A blight on the Lowcountry

In New Jersey and Massachusetts, the ash tree is in danger. In New York, it's the maple, and in Vermont the butternut. In the early 1900s, the chestnut was almost wiped out across the country. And in California, naturalists are very concerned about sudden oak death.

At Folly Beach and elsewhere in coastal South Carolina, the relatively humble red bay is in danger of disappearing from maritime forests.

The culprit in each case? Invasive species. The culprit here? The Asian beetle.

Folly Beach tried to stop -- or at least slow -- the spread of the red-bay blight by removing and burning trees that were infected. The town has since given up, with a nod from forestry experts. The blight is too far along.

And while the red bay doesn't have the same cachet as the syrup-producing maple or the hard ash that is used for baseball bats, it has important functions in nature. It grows late fruit for threatened species of migrating birds and butterflies. Birds nest in it. It is good for erosion control. And the long-lived tree (it can live for a century) provides year-round greenery and privacy for beach property.

Scientists believe that the Asian beetle likely came on ships from its native China. Once invasive species take hold, they are difficult to stop, and doing so can be expensive.

Other states have launched campaigns to educate people about invasive species and to encourage them to report sightings to appropriate authorities. Some have also restricted campers to using firewood from only local sources.

In the Lowcountry, live oaks are considered almost sacred. When tree trimmers are heavy handed, neighbors squawk. Recently Mount Pleasant made plans to cut down some oaks on a scenic road, and residents protested. And talk about building anywhere near the Angel Oak sends people, near and far, into despair.

The red bay is less distinctive, and some people might not notice if it disappears.

At first. Unless or until migrating birds and butterflies don't come here any more. And beaches begin to erode more.

You don't have to be a naturalist to lament those things.

You don't have to be an entomologist or horticulturist to try to help. If you should have an infested tree, burning it can destroy red-bay larvae and adults inside the wood. It isn't clear whether the infestation can be spread mechanically, so consider hand pruning equipment.

The Lowcountry's rich diversity of tree and plant material is one of its finest assets.

None of it should be taken for granted. Not the grand live oak, and not the ordinary red bay.