Minneapolis Parks begins eight-year effort to mark, remove and replace public ash trees

Minneapolis Parks begins eight-year effort to mark, remove and replace public ash trees

Approximately 30,000 ash trees lining Minneapolis boulevards and nearly ten thousand ash trees located in park properties are destined for infestation by Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). To lessen the effects of a sudden large-scale, city-wide canopy loss, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) foresters will begin marking non-symptomatic public ash trees on Monday, June 23 as part of an eight-year effort to mark, remove and replace public ash trees on boulevards and in parks throughout the city.

The pre-emptive removal is part of the MPRB’s ash canopy replacement plan, which reduces the impact of tree losses by removing a small percentage of ash trees at a time and replacing them with a diverse range of tree species along each city block and within each park.

Forestry crews anticipate replacing 5,000 ash trees each year for eight years, with removal of ash trees during 2014-2021 and planting of replacement trees during 2015-2022. MPRB Director of Forestry Ralph Sievert said foresters will decide which non-symptomatic ash trees to replace on a neighborhood / block-by-block basis.

“Our goal is to replace approximately two to four ash trees on each block per season,” said Sievert. “Foresters will choose trees for replacement throughout an entire block so that properties are affected as evenly as possible.”

Maps of boulevard ash trees by neighborhood are available on the MPRB’s website. Maps of Minnesota EAB infestations are available from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.

Green Means EAB 

Non-symptomatic ash trees identified for removal will be marked with a green painted “X,” and the MPRB will begin removing those ash trees and stumps throughout 2014. Replacement trees will be planted in spring and fall of 2015.

Ash trees infested with EAB will be marked with a green painted ring and removed as soon as possible. Infested trees are counted as part of the 5,000 trees to be replaced each year. Note: Any other tree species slated for removal are marked with orange paint.

Unless a tree possess a public hazard, trees remain marked for a minimum of five days before being removed.

Forestry crews will also continue the MRPB’s EAB awareness program by wrapping Minneapolis public ash trees with an informational green ribbon. The ribbon alerts residents that, “EAB Kills Ash” trees. Trees are being wrapped with the informational green ribbons to raise awareness about the impact EAB is having on the urban forest.  The ribbon does not denote the tree is currently slated for removal.  It is only trees marked with green paint that will be replaced as part of the ash canopy replacement plan each year.

Minneapolis residents with a boulevard ash tree adjacent to their property may request to have it replaced by contacting the MPRB. There is no direct charge to replace boulevard ash trees.

While the MPRB is not using chemical treatments on ash trees, residents may treat non-symptomatic boulevard ash trees with insecticide at their own expense.  All ash treatments must be applied by a licensed and permitted tree care company. 

The ash canopy replacement plan is funded through an annual $1.2 million levy that was first passed in 2013.  This levy needs to be passed annually to fund the eight year plan.

For more information on the MPRB’s ash canopy replacement plan, you can reach the MPRB Forestry Department via email forestry@minneapolisparks.org or phone 612-313-7710.

Contact

Dawn Sommers
Communications and Marketing
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
612-230-6407
dsommers@minneapolisparks.org

Robin Smothers
Communications and Marketing
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board
612-230-6410
rsmothers@minneapolisparks.org