Learn more about possible approaches to dealing with your ash trees by clicking on the link…
Emerald Ash Borer is an insect originally from Asia that kills ash trees over a period of a couple years. This insect was recently found in Lebanon Hills Regional Park. Symptoms of an Emerald Ash Borer infestation do not generally show up in a tree until the third year of it being affected, at this point it may be too late to save the tree. It pays to come up with a plan for how you will manage ash trees on your property.
Your options are: 1) do nothing and remove trees as they become infested; 2) proactively remove ash trees over a period of time before they become infested to spread out your costs; 3) regularly treat trees with pesticides to kill insects before the trees show symptoms; 4) or to do a combination of options 1 through 3. Different management strategies appeal to various property owners. If you have only one ash tree, and you’re not in love with it, the do nothing approach might suffice. However, if your one ash tree is a beautiful show piece in your yard, treating it every two to three years may be worth the cost to keep it healthy (the City has discounted treatment rates available for residents - see link below). If your property has a large number of ash trees, a few that are spectacular and the rest not so hot, you may want to proactively remove some trees now while starting a regular treatment program for the trees you want to keep. Please keep in mind that if you are removing 10% or more of the significant trees on your property at one time, you should contact Apple Valley Natural Resources at 952-953-2400 to determine if you need a permit. Also, don’t forget to check out the City’s annual Tree and Shrub Sale each spring – a great way to get nice sized trees at wholesale prices to help diversify your property.
You can learn more about Emerald Ash Borer by visiting the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website at http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialanimals/eab/index.html.