www.swjournal.com/index.php?section=81&publication=sout -
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Published on: 8/11/2008
Last Visited: 8/11/2008
"A lot of people assumed it was very much under control, even if they lived through it before," said Dave Hanson, a research specialist with University of Minnesota Forest Resources.
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"If you listen to the experts, the answer is definitely," Hanson said.
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Residents can help lower the chances of a quicker arrival by not transporting firewood between regions, especially not from areas east of the Twin Cities, Hanson said.
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"It was very bad," Hanson said.But "that epidemic really moved us forward in a big way."
Dutch elm disease got people thinking about the health and importance of the urban forest, he said.He points to the fact the city is already getting ready for emerald ash borer, something that might not be happening if we hadn't seen firsthand the potential impact of tree diseases.