Council approves $91,000 for ash tree removal

City of Boone Public Works and Parks Director John Rouse announced at Monday nights city council meeting that the parks department will continue its pro-active approach to the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) by removing ash trees 18-inches or smaller in diameter in the citys rights-of-way.

Larger diameter trees would be contracted out for removal, he said. The city has more than 500 ash trees that are 18 inches in diameter and larger, some as much as 50 inches in diameter, according to City Administrator Luke Nelson. Rouse said about 40 of these larger trees would be contracted for removal initially.

To cover the initial removal cost of the larger trees, Rouse asked council to approve $80,000 from the citys current fiscal year reserve funds. He also asked for an additional $11,000 to hire a part-time employee to help the parks staff remove the smaller trees. Council unanimously approved the $91,000 request.

There are approximately 1,000 to 1,200 ash trees located in the citys rights-of-way, that is, between its sidewalks and the streets. Over the summer, the city catalogued the location and size of ash trees in its rights-of-way with a GIS system.

Within two to five years, were going to have some major issues with our trees, Rouse said, adding that on Monday the Boone Parks Commission decided we should probably attack these trees before they become a major issue for us.

Rouse said he wants contractors to first start on the removal of the 50-inch diameter trees. Removal costs vary from $500 to $2,000 per tree, according to Nelson.

The larger ash trees are going to become huge hazards, when they are hit by EAB, Rouse said.

We need to be pro-active with this because when this starts going crazy, its going to be a fire drill to try to stay ahead of this thingwell take down as many as we can, and the next year well keep doing it until we get them taken care of, Rouse said.

Residents will be notified if they have an ash tree in their right-of-way. They can request the parks commission to analyze the tree for possible treatment, which they would have to pay for. Rouse cautioned, however, that treatments would probably not save the tree.

I dont want to say that we can save it, he said. Theres a lot of talk about triage, chemical treatment to inject the trees, but no matter what, its going to go. Sooner or later, its going to go. You talk to forestry peopleit might prolong it, might stretch it out a little bit, but sooner or later, these bugs are going to get it. Period.

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Council approves $91,000 for ash tree removal