Bangor City Council Adopts Municipal Emerald Ash Borer Management Plan

In the heart of Bangor City Hall, a pivotal moment unfolded as city officials gathered to discuss the future of the city’s trees. The focus of the meeting was the Emerald Ash Borer management plan, a crucial initiative aimed at combating an invasive pest threatening the city’s ash tree population.

Benjamin Aruta, the City of Bangor’s Forestry Manager, presented the findings of a comprehensive assessment conducted last summer. With the help of four forestry students from the University of Maine, the city evaluated over 8,500 trees across various public properties, including parks, schools, and the airport. The results were alarming: more than 20% of these trees were identified as ash, making them vulnerable to the emerald ash borer, a destructive beetle that has already begun to infiltrate Maine.

The emerald ash borer, which hails from Asia, poses a significant threat to ash trees, with a staggering 90% mortality rate for affected trees. To address this crisis, Sofia Cameron, one of the students involved in the assessment, developed a municipal management plan as part of her master’s capstone project. This plan outlines strategies for protecting Bangor’s ash trees over the next nine years.

Aruta shared that the city has already initiated the first phase of this plan, successfully injecting 85 ash trees on the western side of Bangor. This proactive measure aims to halt the spread of the emerald ash borer, particularly following a confirmed case in the nearby town of Hermann earlier this year.

As the meeting progressed, Aruta sought the committee's approval to formally adopt Cameron’s management plan into the city’s standard operating procedures. This collaboration between the forestry division and other city departments is essential for safeguarding Bangor’s urban forest.

The discussions highlighted the city’s commitment to environmental stewardship and the importance of community engagement in preserving natural resources. With the emerald ash borer threatening the landscape, Bangor is taking decisive steps to protect its trees, ensuring that future generations can enjoy the beauty and benefits of a healthy urban forest.