SANFORD — The Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive insect that feeds on ash trees — and in so doing kills them —  is making its way to Maine.

The insect has been found in several New Hampshire communities, including Alton, about 20 miles from Lebanon, on the border.

It was first found in Michigan in 2002, according to the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. Since that time, Emerald Ash Borer has been found in 30 states and two Canadian provinces — but it hasn’t been found in Maine, yet.

The insects are half an inch long, metallic green, and bullet-shaped, tapering toward the rear, according to DACF.

In an effort to prepare for its arrival, Sanford has secured a $5,000 planning grant from Project Canopy, which will be used to document ash trees in the city and a create  plan to handle the problem — if and when in arrives.

The project will be carried out by York County Soil and Water Conservation  District, said Sanford Parks and Recreation Director Marcel Blouin. He said the destructive insect has not yet made its presence known here, but he is certain it will.

“I am sure it is coming,” he said.

York County Soil and Water Conservation District Manager Melissa Brandt said the district is looking to create a map of ash trees and gather basic information about the size and diameter of the trees with a view to an inventory.

The district also plans to create an emergency plan of how to deal with the Emerald Ash Borer and the trees it feeds on.

She said those recommendations will come through a community format and deal with such questions like: How to dispose of a tree that has the pest; whether the trees should be re-planted and if so, with the same or different species; can the pest can be managed and is pre-treatment a viable option.

“We’re trying to stay ahead of the potential problem,” she said. “We’re hoping to take this project and help other York County communities.”

According to DACF, all species of ash trees in Maine are susceptible to the Emerald Ash Borer.

The state of New Hampshire issued  a quarantine on the movement of ash materials in Merrimack County after the insect was discovered in Concord in 2013. Materials included in the quarantine ranged from wood chips to firewood of a certain size, all species of ash nursery stick, green umber, logs or other material, which can be transported within a quarantined area, but not outside it.

The number of New Hampshire counties under quarantine has expanded considerably since 2013.

Project Canopy is funded by the USDA Forest Service Community Forestry Assistance Program and is a program of DACF. Grants require a 50 percent cost-share with cash or in-kind services, according to DACF.

Some other York County communities also received grants from Project Canopy, 

• The City of Biddeford was awarded a 2017 Planning and Education grant of $10,000 under the Project Canopy Assistance Program. City officials say the award helps position the city for a follow-up on tree planning project. The follow-up is planned for next year.

• The town of Alfred received $8,000 to remove some existing trees and replant new ones. Decades ago, the town planted nine crabapples and Norway maples in the town square. Alfred plans to replace the aging trees, along with two old maples near Parsons Memorial Library, with disease resistant elms and native sugar maples, once again bringing shade to the town square.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.