MONROE - A shift toward more tree removals has been approved by the Monroe Board of Public Works after City Forester Paul Klinzing recommended more emphasis on taking out trees in 2016 rather than treatments for the presence of the emerald ash borer.
Alderman Charles Koch pointed to the standard two-year treatment as a stalling tactic rather than a "cure-all" and said he agreed with the sentiment.
With a grant from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources recently acquired by the city, up to $50,000 will be matched to city funds to deal with the issue. Klinzing said he had originally thought it would be best to split removal and treatment costs evenly at $25,000, but since the presence of the pest within Monroe was recently confirmed, measures of how to deal with the issue have changed.
"I spoke to the DNR and I think because of the confirmed find, we need to step up removals," Klinzing said. "They said we could go up to the maximum, about 63 trees."
Because of the emphasis on removal, Klinzing found they could increase removal funding to $35,000 and drop treatment to $15,000 for the city's ash trees.
The city has used figures outlining the condition of all trees in a study conducted by Whitney Tree Service. Knowing how many exist in specific locations and the shape they are in has helped them determine final numbers. Klinzing recommended the removal of roughly 63 trees and treatment of 111 remaining in good condition.
Emerald ash borers burrow into ash trees, cutting off pathways for vital nutrients and water to circulate throughout the plant. It was first found in Wisconsin in late 2008 and has been making its way throughout the state since then. Though it aims for trees in less than optimal health, it eventually finds its way into sturdy ash trees as well. It was found in Monroe just this month, though precautionary plans for when it would eventually be detected had been in place since 2013. Klinzing said though treatment has been "very successful" there still needs to be steps taken to ward off the beetles, with removal being the best option for those already infected.
"This would allow us to potentially save some of those (healthy trees) and to save some so you're not hit with all of those removals at once," Klinzing said.
Removals would not be scheduled all at once; they would be staggered. Klinzing cited another city which tried to remove over 1,000 trees at once and it did not go well. He said Monroe did not want to follow in their footsteps and that treatment is still a good way to keep the emerald ash borer at bay.
Klinzing also suggested a measure in which the full plan could be put together and dispersed to residents of the city in order to help people understand their options if they have ash trees on their property, and how to properly identify signs of the EAB present in their trees. The board determined that materials could be included in the next utilities bills to be mailed out if Klinzing prepared the literature.
Alderman Charles Koch pointed to the standard two-year treatment as a stalling tactic rather than a "cure-all" and said he agreed with the sentiment.
With a grant from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources recently acquired by the city, up to $50,000 will be matched to city funds to deal with the issue. Klinzing said he had originally thought it would be best to split removal and treatment costs evenly at $25,000, but since the presence of the pest within Monroe was recently confirmed, measures of how to deal with the issue have changed.
"I spoke to the DNR and I think because of the confirmed find, we need to step up removals," Klinzing said. "They said we could go up to the maximum, about 63 trees."
Because of the emphasis on removal, Klinzing found they could increase removal funding to $35,000 and drop treatment to $15,000 for the city's ash trees.
The city has used figures outlining the condition of all trees in a study conducted by Whitney Tree Service. Knowing how many exist in specific locations and the shape they are in has helped them determine final numbers. Klinzing recommended the removal of roughly 63 trees and treatment of 111 remaining in good condition.
Emerald ash borers burrow into ash trees, cutting off pathways for vital nutrients and water to circulate throughout the plant. It was first found in Wisconsin in late 2008 and has been making its way throughout the state since then. Though it aims for trees in less than optimal health, it eventually finds its way into sturdy ash trees as well. It was found in Monroe just this month, though precautionary plans for when it would eventually be detected had been in place since 2013. Klinzing said though treatment has been "very successful" there still needs to be steps taken to ward off the beetles, with removal being the best option for those already infected.
"This would allow us to potentially save some of those (healthy trees) and to save some so you're not hit with all of those removals at once," Klinzing said.
Removals would not be scheduled all at once; they would be staggered. Klinzing cited another city which tried to remove over 1,000 trees at once and it did not go well. He said Monroe did not want to follow in their footsteps and that treatment is still a good way to keep the emerald ash borer at bay.
Klinzing also suggested a measure in which the full plan could be put together and dispersed to residents of the city in order to help people understand their options if they have ash trees on their property, and how to properly identify signs of the EAB present in their trees. The board determined that materials could be included in the next utilities bills to be mailed out if Klinzing prepared the literature.