The City of Worcester has provided the public with pertinent information related to the threat Asian Longhorned Beetles have on our trees and forestry. If you have any questions, please contact the Massachusetts ALB Eradication Program at 508-852-8090 or 1-866-702-9938
The Massachusetts ALB Cooperative has confirmed a regulated area of 74 square miles and includes all of the City of Worcester and the Town of West Boylston, as well as portions of the Towns of Holden, Boylston and Shrewsbury. This area is under strict regulation by order of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Host wood from within the quarantine area represents the greatest risk of pest survival and spread. This host wood can only be sold for use within the quarantine area. Homeowners may use wood from trees cut on their property as firewood. Wood from host trees must be inspected for signs of ALB infestation. All infested wood will be disposed of by Program Officials and should not be kept for use as firewood.
The ALB Ararat Street Disposal/Processing Center (at the corner of Ararat Street and Frontage Road) will be available for approved contractors/businesses only to dispose of host wood materials that cannot be chipped to USDA specifications on-site.
Any contractor who wants to access this site will need to be approved and/or certified by the Massachusetts ALB Cooperative Eradication Program. Call 508-852-8090 for more details. Hours of operation are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
It is important to note that ONLY host wood materials will be accepted at this disposal center. Non-host tree materials will not be accepted at this site.
In the United States, the beetle prefers maple species including boxelder, Norway, red, silver and sugar maples. Other preferred hosts are birches, Ohio buckeye, elms, horse-chestnut and willows. Occasional to rare hosts include ashes, European mountain ash, London plantree, mimosa and poplars.
An area in which moving or transporting live beetles, firewood, lumber or any infested or "host" tree, branch, twig, stump or other woody materials from the designated area to outside zones is prohibited by law. This is essential to prevent the introduction and/or spread of the quarantine beetles.
Please call the Worcester ALB Office at 508-852-8090 as soon as possible. If there is no answer, please leave a voicemail message with a location.
Please call the toll-free Public Outreach Hotline as soon as possible. The numbers are 1-866-702-9938 or 508-852-8090.
If you are a Worcester resident, you can dispose of tree limbs at 1065 Millbury Street from April through November. This is the only site that accepts large branches and loose brush as follows:
