Save the ash trees

Posted 3/5/15

Barton, Powell’s Parks Department superintendent as well as the city arborist, presented a proposal to the Powell City Council Monday night on how to deal with possible widespread loss and damage to city-owned trees caused by an invasion of the …

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Save the ash trees

Posted

Council endorses staffer’s plan to guard against invasive insect

Del Barton has a plan to protect Powell’s tree population.

Barton, Powell’s Parks Department superintendent as well as the city arborist, presented a proposal to the Powell City Council Monday night on how to deal with possible widespread loss and damage to city-owned trees caused by an invasion of the emerald ash borer. He proposes treating and saving some while removing others at an initial cost of about $10,000.

In a detailed written report, Barton told the council the goal is “to mitigate the disruption to its urban forest caused by the pending infestation by the emerald ash borer. By taking a proactive approach to this invasion the city will be able to address public and private concerns and needs in an efficient and effective manner.”

The council gave him strong support to move ahead with the plan.

“I’d say treat every ash tree in town that we can,” Councilman Josh Shorb said.

Barton said he wanted to start treating the trees this spring to allow the insecticide to reach all parts of larger trees. He showed a 10-minute Power Point demonstration while discussing the risk to Powell’s tree population.

The ash borer is a metallic green-colored beetle native to Asia and eastern Russia. Brought to this country accidentally in the 1990s and first discovered in 2002, it has become an invasive species that bores its way into trees and plays havoc, eventually killing its host within two to five years.

The ash borer has killed tens of millions of ash trees in Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa and Ontario, Canada. It has been reported in Eastern and Southern states as well and has been spotted in Colorado in recent months.

The emerald ash borer is considered a threat to all 2 billion ash trees in North America, according to Barton. So far, 50 million have been destroyed; he witnessed the invasive insect in action when he was living and working in Lima, Ohio, before moving to Powell last year.

“The potential of destruction from this insect was pretty great,” he said. “Clearly this is something to pay close attention to and not ignore.”

Barton said the city faced these choices: Take no action, remove all publicly owned ash trees, remove some, treat some with insecticide, treat all with insecticide or treat some with insecticide and remove others. The final option was his recommendation.

Barton recommended spending about $8,500 to treat 279 ash trees in the city and remove about 121 more, replacing them with other species of trees. He would also protect another 15 large ash trees at the Powell Golf Club at a cost of $563.

The council urged him to save as many trees as possible. Treatment would be needed each year as long as the insect exists, Barton said. Lima removed around 3,000 publicly owned ash trees because of the infestation.

Councilman Jim Hillberry reacted to the news that the trees would have to be treated annually. He initially balked at the cost.

Resident James Andrews, who said after the meeting he has planted scores of trees and is a proponent for them, asked why not just reduce the ash tree population before the insect arrives.

“$10,000 a year to kill a bug we don’t even have yet is ridiculous,” Andrews said. “We can buy a lot of trees for $10,000.”

Councilman Eric Paul said there would be a lot of opposition to removing the existing tree canopy in the city.

“It changes the look of Powell for a long time,” Paul said.

“You’ll never see a tree that size again for 50, 60 years,” Barton said.

Considering the amount of money the city spends on other items, City Administrator Zane Logan said he felt this was a relatively minor investment.

“I think the $10,000 is money well spent,” Logan said. “For us to turn our back on this, when we have someone on staff who can help us be ahead of the curve ...”

Younger trees stand better chance

The plan applies throughout Powell on all public properties where ash trees are currently growing, as well as private properties where such trees may negatively impact public rights-of-ways or other public properties.

Younger trees have a greater chance to survive from an invasion of the borers, he said. In addition, “(h)istorically significant, aesthetically appealing, landscape critical, or other designated ash trees may play a role in decision making.”

Residents may be inspired to join in the effort after witnessing what the city is doing, Barton told the council.

Barton said he plans to create and update an inventory of all publicly owned ash trees and prioritize a treatment and/or removal plan. He will regularly sample ash trees to learn if and when the ash borer has arrived and will visit local campgrounds, nurseries, firewood dealers and nearby communities to check for infestation.

Trees considered non-salvageable or treatable will be removed, with city workers teaming up to do that.

Barton also has come up with a plan to replace the ash trees that will be removed. He said the city would, based on available funding, plant non-ash species that “will enhance the planting site, are appropriate for the planting site, and add to the diversity and general health of the urban forest.”

All new plantings will conform to the “10-20-30” tree species diversity rule, Barton said, which is defined as no more than 10 percent of any one tree species, no more than 20 percent of any one genus, and no more than 30 percent of any one family.

Barton has even considered what to do with the wood created when the trees are cut down. The goal is to not spread the infestation while getting some good use out of the material, such as lumber, firewood, mulch and fence posts or “other economically viable possibilities.”

The rest must be disposed of to prevent causing more tree trouble. There may be a need for a local landfill to be made available to dispose of ash tree parts, mulch, chips, or stumps, he wrote.

Barton said he would stay in close contact with city leaders and would share information on the city’s website as well as working with the local media. Training sessions, seminars, and community meetings will be held as well.

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