A Prineville-based federal research center recently announced a visiting scientist program, which will examine the emerald ash borer as its first target study.

The ash borer is an exotic beetle that has killed about 20 million trees in the Midwest over the past five years. The goal is to find ways to curb its spread in the West.

William “Bill” Jacobi, a plant pathologist and professor at Colorado State University, will arrive in Prineville in June to be the first visiting scientist at the Western Wildland Environmental Threat Assessment Center. He will assess the movement of the emerald ash borer and the insect’s potential impact on Western landscapes.

“By studying the likely pathways by which the insect is advancing west, both by natural and man-assisted means, we may be able to stop the spread and get time to develop control measures for this damaging insect,” said Jerry Beatty, Director of the Forest Service’s Western Wildlands Environmental Threat Assessment Center in Prineville.

People may inadvertently aid the insect by bringing firewood from infested areas to cabins or other recreational sites in the West, says Beatty. Movement through transport of nursery stock, wooden packing crates, and tree-to-tree spread along steams are examples of other pathways that Jacobi will investigate.

There are at least 10 species of ash in various western wildlands, including some that form critical wildlife habitat along certain streamsides. Ashes are also important shade and park trees in many western cities and have been commonly used in windbreaks by farmers and ranchers.

The visiting scientist program will periodically bring scientists from other institutions to interact with center staff on development of rapid and specific risk assessments.