The emerald ash borer – an invasive beetle from Asia and Eastern Russia – has been blamed for wiping out nearly 100 million ash trees since it was first detected in the United States in 2002. The bug is known to kill – by eating and infecting – all 22 species of North American ash.
Researchers found that this immense tree loss – which was highly concentrated in the lower peninsula of Michigan – is associated with increased mortality related to cardiovascular and lower-respiratory systems in affected counties. The study found that across 15 states in the study area, the borer was associated with an additional 6,113 deaths related to illness of the lower respiratory system, and 15,080 cardiovascular-related deaths.
"Well my basic hypothesis was that trees improve people's health. And if that's true, then killing 100 million of them in 10 years should have an effect,” said Dr. Geoffrey Donovan, Ph.D., during a recent
NPR interview. “So if we take away these 100 million trees, does the health of humans suffer? We found that it does."
The researchers’ analysis – which was published in the February issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine – began with a brief background of past studies linking exposure to the natural environment and human health. But a scientific gap in knowledge teetered on the past findings of natural scene views helping inpatients to recover faster from surgery and with less medicine. With the latest research, rather than losing sight of the scenery, heart and respiratory patients could also be affected by the mass destruction of the scenery.