The emerald ash borer, an invasive beetle from Asia, is killing ash trees across East Tennessee, forestry officials said this week.
First detected in Knox County in 2010, the pest has spread rapidly and is now well established in the region, destroying large swaths of ash populations.
The beetles bore into trees, cutting off nutrients and typically killing them within a few years. Local environmental groups and the Tennessee Division of Forestry are urging property owners to monitor trees and consider treatment or removal options.
