FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, June 23, 2025 

MEDIA CONTACT: Ben Koisti, Ben.Koisti@state.sd.us 

 

 

Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Public Meetings Scheduled for Watertown and Milbank 

 

PIERRE, S.D. - The South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR) will host public information meetings in Watertown and Milbank to address the recent detections of emerald ash borer (EAB) in Codington and Grant counties. 

  

The meeting for Codington County will be on Thursday, June 26 at 6:30 pm at the Codington County Extension Complex, 1910 West Kemp in Watertown. Please enter the building through Entrance I on the south end. 

 

The meeting for Grant County will be on Monday, June 30 at 6:30 pm at the Visitor Center, 1001 East 4th Ave in Milbank. 

  

At both meetings, DANR and SDSU Extension Foresters will share important information about EAB and how it affects local trees. 

 

Topics will include: 

• Why the emerald ash borer is a threat to ash trees across South Dakota;
• How to recognize signs of infestation in your yard, neighborhood, or community;
• What you can do to manage the pest, including options for removing infested trees and using treatments to protect healthy ones; and
• Understanding the state quarantine, including what it means for moving ash wood and hardwood firewood from affected areas. 

 

The meetings are open to the public, and everyone is encouraged to attend—especially landowners, city officials, and anyone with ash trees on their property. Following the presentations, there will be time for questions from the audience.  

EAB is a boring beetle that feeds on all species of North American ash. It was first detected in the United States in 2002 and in South Dakota in 2018. 

 

For more information about EAB or to report a suspected sighting please visit https://emeraldashborerinsouthdakota.sd.gov/. 

 

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