The Emerald Ash Borer has been found in the City of Madison
City of Madison officials received confirmation of the presence of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) on the north side of Madison near Warner Park this past November. The City of Madison has an estimated 21,700 publicly owned street (terrace) ash trees and unknown number of ash trees in parks and thousands more on private property.
Since 2008, the City of Madison has been working on how to mitigate the impact of the Emerald Ash Borer. A taskforce was created to coordinate assessing the EAB threat, planning various response strategies, reviewing the latest research and acting to mitigate impacts on our tree canopy, ensuring public safety, protecting our environment and containing costs. The EAB Plan was approved by the Common Council in September 2012 and updated in September 2013.
The following is a summary of the City’s plans for public trees:
1. Over the winter, Forestry staff will preemptively remove ash terrace trees that meet the following criteria:
3. In the spring the city will implement a chemical treatment program for ash terrace \ street trees that are healthy and are not located under high voltage electrical lines. The city will use injection treatments versus soil drench treatments to ensure the protection of ground and surface water quality. All terrace trees meeting the treatment criteria will be treated by 2016 at the City’s expense. For this reason no adoption of terrace trees is needed. Treatments will begin around the end of May.
4. Going forward, Madison Parks Forestry will replant street trees in most locations. The location and tree species is the decision of the Forestry Section.
Adopt a Tree Program in Madison Parks
Madison residents can adopt an ash tree(s) located in any Madison park and have it treated for EAB by a city licensed tree contractor at their own expense. To date, no City funds are allocated for chemical treatment of Ash trees located in the Parks. The request form for adoption will be made available soon on the Madison Parks website (http://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/). Ash trees must be in good condition and greater than 10 inches in diameter. Once the adoption is approved by city staff, the city will issue the required treatment permit directly to the licensed tree contractor you hire. Licensed tree contractors can be found on the Madison Public Works website: (http://www.cityofmadison.com/business/pw/prequalifiedContractors.cfm).
Replanting the Urban Forest
If you are interested in replanting the City’s urban forest you can help support this undertaking. The Madison Parks Foundation has established the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Tree Replacement fund to replace trees in the park system that will be lost to the Emerald Ash Borer. You can find out more information on the Madison Parks Foundation website: http://madisonparksfoundation.org/support-the-parks/how-to-give/
What can Homeowners do about their own privately owned trees?
Madison Parks website has a Homeowner’s Toolkit to help you identify ash trees, symptoms of EAB and make a decision whether to treat or not treat your own ash trees in your private landscape: (http://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/services/forestry/pests/EAB/toolkit.cfm).
The city highly recommends that if you decide to treat your ash trees that you consider the direct injection method rather than the soil drench method in order to protect our lakes and ground water. You can visit these websites that has more information on finding a service provider:
Arborjet: http://www.arborjet.com/arborjet_near_you/find_a_service_provider/
Bioforest: http://www.bioforest.ca/index.cfm
Madison Public Works website: (http://www.cityofmadison.com/business/pw/prequalifiedContractors.cfm).
As Madison officials continue to work on the Emerald Ash Borer infestation, Madison Parks will keep citizens informed of any changes or discoveries.
City of Madison officials received confirmation of the presence of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) on the north side of Madison near Warner Park this past November. The City of Madison has an estimated 21,700 publicly owned street (terrace) ash trees and unknown number of ash trees in parks and thousands more on private property.
Since 2008, the City of Madison has been working on how to mitigate the impact of the Emerald Ash Borer. A taskforce was created to coordinate assessing the EAB threat, planning various response strategies, reviewing the latest research and acting to mitigate impacts on our tree canopy, ensuring public safety, protecting our environment and containing costs. The EAB Plan was approved by the Common Council in September 2012 and updated in September 2013.
The following is a summary of the City’s plans for public trees:
1. Over the winter, Forestry staff will preemptively remove ash terrace trees that meet the following criteria:
- Poor condition.
- Located under or near high voltage power lines.
- Measure less than 10 inches in diameter.
3. In the spring the city will implement a chemical treatment program for ash terrace \ street trees that are healthy and are not located under high voltage electrical lines. The city will use injection treatments versus soil drench treatments to ensure the protection of ground and surface water quality. All terrace trees meeting the treatment criteria will be treated by 2016 at the City’s expense. For this reason no adoption of terrace trees is needed. Treatments will begin around the end of May.
4. Going forward, Madison Parks Forestry will replant street trees in most locations. The location and tree species is the decision of the Forestry Section.
Adopt a Tree Program in Madison Parks
Madison residents can adopt an ash tree(s) located in any Madison park and have it treated for EAB by a city licensed tree contractor at their own expense. To date, no City funds are allocated for chemical treatment of Ash trees located in the Parks. The request form for adoption will be made available soon on the Madison Parks website (http://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/). Ash trees must be in good condition and greater than 10 inches in diameter. Once the adoption is approved by city staff, the city will issue the required treatment permit directly to the licensed tree contractor you hire. Licensed tree contractors can be found on the Madison Public Works website: (http://www.cityofmadison.com/business/pw/prequalifiedContractors.cfm).
Replanting the Urban Forest
If you are interested in replanting the City’s urban forest you can help support this undertaking. The Madison Parks Foundation has established the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Tree Replacement fund to replace trees in the park system that will be lost to the Emerald Ash Borer. You can find out more information on the Madison Parks Foundation website: http://madisonparksfoundation.org/support-the-parks/how-to-give/
What can Homeowners do about their own privately owned trees?
Madison Parks website has a Homeowner’s Toolkit to help you identify ash trees, symptoms of EAB and make a decision whether to treat or not treat your own ash trees in your private landscape: (http://www.cityofmadison.com/parks/services/forestry/pests/EAB/toolkit.cfm).
The city highly recommends that if you decide to treat your ash trees that you consider the direct injection method rather than the soil drench method in order to protect our lakes and ground water. You can visit these websites that has more information on finding a service provider:
Arborjet: http://www.arborjet.com/arborjet_near_you/find_a_service_provider/
Bioforest: http://www.bioforest.ca/index.cfm
Madison Public Works website: (http://www.cityofmadison.com/business/pw/prequalifiedContractors.cfm).
As Madison officials continue to work on the Emerald Ash Borer infestation, Madison Parks will keep citizens informed of any changes or discoveries.