This fall, the city of Prairie Village, Kan., will remove 100 ash trees from city property due to Emerald Ash Borer infestation.
The Emerald Ash Borer is considered the most destructive forest pest in North America. Its larva bore into ash trees, cuts off nutrients and kills the tree.
Before 2002, the dime-size iridescent beetle had never been detected in North America. It’s predicted that the species arrived in ashwood used for stabilizing cargo.
Prairie Village Public Works Director, Keith Bredehoeft said Emerald Ash Borer infestation affects more than the 100 trees scheduled for removal. He said Prairie Village Public Works will eventually have to remove all 700 of its ash trees.
Bredehoeft said that if communities don’t address the infestation, five years after the beetle’s arrival the community will have a mass die off of trees. Prairie Village hopes to avoid that.
For now, the 100 trees scheduled for removal are those in the worst condition, or young trees 12 inches or less in diameter. As for ash trees on private property, Bredehoeft said it is almost inevitable they will die, and it’s up to homeowner when to remove them.
Eradicating Emerald Ash Borer entirely from will take at least four years and over $150,000.