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No Need to Fear these Wasps, Unless You're an Emerald Ash Borer
VWU Faculty and Students Take Measures to Protect Native Ash Trees from Invasive Pest
University News | August 1, 2024
In addition to serving as beautiful setting for our students, Virginia Wesleyan University’s 300-acre park-like campus also serves as a living laboratory for Environmental Studies students. Just driving on campus, visitors quickly discover that the environment is important to Virginia Wesleyan with its wide-open spaces, green fields, wild flowers, and bluebird and bat boxes for nesting. 
Virginia Wesleyan University recognizes our responsibility to protect and enhance this environment and its biodiversity for the health of local and global ecosystems and future generations. Recently, it became clear that an invasive species of insect could threaten VWU’s large stands of mature ash trees. According to the Virginia Department of Forestry, this stand is one of the largest in Hampton Roads. Moreover, this preservation of ash trees has led to a unique collection of species and wildlife found throughout campus.
The emerald ash borer, an invasive wood-boring beetle from Asia, is responsible for the death and decline of tens of millions of ash trees in North America. So, last summer, VWU asked the Virginia Department of Forestry to assess its campus forests and develop recommendations for forest management. While its team noted that the ash trees were in good health, the emerald ash borer has been detected in other parts of Virginia but none yet in South Hampton Roads. Nonetheless, they recommended that VWU take measures to protect its trees.
Last summer, the University applied for cost sharing funds to treat its trees, and was also selected to be a 2024 EAB Biocontrol Release Site. As such it’s receiving a specific breed of wasp known as Oobius agrili, a non-stinging member of the wasp family that attacks the emerald ash borer.
Led by Dr. Elizabeth Malcolm, VWU Director of Sustainability, with a team of faculty and students, VWU is being allocated six shipments of 200 pupae each. “At Virginia Wesleyan University, we are fortunate to have 150 acres of forest, which includes many stands of large, mature trees that are now rare in Hampton Roads,” says Dr. Malcolm. “These forests provide habitat for many organisms, including declining bat species, and provide a hands-on classroom for our students studying biology and environmental science. Projects such as this not only help protect an important ecosystem, but also give our students training in ecological conservation.” 
This collaborative effort at Virginia Wesleyan University exemplifies a proactive approach to environmental stewardship and education. By integrating biological control measures with hands-on student involvement, VWU not only safeguards its valuable ash tree population but also enhances the educational experience for its environmental studies students. This initiative underscores the University's commitment to preserving biodiversity and fostering a sustainable future, ensuring that VWU's campus remains a thriving, green sanctuary for both people and wildlife. As the battle against the emerald ash borer continues, VWU stands as a beacon of innovation and dedication to ecological preservation.