For the most up to date information on Emerald Ash Borer and how to treat it, see this publication: http://ddot.dc.gov/DC/DDOT/Publication%20Files/On%20Your%20Street/Urban%20Forestry/AshTree_EAB_Insecticide_Factsheet.pdf (this link is also shown at the bottom of this message in clickable format) which was written by a set of university experts from Ohio, Indiana and Michigan. They all have a LOT of expertise over multiple years, and really do know what they are talking about. I treated quite a number of my ash trees last year, with great success. Use a product containing Imidacloprid, and apply it as a soil drench evenly around the tree within 18" of the trunk. The cheapest product I could find that is available to the general public is Dominion 2L, which is a 21.4% concentrate of Imidacloprid. Apply it at the rate of .4 fluid ounces(that is 4/10 fl. oz.) per inch of diameter of the tree you wish to treat. (YES, that is twice the rate on the label, and this rate IS approved for use on Ash trees against Emerald Ash Borers without harm to the environment if applied following the brochure.) Make sure you remove all leaf litter and other organic matter from around the area you will treat. The reason is that this other organic matter will absorb the imidacloprid (bind it up) before the tree can take it up through its root system. You treat ONCE A YEAR sometime around mid to end of April (at my latitude of 40 degrees north -- Columbus, Ohio). The treatment lasts for an entire year. It will NOT prevent mature grubs that formed the previous year from emerging the year of application, but WILL kill the larvae that emerge from their egg-laying during the year of application, which protects the tree that year from their feeding. By the way, a single bottle of Dominion 2L will cost about $26, and there is enough insecticide to treat about 64 cumulative diameter inches of trees (e.g., 3 trees that are 22" in diameter (69" circumference), and that's a pretty big tree to treat for $8 a year!). If your trees are smaller, then it will take less of the product and treat more trees for fewer dollars per application, or a single tree for a much longer time (years). Mix about 1 to 1 1/2 gallons of water per tree with the appropriate fluid ounces of imidacloprid, and pour it SLOWLY AND EVENLY around the very base of the tree where the greatest concentration of roots are. Pour slowly enough that it soaks in and does not run off. Then keep that area moist for the next 2 weeks (DO NOT WATER DAILY!) -- natural rains in the spring should suffice without any extra watering in most cases. ANY QUESTIONS? Please read the bulletin I gave a URL of below for MUCH more information on treatment options for Ash trees. By the way, only mix enough product to use immediately. Tightly cap the rest. Imidacloprid is generally safe for humans and other animals, so you should not have to worry about any cats, dogs, squirrls, etc. Good luck! Here is a link that might be useful: Insecticide Options for Protecting Ash Trees from Emerald Ash Borer

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Being on the pessimistic side, I think I might start thinking about replacement trees. If, like me, you are frugal, then starting your own from seed, or digging up seedlings, might be a way to go. If you grow your own, and keep potting them on into larger pots, you can have 15-gal. root systems, and 6-12' trees at least 4, maybe 5 years, down the road, which seems to be about when you will know if your insecticide/protection program is working or not. The size will be NOTHING like the magnificent ashes you now have growing, but it will be a start in providing it to you again.... Of course, if you can afford it, you CAN buy very large trees as replacements, but if you have read through old posts, you realize that the establishment period for large trees is long, and takes much care - the smaller trees would probably catch up to the bigger ones at the end of 3-6 years, and cost a LOT less, both in money and in effort/water/etc.. I hope you do succeed in your endeavors - and if you do end up with healthy ashes, and no need for your "little" trees, then I am sure you can gift them to someone, even to your town for park plantings.

Some trees may exhibit natural resistance, oikos in michigan was selling seed of an Asian species listed as this: "Fraxinus rhynchophylla Immune to Emerald Ash Borer This is the only ash species left at our farm after the emerald ash borer came and went. I really couldnâÂÂt understand why until I tried to prune a few branches off this species and found even with really good loppers the density and toughness of the wood is quite challenging to clip. ( A lot like pruning apricots. ) I was fortunate to get this seed many years ago from Korea where this mountainous species is found throughout China into zone 5. Ours selections are kind of slow growing compared to green ash but easy to establish in dry or poor soils low in organic matter. Late to leaf missing frosts and completely immune to the borer as far as I am aware. "