Department of

Public Services

EMERALD ASH BORER

2017 APWA SNOW

CONFERENCE.

MARCH 31, 2017

� Non-native beetle that kills

all varieties of ash trees

(Fraxinus species)

� Larvae feed on phloem and

cambial layer under the bark

� Destroys the tree’s ability to

transport water and

nutrients

� No known natural enemies in

North America

WHAT IS EAB?

http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/disturbance/invasive_speci

es/eab/local-resources/images/native_range.gif

WHAT IS EAB?

Source: IDALS, www.IowaTreePests.com

WHAT IS EAB?

� Identified as cause

of extensive ash

mortality in

southeast Michigan

in 2002

� Suspected to

originate from

infested packing

material from Asia

� Now identified in 27

states and 2

Canadian provinces

� Initially found in Iowa in 2010

� As of March, 2017, EAB has been confirmed in 43 Iowa counties

� Entire state of Iowa placed under quarantine on February 4, 2014

� EAB was confirmed in the Metro-May 2015

WHAT IS EAB?

Source: IDALS, Entomology & Plant Science Bureau

� Several hundred mill ion trees kil led in North America to date

� Damage has followed relatively consistent progression

� Few trees show damage or die in first 4-5 years after first EAB infestation in an area

� Within 10 years of detection mortality rate approaches 100%

� Metro area in 2017 at year 4 or 5. “Death Curve” about to begin!

WHAT IS EAB?

0

20

40

60

80

100

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Pe

rce

nt

Years Since Arrival of EAB

<50% Canopy Dead

Dan Herms, Ohio State University

June 2006 August 2009

Toledo

�Social• Strong attachment to trees

• Neighborhood identity

• Reduced crime

� Environmental• Decrease carbon dioxide

• Moderates urban cl imate

• Reduce stormwater runoff

• Provide wildlife habitat

�Economic• Increase property values

• Reduce energy costs

BENEFITS OF URBAN TREES

TREE BENEFIT CALCULATOR

TREE BENEFIT CALCULATOR

STORMWATER BENEFITS

PROPERTY VALUE BENEFIT

ENERGY BENEFIT

AIR QUALITY BENEFIT

CARBON DIOXIDE BENEFIT

WHY DOES IT MATTER TO THE CITY?

Neighborhood

has a ver y

s t rong

at tachment to

these t rees!

WOODLAND

AVENUE IN

WDM

WHY DOES IT MATTER TO THE CITY?

414

38%

STREET

259

24%

FACILITY

406

38%

PARK

Street Facility Park

�1,079 publicly

owned ash trees (as of 2/1/17)

�Thousands more

located on private

property and in

wooded areas

ASH STREET TREE MANAGEMENT PLAN

CITY ACTIONS

REMOVAL48

PRE-EMPTIVE REMOVAL

51

TREATMENT315

REMOVAL PRE-EMPTIVE REMOVAL TREATMENT

�City Removal

�Arterial Streets

�Poor Condition

�High Hazard

�48 Trees

Notice sent by certified and regular mail at

least 14 days prior to removal

ASH STREET TREE MANAGEMENT PLAN

CITY ACTIONS

Communication

� City Treatment� Not on Arterial Streets

� Good/Fair Condition

� Low/Medium Hazard

� > 10” diameter

� 315 Street Trees (76%)

� Treated a total of 730 public ash trees (68%)

A notice will be placed on or next to the tree following treatment. No notice will be mailed

ASH STREET TREE MANAGEMENT PLAN

CITY ACTIONS

Communication

�Steps for Private Property Owners

� Identify ash trees on your property

�Look for possible signs of EAB – sprouts on

trunk/branches, dead or dying tree canopy, excessive

woodpecker activity, and/or presence of EAB larvae

or adult insects

PRIVATE PROPERTY TREES

villagelinksofglenellyngrounds.blogspot.com www.ipm.iastate.edu

15 th St . WDM

Conf i rmed to

be EAB

infested. Trees

th is large and

at th is s tage of

dec l ine have

l ike ly been

infested for 4

or more years .

EXAMPLE

OF TREE IN

POOR

CONDITION

examined

�If you suspect EAB, contact:

ISU Extension Entomology 294-1101

DNR 281-5918

IDALS 725-1470

Parks Urban Forestry 222-3417

�Information available on City EAB webpage

PRIVATE PROPERTY TREES

� Communities may well have the resources to protect (treat)

and/or pre-emptively remove public ash trees

� However by ignoring the inevitable (high numbers of dying ash

trees), costs associated with wholescale removal of

100’s/1,000’s of dying ash trees will most certainly strain

budgets

� CODE ENFORCEMENT ISSUES: As private property ash trees begin to

die this city code clause will get referred to on a regular basis. “The

code enforcement officer shall provide written notice…….requiring the

treatment or removal within fourteen (14) calendar days of

notification of any trees or shrubs located within private property

which are dead, diseased or insect ridden so as to be deemed a

nuisance and constitute a hazard to public and/or private trees or

shrubs, or public safety.”

IMPACT ON PUBLIC SERVICES DEPTS.

�EAB populations are increasing in the Metro, you are responsible for trees on your property

�Removal of a dead, diseased, or insect ridden tree on private property that is deemed a nuisance or a hazard is the responsibility of the property owner (WDM City Code 7-10-7E)

�Treatment options do exist and can be provided by local tree care companies

� Insurance coverage may be denied for property damage resulting from trees that were not properly maintained or were insect or disease ridden. Trees on private property that die from insects or disease are typically uninsured perils.

PRIVATE PROPERTY TREES

�Links to a list of certified arborists,

treatment options, and general

information are available on the

City’s EAB webpage

www.wdm.iowa.gov/EAB

PRIVATE PROPERTY TREES

� Decide what purpose or function the tree will serve (shade,

privacy, aesthetics, wildlife, etc.)

� Can the site provide the growth requirements for the chosen

species (space constraints, hardiness, soil conditions,

sunlight and wind exposure)?

� What level of maintenance (staking, watering, pruning,

protection from insects and wildlife) are you willing to commit

to?

� Diversify your choices when possible to reduce the risk of a

single species catastrophe and to add a variety of visual

elements

� Purchase high quality stock! Focus on a ROOT SYSTEM more

than the caliper!!

TREE SELECTION & PLACEMENT

“SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA AT THE

TIME”

The fee to remove this massive Red Oak

from the backyard of a DM residence was

$10,000. That did not include the cost of

repairs needed to patch the hole in the roof!

-Backyard was inaccessible to equipment

and the large bur oak in the front yard

prevented the use of a crane

-All material was lowered with pulleys and

rope

-All debris had to be CARRIED to the street

-A tremendous volume of wood needed to be

disposed ofFYI: Contractor said he lost $$ on this job

� When selecting a tree for planting some

thought must be given to it’s end of life

removal constraints.

� Community/HOA Rule of Thumb:

• No more than 30% from a family eg. Fagaceae (beech & oak)

• No more than 20% from a genus eg. Quercus (oak)

• No more than 10% of any one species eg. rubra (red oak)

� Hardy & Reliable Options: Shade Trees

• Sugar Maple: Green Mountain, Legacy, Fall Fiesta

• Red Maple: Red Sunset, Somerset, Scarlet Jewel

• Hackberry: Chicagoland, Prairie Pride

• Oak: Northern Red, Swamp White, Bur, Chinkapin, White

• Honeylocust: Shademaster, Skyline, Northern Acclaim

• American Elm: Princeton, Jefferson, Prairie Expedition

ASH TREE REPLACEMENT OPTIONS

Fall Fiesta

� Hardy & Reliable Options: Low Growing trees

• Serviceberry (use tree form): Cumulus, Snow Cloud

• Flowering Crabapple: Harvest Gold, Royal Raindrops,

Pink Spires, Louisa, Spring Snow, many others

• Japanese Tree Li lac: Ivory Silk, Summer Snow

• American Hornbeam (Blue Beech)

• American Hophornbeam (Ironwood)

• Hawthorn: Cockspur, Winter King, Washington

• Eastern Redbud (use tree form): Rising Sun

• Pagoda Dogwood

� Hardy and Reliable Options: Conifers

• Concolor (White) Fir, Spruce; Norway, Black Hil ls, White and Serbian, White Pine, Arborvitae, Larch, Bald Cypress, Hemlock

MORE REPLACEMENT OPTIONS

Serviceberry

Bald Cypress

QUESTIONS?

datcpservices.wisconsin.gov

IDALS, Entomology and Plant Science

Bureau

Debra Miller, USDA Forest Service, Northern

Res. Station

David Cappaert, Michigan State University