Towards Tree Species Preservation: Protecting Ash Amid the Emerald Ash Borer Invasion

Part of the NE CASC Webinar Series (necasc.umass.edu), this presentation was given by Anthony D'Amato (University of Vermont) and Tyler Everett (University of Maine).
Description: Emerald ash borer (EAB) represents the costliest invasive forest insect in US history, causing significant mortality of ash species across much of eastern North America as well as in Colorado and Oregon. Given the importance of ash to cultural lifeways of Indigenous peoples and the ecology and economies of working forest lands, there is growing interest in applying protection measures to maintain ash in forested settings. In this presentation, Anthony D'Amato and Tyler Everett will propose novel ways to sustain ash and other threatened tree species via an adaptation framework consisting of three components: preservation value, preservation approach, and preservation strategy. They will also describe three case studies illustrating how this framework is being applied to sustain ash as a cultural resource and maintain ecological function. Examples from the Akwesasne Task Force on the Environment--developed by the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe--and the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance and Brown Ash Task Force--developed by the Wabanaki Confederacy--demonstrate partnerships and strategies for preserving the cultural integrity of black ash. An additional case study details partnerships and strategies addressing regional preservation of ash for ecological function.