1. Preparing for the Emerald Ash Borer

2. What is the Emerald Ash Borer?
Non-native, metallic green beetle
Kills all species of ash trees
No natural predators
Regulated pest
Marianne Prue, Ohio Department of Natural Resources - Division of Forestry, Bugwood.org

3. Beetle larva eat the living tissue between the bark and the wood, effectively girdling the tree.
David Cappaert, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org
Edward Czerwinski, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Bugwood.org

4. BEFORE AFTER
Credit: Dan Herms, Ohio State University

5. Signs of EAB “D” shaped exit hole “S” galleries under the bark
David Cappaert, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org
David R. McKay, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org

6. Especially susceptible to storm damage
Trees become dry
and brittle
Highly hazardous
Especially susceptible to storm damage
Daniel Herms, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org

7. How does EAB spread? Natural dispersal is slow Accelerated by people
80% of all new EAB infestations start in or around campgrounds

8. EAB Across North America
Boulder 2010
Longmont 2016

9. What can we do? Develop a PLAN Stop the spread, don’t move firewood
Look UP to look out for pests (monitor!)
Develop a PLAN
It's better to look ahead and prepare than to look back with regret.
--Jackie Joyner-Kersee

10. Have you answered these questions?
Are your ash trees identified?
Who owns them?
Whose responsibility is it to treat or remove potentially risky ash trees?
Will you treat or remove your community’s trees?
Michigan Department of Agriculture, Bugwood.org
Can you afford to manage them?

11. Plan NOW! Management options Chemical treatments
Proactive removals & infested/reactive removals
Waste wood utilization & disposal
Replanting & monitoring
Diversify urban forest to increase resiliency

12. Insecticides are available
Effective for healthy small-medium trees
Must be treated every 2-3 years until infestation passes

13. Removal: cutting down trees isn’t simple
Who will remove?
Is there enough equipment?
What do you do with the wood?
Where will it go?
Who pays?

14. Start with an inventory
An inventory will tell you:
How many trees you have
Condition of trees
Identify any candidates to preserve using insecticides
How to direct your management activities
Budget info

15. Monitoring Bio-surveillance Girdled trap trees
Visual surveys & inspections of branch samples

16. Disposal & Utilization

17. City of Loveland Parks Tree inventory completed for city parks
11,824 total of which 2,742 are ash trees
= approx. 25% of park trees are ash
Tree inventory for golf courses and natural areas still to be completed
Efforts underway
Removal and disposal plan
Public Park ash tree treatment plan
Replacement tree program/under-planting

18. City of Loveland Street Trees
Inventory & condition assessment 80% complete
Estimated 23% ash trees =
almost 50% of public street tree canopy
Under development
10-year removal and disposal plan
Public street ash tree treatment plan
Replacement tree program
Adopt-A-Tree

19. Tree Scoring Matrix

20. Outreach & Education Communication methods
Coordinated responses (County, neighboring municipalities, etc.)
Workshops & websites
Public inquiries

21. Codes & Ordinances Proper licensing & arborist certification
Standards for tree care practices
Updating tree species recommendations
Preservation of heritage trees
Treating & removals of publicly owned trees
Establishing a tree planting & replacement program

22. Budget Impacts Public tree inventory and condition assessment
Tree removals
Stump removals
Wood processing and disposal
Chemical treatments
Tree replacement
Tree maintenance
Staffing and contracting
The treatment, removal, disposal/utilization and replanting of community ash trees will cost money and you need to identify sources of funding and resources. This cost information will show you the direct impact EAB will have on your budget and staff. It will help you make choices on whether to treat or remove trees, whether to spread the costs over time or deal with them all at once and what kind of training, equipment, supplies and contracts you’ll need. Regardless of your choices, EAB will require more funding, whether it’s redirected from other accounts or from new sources.

23. Council Policy Issues Proactive or reactive
Public tree removal approach
Chemical treatment
Tree replacement
Private tree issues
Consumer Protection
Outreach & Education
Staffing implications
Urban Forestry Program
Contract implications

24. Questions?