Planning for the Emerald Ash Borer

1. Planning for the Emerald Ash Borer David Cappaert, Michigan State University, bugwood.org

2. What is the Emerald Ash Borer The Emerald Ash Borer is a small metallic green beetle that is known to kill all species of ash trees. Marianne Prue, Ohio Department of Natural Resources - Division of Forestry, Bugwood.org

3. Beetle larva eat the living tissue (cambium) 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. Effects of EAB As the Emerald Ash Borer established, ash trees will begin to die. David Cappaert, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org

5. Daniel Herms, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org

6. David Cappaert, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org

7. 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

8. Symptoms of EAB • Suckering from the base and stem • Dieback in the canopy • Excessive woodpecker activity Steven Katovich, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org James W. Smith, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org

9. What does this mean? • 1 in 14 trees in New York is an ash tree • Thousands of ash line our trees, shade our parks and fill our public spaces. • Thousands more dot our home landscapes • Millions can be found in our woodlots and along our rivers and streams. EAB puts all of these trees in danger.

10. Where is the Emerald Ash Borer?

11. No untreated ash materials can be moved from these areas

12. Concerns • Ash trees break down quickly once they die, potentially dropping large limbs in public areas or on personal property. • Trees are costly to treat and remove Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Forestry Archive, Bugwood.org

13. Community Questions Can you afford to manage them? Can you afford not to? 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

14. What you can do now: • EDUCATE yourself and your community on the Emerald Ash Borer • MONITOR for EAB • Develop a PLAN to handle the Emerald Ash Borer’s impact

15. Educate Go to CORNELL UNIVERSITY’S INVASIVE SPECIES WEB SITE for complete up to date Emerald Ash Borer information: http://www.nyis.info/eab TALK to your local Cornell Cooperative Extension educators, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation foresters and NYS Agriculture and Markets inspectors.

16. Monitor LEARN the signs and symptoms TRAIN volunteers to identify ash trees and recognize the signs and symptoms. David R. McKay, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org Michigan Department of Agriculture, Bugwood.org

17. Community Preparedness Plan Work with your local leaders and community to develop a plan that will help minimize the ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT of the emerald ash borer. • Use the NYS EAB Community Preparedness Plan Development Workbook at the NY Invasive Species EAB web site: http://www.nyis.org/eab Daniel Herms, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org

18. Why make a plan? • To identify the: • PEOPLE • RESOURCES • MONEY available to help manage the effects of EAB

19. Plan Elements • Background Elements - describe your community and EAB’s potential impact • Management Plan - outline your specific management actions for specific trees • Education Plan - identify stakeholders, how they relate to EAB and their educational needs • Budget - what will it cost and how it will be paid for. • Contacts - who is responsible for the plan • Sources of Information – EAB references for planners and stakeholders

20. EAB Plan- Background • EAB History and Biology • Scope of NY and Local EAB problem • Number of Community Ash Trees • Economic Conditions related to ash trees • Mills, ash product producers, etc. • Plan Purpose

21. EAB Plan: Management- Inventory • IDENTIFY public (and private) ash trees • Do you have an inventory? • Inventory options • Complete community tree inventory • Community ash trees • Community and all private ash trees • Community and private ash trees that can affect community property • Who will conduct an inventory? • Determine their potential RISK

22. EAB Plan: Management- Inventory Ascertain tree OWNERSHIP • Do you have the authority to remove/treat all the trees that you’d like. • Is ownership any of the trees disputed? Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Forestry Archive, Bugwood.org

23. EAB Plan: Management- Removal and Chemical Treatment • TREATMENT Options: • Insecticide versus removal • Who will implement • WHICH TREES? • All publically owned ash • All publically owned and some private ash that have direct impact on public property • Only high risk ash trees David Cappaert, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org

24. EAB Plan: Management Implementation • Who will implement the management plan • Staff/Employees • Certifications and Training • NYS DEC Certified Pesticide Applicator • Arboriculture skills and experience • Contractors • Certifications and Trainings • ISA Certified Arborist • NYS DEC Certified Pesticide Applicator

25. EAB Plan: Management- Wood Disposal and Utilization Where will the WOOD go? How will the wood be USED? Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources - Forestry Archive, Bugwood.org

26. EAB Plan: Management- Reforestation What will you replant with? • Schedule for replanting • Recommended species: • “Recommended Urban Trees” CU- Urban Horticulture Institute Red Horsechestnut – Cornell Woody Plant Database

27. Educational Plan Educating yourself, the plan writers and the general public is important. How will you do this? • Work with CCE or other educational agencies • Conduct your own public education • Print and web resources • Workshops and trainings

28. Budget How will your community pay for all of this? • Develop multiple scenario budgets • Consider all costs • Look at your spectrum of management and outreach options. • Funding opportunities

29. Why make a plan? Not just cost • Political/Social • Aesthetics of trees • Infested trees don’t look dead right away • “It’s not here yet, why bother now?” • Liability and Safety • Dead ash trees rot quickly, must act fast • Who is responsible for which tree? • Pesticide use

30. Which scenario do you choose? • Remove all ash and replace all at once – costly • Remove ash and replace as funds are available. • Remove some trees and treat the remainder so they remain alive and not a public health threat until they can be removed. • Remove some trees, chose some trees to be treated indefinitely until the EAB leaves, treat others so they survive until they can be removed. • Treat all trees indefinitely

31. Factors to consider • Cost of each scenario • Impact of each scenario on your community • Goals of your community forest and the ability of your staff/volunteers/contractors to implement plan • Local opportunities you can take advantage of

32. Cost to Remove • Based on a small poll of some CNY communities, the average cost to remove a street tree is $440. • Assumption- the average ash slated for removal will have a smaller DBH than the average for all trees being removed in a year, if all ash trees are being removed. (Conservative) • Range of $150 to $1325 per tree • Size of tree, condition of tree, location of tree, and contractor versus staff all affect price.

33. Your Community? Sherburne, NY 25 ash trees, 7% of 354 total, avg. DBH 9.75” Est. Cost to remove: $15,000 Est. Cost to Treat $1,250/yr for 12 + years? SWAT Data- Courtesy of Fred Cowett

34. Ithaca, Cayuga Heights and Cornell Campus 762 ash trees (3.1%) $335,820 removal estimate SWAT Data- Courtesy of Fred Cowett

35. Cost to Treat There are a variety of treatment options • Commercial Applicator • ~$10 per inch of DBH per year • (including annualized multi-year treatments) • Soil drench • Injections (preferred) • Homeowner applied soil drench (may not be preferable) David Cappaert, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org

36. Chemical Treatment Considerations Pros • Retain canopy cover in heavy ash populated areas • Can save trees until funds are available to remove them • Can save trees long-term • Mature trees are valuable Cons • Homeowner treatments- Do local ordinances allow them to treat their own trees? Do you want them to? • Effectiveness of treatment? • Toxicity of chemicals- nerve toxins • Timing is crucial (education and awareness) • Injections could damage to the living tissue of a tree (frequency, tree health, technician skill are all factors)1

37. Your Community? Sherburne, NY 25 ash trees, 7% of 354 total, avg. DBH 9.75” Est. Cost to remove: $11,000 Est. Cost to Treat ($10/DBH) $2,437.50/appication for 121 (apply every 3 years) SWAT Data- Courtesy of Fred Cowett

38. Community Cost Examples Deforest, Wisconsin: population 8,500 • 455 ash trees in urban forest (13% of total) • 330 are under 6” in diameter, decreasing the removal cost (average $700-$800 per tree) • Village estimated removal cost: $75,000- $100,000 Village of DeForest web site: http://www.vi.deforest.wi.us/

39. Community Cost Examples Wilmette, Illinois: population 26,700 • Propose spending $2 million over a five year period to remove and replace public ash trees • Approximately 2855 ash trees slated • Fund created though a 2% tax increase over a five year period. Taken from a presentation by Tom Dilley, Natural Resources Specialist with the USDA Forest Service, NA, S&PF

40. Community Cost Examples Winnetka, Illinois: population 12,500 • Three pronged strategy to retain healthy ash trees, remove infested and high risk ash trees, and chemically treat healthy ash trees under 12” diameter that are far from an infested tree. • Worst case scenario (complete infestation): the cost to remove all their ash trees:$1.2 million Taken from a presentation by Tom Dilley, Natural Resources Specialist with the USDA Forest Service, NA, S&PF

41. Community Impact Think of this as your community. How will the death of all these trees effect your citizens?

42. St. Paul, MN Ash Removal- Minn. Public Radio, Nov 2009

43. St. Paul, MN Ash Removal- Minn. Public Radio, Nov 2009

44. Community Forest Goals and Capacity • What do you want your community forest to look like? • Tree lined streets, park trees, 100% planted, 50% planted • Do you have the skills in house or do you need to contract? • Does your staff need training? • Can you afford contractors?

45. Local Opportunities • Shared community resources and partnerships: • Marshalling yards • Shared equipment/talent • Short-term economic development • Ash wood products • Chips

46. Private Trees • Individual homeowners will also be hit. Can members of your community afford to remove or treat their ash trees? • Are there any opportunities for assistance funds? • What ordinances are in place that govern private trees? Do they need to be altered? • Can you help ensure that your citizens won’t be taken advantage of? • These are all things that can be in your plan

47. What will this neighborhood look like? West Henrietta, NY

48. Why make a plan? • It takes time to train personnel • It takes time to complete an inventory • It takes time to make thoughtful decisions • It takes time to develop intercommunity connections • It takes time to create wood utilization projects • It takes time to identify funding sources

49. More Assistance • CCE New York Invasive Species Information Web Site: www.nyis.info • Cornell Cooperative Extension: www.cce.cornell.edu • NYS Department of Environmental Conservation: www.dec.ny.gov • NYS Agriculture and Markets: www.agmkt.state.ny.us

50. Thoughtful solutions result in a better outcome. We may not be able to stop it right now, but we can Slow The Spread