TIMES RECORD • March 17, 2025
Ash trees, mainly brown ash, are cultural keystone species for Wabanaki communities and wetland ecosystems in the Northeast. However, they’re under threat due to the spread of the emerald ash borer. The Ash Protection Collaboration Across Wabanakik (APCAW), a collective of forest caretakers, works to raise awareness of ash trees’ significance and the efforts, such as seed banking, to conserve them. “Maine, so far, is the only state with non-quarantine habitats free from emerald ash borer,” said Emily Baisden, seed center director at Wild Seed Project. “Studying these helps us plan ahead and learn. We hope that by working with basket makers, foresters and scientists, we can store or distribute emerald ash borer–resistant seeds.”