Emerald ash borer (EAB) remains one of the greatest threats to tree health in North America. The good news? Everyone can play a part at slowing the spread of this invasive insect – simply by keeping firewood local! Knowing the signs and symptoms that this pest is present is also important for early detection of new infestations. A knowledgeable public can help with both slowing the spread and new detections. Here at Don’t Move Firewood, we are excited to share top-notch outreach and education resources needed to raise awareness on EAB; spread the word, not the pest!
While EAB outreach is important all year long, some partners choose to focus their efforts during Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week which is in late May every year. We’ve found that some of the best inspiration for outreach pieces comes from “standing on the shoulders of giants,” so we’ve compiled all the past EAB Awareness Week materials that we could access, as well as other non-date-specific materials that might prove of use. Bookmark this page for your reference for Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week!
Outreach Material Examples
- Ash Tree Tag, (generic version or Montana specific version), credit: Purdue University Extension
- Emerald ash borer mask (Colored In or Line Drawn) credit: Don’t Move Firewood
- Emerald ash borer coloring sheet credit: Don’t Move Firewood
- Kid’s Activities on EAB, credit HungryPests.com
- Purple Trap Velcro Bug Game Instructions, credit: Vermont Department of Agriculture
- “WANTED: Dead or Alive ” EAB poster, credit: U. of Arkansas Extension and the Arkansas Plant Board
Video Examples
- How to Identify the Emerald Ash Borer, credit: Outsmart Invasives
- Understanding the Life cycle of EAB credit: Two Animators! LLP
- The Emerald Ash Borer is Coming Credit: StoneAgeMen (Untamed Science), Video was made possible through a grant from the USDA Forest Service
- Emerald Ash Borer Update 2018, Nebraska targeted but relevant information credit: Backyard Farmers
- Life cycle of the Emerald Ash Borer, national version, adapted from original Minnesota version, credit: Don’t Move Firewood
- Assessing your ash tree for Emerald Ash Borer, Colorado focused but appears good for use across the region, credit: Colorado State University
- “EAB (Get Ready)”, very quirky music video made by Denver Parks and Recreation, Denver Botanical Gardens, and with musical group Flobots
- Don’t Move Firewood Quick Commercial, national version, adapted from original Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry, credit: Don’t Move Firewood
General Online Resources of Note
- Emerald Ash Borer University (a.k.a. “EAB U”)
- Hungry Pests, emerald ash borer page (public outreach oriented info specific to emerald ash borer)
- EmeraldAshBorer.info (forest health professionals oriented website)
Official Press Releases (from various years):
- Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week: How to protect trees (rutherfordsource, TN 2021)
- Emerald Ash Borer Week (North Dakota, 2017 )
- DEC Announces Fourth Annual Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week (New York, 2016)
News Articles and Blurbs (from various years):
- Quarantines Remain Key Part of Emerald Ash Borer Control, Study Finds, Entomology Today (2024)
- EAB Awareness Week 2023 Webinars hosted by DMF
- Top 5 emerald ash borer awareness week ideas for 2021 by DMF
- 5 Resources for Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week, (University of New Hampshire, 2021)
- Arbor week and Emerald Ash Borer week (Maine, 2020)
- Biocontrol Staff Are Modern-Day MacGyvers in the Fight Against Invasive Beetle (national, USDA APHIS, 2017)
- Plant Trees to Prepare for Emerald Ash Borer, Increase Diversity (Colorado, written for Arbor Day but easily adapted to EAB Awareness Week, 2017)
Governor’s Proclamations (from various years)
- North Dakota Governor’s Proclamation
- Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week New Hampshire Governor Christopher Sununu
- Governor O’Malley Declares May 18-24 Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week; Citizens Encouraged to Help Prevent the Emerald Pest from Spreading (Maryland)
- Governor’s Proclamations of Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week, 2014 Example/Template, created by S. Lucik with USDA APHIS
Social Media Ready Tips and Graphics
- In past years, the most commonly used hashtags for Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week have been #EABweek and #ashtrees. If you want to use #EAB that’s OK, but of course a lot of people don’t know what EAB is when you just use the initials- hence the need for an awareness week! Because of that, we suggest tagging @emeraldashborer in regular sentence use, and then using #EAB at the tail end of the tweet or post.
- If you’d like to tag Don’t Move Firewood, please note it is @dntmovefirewood, without that first “O” due to character limits. If you want to hashtag Don’t Move Firewood instead, we suggest writing it as #dontmovefirewood
- We’ve added a few easy-to-grab images below. Good luck!
(image credit for EAB image used in Facebook Advertisement, Spring 2018: Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources – Forestry, Bugwood.org Image 5016060)