The plight of the Ash tree genus across Wisconsin and the continental United States due to the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is well-documented. When managing this destructive pest, homeowners and property managers typically face a few distinct paths.
What Are the Options for Managing EAB?
The response to an EAB infestation can largely be summarized by four primary strategies.
- Do Nothing – Allow the emerald ash borer to kill the trees, followed by necessary removal once they become safety hazards.
- Proactive Removal – Instead of waiting, choosing early ash tree removal lessens the landscape’s dependence on them and spreads out the significant financial cost of removal over time.
- Replanting – Bolster the landscape with ash tree replacement, planting non-ash tree species to replace current losses or anticipate future canopy gaps.
- Ash Tree Treatment – Protect high-value trees using highly effective trunk injections of insecticide. This provides ash tree protection for two years before requiring a repeat application.
These strategies can be used singly or in combination to mitigate the great change to our American landscapes and forests that these infestations can cause.
Why We Shouldn’t Write Off the Ash Tree
A lot of industry thinking has largely relegated the ash tree to a “written-off” status. While many homeowners choose to save a few of the most prominent ash trees in their yards, the vast majority are left to be lost. But should we so easily dismiss the ash in our considerations of the American forest?
Diversity is a very important aspect of any plant community. It helps to increase the health, beauty, interest, adaptability, and wildlife carrying capacity of our canopies. Consider what makes the ash tree genus so vital.
- Ash trees currently comprise about 18% of our forests, which is a significant ecological footprint.
- Their large seed crops provide essential food to many native wildlife species.
- They are highly adaptable to difficult site conditions, leading to their extensive use as one of the few good street tree choices.
In large natural areas across the Metropolitan Area – such as Ozaukee County, River Hills, and North Shore – the canopy is predominantly ash. If we don’t prioritize treating ash trees, our local landscapes will change drastically, and we will deeply miss them.
Is Ash Tree Treatment Right for You?
If you own property in southeastern Wisconsin, we are at a definitive crossroads. The rate at which the EAB infestation has surged has surprised many property owners. Because the pest moves so quickly, the recommendations from researchers and our team at Wachtel Tree Science have pivoted primarily to trunk-injected insecticides as the most effective method to treat ash trees.
If you have already invested in ash tree treatment for your primary landscape trees, that is an excellent first step. However, now is the time to step back and reassess your entire property.
If there is a second ash or group of ash trees that you have noticed plays an important role in your landscape’s beauty, shade, or privacy, consider adding them to your preservation plan today. Emerald Ash Borer will make the decision for us before long. We can either act now to protect them, or forever hold our peace and remember how our canopies used to look.
Let Us Help You Protect Your Canopy
Let our Wachtel ISA Certified Arborists help in evaluating and prioritizing your ash tree collection to see if further treatment additions make sense for your property.
