental. Maybe trees are not only essential for the natural environment but just as essential for our well-being.”
While EAB has not yet been discovered in Mercer County, there are confirmed cases in adjacent counties. The West Windsor Shade Tree Commission has produced a notice regarding EAB. Visit the West Windsor Township web page, www.westwindsornj.org
Key to long term health and property is to ensure that if you are faced with the prospect of removing your Ash tree(s) that replacement trees be included in your plans. Beyond the health effects, trees save money through cooling costs and provide a benefit to home values.
Together we can minimize the effects of EAB on our community and the forests which surround them.
Jessica Kates Galatro
West Windsor
The writer is a member of the West Windsor Shade Tree Commission.
