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Emerald Ash Borer in Salem and the Mid-Willamette Valley
The emerald ash borer has killed hundreds of millions of ash trees in North America. It reached Oregon in 2022, and in July 2026 it was found in South Salem.
The short version: emerald ash borer kills ash trees, it was found in South Salem in July 2026, and Marion and Yamhill counties are under quarantine. A healthy ash can be treated. A declining ash should come down before it turns brittle. Call or text (503) 551-5141 and we will look at yours.
Where things stand
Emerald ash borer (EAB) was first found in Oregon on June 30, 2022, in Forest Grove. It has since been confirmed in Woodburn and other parts of Marion County, in Portland in 2025, and in 2026 in Salem, Silverton and Beaverton. The state quarantine covers Washington, Yamhill, Marion, Clackamas and Multnomah counties.
What does emerald ash borer do to a tree?
The adult is a small metallic green beetle, about half an inch long. The damage is done by its larvae, which feed under the bark and cut off the tree’s supply of water and nutrients. An infested ash usually dies within a few years. All ash species are at risk, including the native Oregon ash that grows along creeks and wet ground throughout the valley, and the ash trees planted along streets and in yards. It also attacks olive and white fringe tree.
What are the signs of emerald ash borer?
- The canopy thinning and dying back from the top
- New shoots sprouting from the trunk or the base of the tree
- D-shaped exit holes in the bark, about an eighth of an inch across
- Winding, S-shaped tunnels under loose bark
- Woodpeckers stripping the bark to get at the larvae
- Bark splitting vertically over the tunnels
By the time the top is clearly dying, the beetle has usually been in the tree for a few years. That is why it pays to have ash trees looked at before they show symptoms.
What are your options for an ash tree?
Treat it. A healthy ash that matters to you can be protected with a systemic insecticide applied by a licensed pesticide applicator and repeated every two to three years. Treatment works best before the tree has lost much canopy.
Remove it. A declining ash, or one in a bad spot, is better removed while it is still sound. Ash killed by this beetle dries out and becomes brittle fast, which makes it more dangerous to climb and more expensive to take down. We provide tree removal and stump grinding, and inside the quarantine we keep the wood where it is allowed to be.
Replace it. Plant something that is not an ash. Mixing species is the best protection a yard or a street can have against the next pest.
What does the quarantine mean for you?
Ash, olive and white fringe tree wood, including firewood, logs and chips, cannot be moved out of the quarantined counties. Do not haul ash firewood to the coast or the mountains. Buy firewood where you burn it.
If you think you have found emerald ash borer, report it to the Oregon Invasive Species hotline at oregoninvasiveshotline.org. For current information see the City of Salem emerald ash borer page.
Emerald ash borer questions
Is emerald ash borer in Salem?
Yes. City of Salem staff found it in a trap near West Fork Pringle Creek in South Salem in late July 2026. It had already been found around Woodburn and elsewhere in Marion County.
Which counties are under quarantine?
Washington, Yamhill, Marion, Clackamas and Multnomah counties. Ash, olive and white fringe tree material must stay inside the quarantined counties. Polk County was not in the quarantine at the time this page was written. Check the Oregon Department of Agriculture for the current map.
Can an ash tree be saved?
Often, if it is treated before it has lost much of its canopy. Treatment is a systemic insecticide applied by a licensed applicator and repeated every two to three years. A tree that has already lost a large share of its crown is usually past saving.
How do I know if my tree is an ash?
Ash trees have branches and buds directly opposite each other, and compound leaves made of 5 to 9 leaflets. Oregon ash, the native species, grows along creeks and in wet ground all over the valley. If you are not sure, text us a photo.
Should I remove my ash tree now?
Not automatically. A healthy ash in a good spot may be worth treating. A struggling ash over a house, driveway or play area is a different conversation, because dead ash becomes brittle quickly and is more dangerous and more expensive to remove later.
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Have an ash tree? Have it looked at.
Call or text the office, or send the estimate form. Jennifer answers the phone Monday to Friday, 7 am to 6 pm.