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Town conservation commission details ash-tree inventory and two state grants for Emerald Ash Borer work
Summary
The conservation commission briefed the Select Board on a $5,000 grant for an ash-tree inventory and preparedness plan and an $8,000 roadside-removal grant covering a segment of Royalton Hill Road; the group recommended the Select Board consider budgeting for preemptive removals.
A conservation commission presenter described two grants from the Vermont Urban & Community Forestry Program and the deliverables those grants produced: an ash-tree inventory and an emerald ash borer (EAB) preparedness plan. “In the spring of 2024, we were awarded $5,000,” the presenter said, and explained the inventory shows ash-tree densities along town roads and identifies concentrations that could present hazards if trees die and fall on roads or utilities.
The commission reported a second award of $8,000 specifically for roadside ash removal on Royalton Hill Road. The presenter described marking priority trees, working with the county forester for site visits, and a required completion window for grant-funded removals. “We estimate that somewhere between 50 and 30 trees would be able to be removed with these funds,” the presenter said, and added that the town will notify adjacent landowners because trees in the town easement still belong to property owners.
Board members and the presenter discussed options—preventive inoculation (noted as costly and requiring repeat treatment), preemptive felling, and prioritizing large roadside trees that pose emergency hazards. The presenter said the $5,000 planning grant covered inventory and a preparedness document identifying density by road (examples: Waterman Road and Royalton Hill Road) and gave per-tree cost ranges for felling; the commission urged the Select Board to consider budgeting for long-term preventative removal.
