By Vince Crockenberg, Charlotte Tree Tribe

Alexa Lewis lowers one of the dozen EAB traps put up in mid-June. Photo by Vince Crockenberg.

Last week, Deputy Tree Warden Alexa Lewis, closely observed by a cow at Fat Cow Farm, lowered one of the twelve green triangular EAB traps that were initially hung from a dozen trees throughout Charlotte back in June. Despite the heavy concentration of bugs and bark on this and other traps, no EAB were detected on any of them. For the time being at least, Charlotte seems free of the pest, which will eventually kill almost all of Vermont’s ash trees, including those in Charlotte.

EAB infestations have been confirmed in Chittenden County since October of 2020, and the pest has recently been found in towns in neighboring counties, including Middlebury, Swanton, Highgate, St. Albans City, Berlin, Rupert and Wilmington.