Invasive insect may threaten Washington ash trees, weaken state ecosystems
Aug 21, 2026, 4:06 PM
An Emerald Ash Borer. (Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
An invasive insect, the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), has been spotted near the Vancouver border. According to the Washington State Department of Agriculture, its appearance could spell a grim future for the state’s Ash Tree population.
The department said the insect is one of the most destructive “forest pests” in North America.
Since its initial detection in the United States two decades ago in Michigan, the insect has wiped out more than 100 million ash trees throughout the country.
The Oregon ash, the Pacific Northwest’s only native ash, has proven vulnerable to the insect
An analysis by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources found that the state could expect to lose 90 to 100 percent of Ash trees in the next decade.
According to the Washington Council on Invasive Species, while ash contributes a small portion of the wood used in Washington’s lumber industry, the mass die-off of the species of tree would have major impacts on the ecosystems companies depend on.
