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Arbor commission urges $100,000 phased response to emerald ash borer; council weighs timing and matches
Summary
Arbor Commission and staff asked council to fund a $100,000 phased emerald ash borer management plan to inventory street ash, begin chemical trunk injections and plan selective removals; presenters argued treatment and proactive planning cost far less than reacting to mass tree mortality.
Rody, representing the Arbor Commission and parks staff, asked the council to allocate $100,000 to start a phased emerald ash borer (EAB) management plan that would fund an inventory, treatment cycle planning and initial chemical trunk injections and selective removals.
Presenters said EAB has been confirmed in nearby communities and that industry practice is to begin management once infestations are within roughly 15 miles. Michael Otzsworth presented an inventory of street trees that found about 510 ash trees in the city right‑of‑way. Panelists argued that treating trees now is more cost‑effective than waiting and removing dead trees later: they cited a Camden RFP figure (~$65,000) as illustrative and estimated a municipal treatment/removal program in the low six figures for initial work.
Technical points included that trunk injections are typically repeated every other year for ongoing protection, that an infected ash has a near‑certain mortality over a short timespan, and that disposal of removed wood must follow quarantine and chipping/desiccation best practices to avoid spreading larvae.
Councilors discussed timing (the injection window is a narrow spring period; staff proposed starting treatment spring 2027 if funded), funding approaches (city funds, grant matches through programs like Project Canopy, private donations and possibly a 50/50 city‑match model), and the tradeoffs between treating mature trees or removing them and replanting. The manager said the $100,000 request was not currently included in the FY27 draft but could be added if the council directs staff to reallocate or identify matching funds.
Rody: “The mortality rate of an infected ash tree is 100%. If it has emerald ash borers in the tree, it’s confirmed; it’s going to die.” The Arbor Commission promised a management plan with phased costs and a follow‑up presentation after an inventory to recommend which trees to treat and which to remove.
Next steps: staff and the commission will complete an inventory and management plan this summer and return with a more precise cost and grant/partnership options for council approval.
