Maine forestry officials find most trees suspected of pest

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Forestry officials in Maine said they’ve located most of the ash trees suspected of harboring an invasive pest.

The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry sent out an all-points bulletin asking for assistance finding 36 green ash trees sold at Lowe’s stores in Maine. The department wanted to stop the spread of the emerald ash borer, a pest that destroys trees.

The department said 30 of the 36 trees had been located as of Monday. Inspectors have found no evidence of emerald ash borer infestation on the small-diameter trees, the department said.

The forestry department said it’s still asking Lowe’s customers who purchased a green ash tree from a store in Maine or New Hampshire this year to report them to the state so the trees can be inspected. That includes dead trees, the department said.