Public meeting tackles emerald ash borer in Newport

A public meeting was hosted at the Gateway Center in Newport last Tuesday focused on the invasive emerald ash borer. Joanne Garton, community forester with the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation, outlined strategies to manage the beetle's spread.

The emerald ash borer was first detected in Vermont in 2019. State foresters and county officials are working to slow the insect's advance and mitigate damage to ash trees.

Garton discussed treatment options and monitoring efforts during the meeting, which drew residents concerned about the pest's impact on local forests.

Photo: Erik Karits via Pexels. Photo is illustrative and not from the scene.