White Ash (Fraxinus americana) and Green Ash were once staples of the Indiana forest, prized for the strength and elasticity required for tool handles and baseball bats. Today, the landscape has shifted due to the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). At Indiana Timber & Veneer, we don’t just see a “dying species”—we see a critical management decision for every landowner. Whether you choose to harvest remaining Ash or allow them to return to the earth, we provide the professional guidance needed to make the right choice for your forest’s health.
A unique identifier of Ash is opposite branching, where leaves and branches grow directly across from one another rather than in an alternating pattern.
Young Ash trees feature relatively smooth, gray bark. As they age, they develop a distinct, raised diamond-like pattern. Green Ash, specifically, may show subtle green splotches on the trunk.
Ash features compound leaves with 5–11 oval-shaped leaflets per stem. They are typically light green with fine hairs on the lower surface.
The fruit is a single samara (winged seed) that resembles a small rowing oar, generally 1–2 inches in length.
The Ash tree is currently facing a generational challenge from the Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive beetle native to Asia. While the adult beetles cause minimal damage by feeding on leaves, their larvae burrow into the inner bark. These “S-shaped” galleries eventually sever the tree’s ability to transport water and nutrients, leading to its decline.
Despite national efforts to stop the spread, the EAB continues to impact woodlots across Southern Indiana.
Ecologically, Ash provides a unique canopy structure and a food source for various insects and birds. However, as these trees die, they create “canopy gaps.” As foresters, we help you manage these gaps to ensure that invasive species don’t move in, but rather the next generation of high-value Oaks and Walnuts.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to Ash. It is up to each landowner to decide the future of their Ash trees:
Removing Ash while the timber is still structurally sound allows you to capture its remaining market value before the wood degrades on the stump.
Allowing the trees to remain provides habitat for woodpeckers and eventually returns nutrients to the soil, though it requires monitoring for safety and fire risk.
We currently rate Ash as a Third Class tree due to these market and health shifts. While it remains a premier wood for tool handles, bows, and high-quality firewood, its presence in the timber market is now largely defined by “salvage” timing.
Free Woodlot Evaluation
If you have Ash on your property and aren’t sure how to proceed, let our team walk the land with you. We’ll identify the health of your trees and help you weigh the benefits of a harvest versus natural succession.
Professional on-site consultation from Purdue-educated foresters. No obligation.
Serving landowners within 100 miles of Mitchell, Indiana with 10+ acres of land.
