Ash borer likely to cost Janesville big bucks
JANESVILLE — City staff predicts Janesville will lose most of its 33,000 ash trees within three to five years, and the parks director recommends the city hire a forester or contract with an arborist to deal with the recently discovered emerald ash borer infestation.
Tom Presny, parks director, said in a memo that the city might consider managing the trees on street terraces rather than leaving the duty to abutting property owners.
The emerald ash borer was found on private property north of Craig High School in late June, and experts suspect the insect has been in Janesville for at least three years.
Presny will ask for direction from the city council Monday on handling the tree problem.
The parks department will present cost estimates for the recommendations as part of the 2013 budget process later this year.
No federal or state money is available to remove or plant trees, although federal and state employees play a role in public education, Presny said. The city must pay to remove infested trees and plant new trees on city property.
Janesville has about 3,100 ash trees on street terraces and 30,000 ash trees in parks and on private property, Presny said. That’s 15 percent of the 24,835 trees along 345 miles of public streets.
Presny recommends:
-- Residents remove trees when they are still green because they become brittle when dead and “explode/shatter like glass when they are dropped to the ground,” Presny said. It is also about 30 percent cheaper.
-- Staff work with the Janesville Shade Tree Advisory Committee to educate the public about trees and diversify species in Janesville.
-- The city hire a forester or contract with an arborist.
“The city will need to increase its level of service in regards to forestry to get through this infestation,” Presny said. “We will likely need to contract with private tree-service companies and arborists to work with city staff to remove ash trees on city-owned property.”
State forestry staff told Presny that Janesville is the state’s largest community without a forestry program.
“Tree-related decisions are left up to residents often without benefit of education as to proper site placement, tree selection, tree pruning and related care,” Presny said.
In the 1970s, Janesville had a forestry department with specialized equipment. The department was dissolved after the city finished dealing with Dutch elm disease. City ordinances were revised to make abutting homeowners responsible for the care and removal of trees on terraces, Presny said.
The parks division has 17 full-time employees seven months of the year. The operations division has 14. All are experienced in tree removal and operation of equipment, Presny said.
“We do not, however, have adequate forestry equipment for felling, loading, hauling, chipping or stump grinding for high-production tree removal,” Presny said. “Nor is current crew size and equipment capability adequate to handle all (ash borer-related) tree work even if distributed over multiple years.”
A person on staff could focus on removing and replanting thousands of trees throughout the community, whether that person is a city employee or a contracted arborist, Presny said. The city also needs equipment to identify insect damage and remove and replace trees, he said.
-- The council consider an ordinance empowering staff to order the removal of dead or hazardous trees from private property when the trees only affect private property. Current ordinances allow staff to order the removal of dead or hazardous trees near a street or sidewalk.
Based on a 2008 survey, 36 percent of Janesville’s potential street planting locations have trees, in comparison to generally accepted forestry goals of 60 percent of terraces having trees, Presny said.
“We need to invest in our community’s future and should not accept the loss of all ash trees without adequate tree replacement to heal what will be many bare parks and public roadways,” Presny said.
“Parks recommends the city provide funding for a tree-replacement program.”
The ash borer is fatal to untreated trees.
Residents can chemically treat trees—something best done in spring—at a cost of $50 to $75 a year.
To learn more
Janesville residents or business with questions concerning the emerald ash borer can visit the city website at ci.Janesville.wi.us/eab. The list includes questions and answers, photos and links to resources from state and federal experts.
Residents also can call Rock County UW-Extension at (608) 757-5696.
Handouts for residents encouraging them to proactively remove ash trees and plant diverse species will be available in the fall.
On the agenda
The Janesville City Council will meet at 7 p.m. Monday in City Hall, 18 N. Jackson St.
Items on the agenda include action on a recommendation from the city’s sidewalk committee to build one additional mile of sidewalks this year and then close the 2012 sidewalk program.
Jul 24, 2012 at 5:14 p.m.
Suggest removal
Woody is right. Chicago area still has a long way to go before this disaster is over, and Michigan is the perfect state to learn from because they are 10-15 years deeper into the Extinction event. As much as I stand up for Americas Native tree species, planting Asian trees is the best bet for future survival. Even DED came from Asia, and scientists think it started with a cat whizzing on a tree, and that started growing these new type of spores long ago. Towns that cut down Ash trees when showing damage but not dead yet, seem to slow EAB's pace down. Towns who have not cut down any damaged Ash, have no good trees left at all now. EAB does like pre damaged trees, or it just shows quicker. The Typhoid Mary trees are the ones just showing a little damage. Those are the ones that need to go. Remember EAB is in trees 3 yrs before damage shows. Cutting down all good Ash in 10 mile area from first bad tree found, does not work either...Is the Red Apple resturaunt still around up there?
Jul 24, 2012 at 4:23 p.m.
Suggest removal
This is more on what chicagoman is talking about...
.
http://chicagotonight.wttw.com/2012/04/1...
.
The thing is, Chicago is in its early stages compaired to Detroit. I do hope someone comes up with the silver bullet soon for the eab though.
Jul 23, 2012 at 7:14 p.m.
Suggest removal
Sigma40 is showing us one thing that is wrong in the world. People who don't know their basic surroundings are dangerous to the people who do. We can appreciate life more, when one knows the names of the trees or stars.(Girls like that too) But as usual, it is the people in charge that "Do not care" because they don't know, but pass decision down that effects all of us. Many town Arborists giving out FALSE info too. HERE ARE THE FACTS! Ash is third most important native tree to America. Green Ash's lifespan is 300+yrs, & white lives 6OO yrs. Most other pkwy trees live well for only 50 yrs. Tree-age(Emamectin benzoate) works 99.5% of the time(godsend). Once all untreated Ash dies in area, EAB population crashes w/o food.(another godsend)(unlike Elm DEDisease that has bush Elm to keep it around forever). Ash trees only succumb to EAB after four yrs of increasing bug damage & no time healing. Since EAB will not have enough trees to grow to infestation levels ever again, treatments can be curtailed down to nothing within 6 yrs., and Ash heals over every year from a few bugs. Injection holes heal over fine. imidacloprid is only apatite suppressant to adult egg layer that has to eat tainted leaf first, also needs 2yrs to get up big trees and if any bug damage, use Tree-age first(lasts for 2 yrs and kills borers inside tree too)Arborists pay $2DBH, but charge $8-$10 per DBH. EAB bores between bark & newest growth ring. Bug does not bore into wood so no structural damage to tree. Start Treatment in mid may. Bug mates till mid August. Damage starts showing in Mid July. EAB does most damage in fall. Three years for damaged tree to heal & insecticide uptaked into any live branch w/leaves. Cut dead branches off for look of tree. Treat your best tree. Find oldest Ash tree in area and save. At 120 yrs old,still only teen. Almost every Ash tree planted in the last 140 yrs is still alive, till now. First settlers cut down old growth trees to build houses, then planted Ash next to their house to live alongside for 300 yrs. Treatment can cost $350 by end of EAB. Cutting down costs $1200 + 200 for destumping & $300 for new tree that will take 20 yrs to block sun again.
Chicago treated our pkwy trees, while across street Oak Parks untreated Ash is in severe decline. Truly a disaster down here & nothing like DED in 1970's. Now DED ii finishing off anything left, but EAB will win race. Contract for treatment & if unsuccessful, get tree cut down by same co. for cheaper agreed to price. Town can buy tree-age and do in-house application. $600 for 12-24 trees & $600 for serviceable injector. People want to save the rain forest but can not save their own American tree. Doh!
Jul 22, 2012 at 2:01 p.m.
Suggest removal
oldtimer, the raw numbers may be similar, but with DED the city could patiently wait until trees became sick, and isolated trees might not become a problem for years, because of the way the disease spread (primarily through root systems). With the EAB even healthy trees are going to very quickly succumb to the infestation. So it's going to happen in a very short time by comparison. The city is just trying to decide in advance how much enforcement they will apply to homeowners who do not act quickly or proactively, and how much the city will financially cover when trees become a problem. You're right that it isn't that *different* in general; the city's just trying to have a plan this time around.
.
woody, I have confidence that between Mike Maddox of UW-EX, Tom Presny of the city parks, and other officials, we have the expertise to develop a solid plan to deal with this. To some extent, though, costs will depend on how cooperative private land-owners are with the program the city sets out.
Jul 22, 2012 at 12:28 p.m.
Suggest removal
Why is this any different than the Dutch elm disease we went through in the 70's it didn't cost the city all that much, check it out gazette. The citizens took care of must of them,
Jul 22, 2012 at 8 a.m.
Suggest removal
City's link (that isn't hypertexted in the article): http://www.ci.janesville.wi.us/index.asp...
Jul 22, 2012 at 7:54 a.m.
Suggest removal
@Woody: Thank you for finding that link. Granted that Merrill is 'safe for now', but at least they're being proactive. Plus, this is the study, not a blog of highlights, that might be helpful for us to peruse.
Jul 22, 2012 at 7:49 a.m.
Suggest removal
Last I heard, EAB has not even hit Merril WI yet. There are many articles from Michigan and Ohio because they are living the destruction NOW.
Jul 22, 2012 at 7:45 a.m.
Suggest removal
"The idea is to get rid of the trees while they're still strong. Once a tree is diseased, it becomes a fall hazard and the price of removal skyrockets, the men said. One Michigan town they studied ignored the beetle and it ended up costing taxpayers $3 or $4 million to clear the dead ash, they added.
Shaker Heights' plan costs a fraction of that and has been held up as a model that other cities are now copying, Boag said.
.
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/04/...
Jul 22, 2012 at 7:32 a.m.
Suggest removal
Ash tree liability fact sheet.
.
http://sbslawoffice.com/uncategorized/as...
Jul 22, 2012 at 7:27 a.m.
Suggest removal
I'm not privy to all that is going on in Janesville re: EAB planning/analysis, but I doubt they're as far along with a study as this particular site: Merrill, WI.
.
http://www.merrillparkandrec.com/resourc...
.
This study is from 2009. See page 12: Decide to Remove or Chemically Treat Trees, with 'There are pros and cons to each choice:'.
.
Page 14: 'The relative advantages and disadvantages of preemptive vs. reactive removals.'
Jul 22, 2012 at 7:25 a.m.
Suggest removal
The lawyers will be busy. If a city tree falls on people or personal property, they are liable. If you have a tree that causes injury or damage, you are liable.
Jul 22, 2012 at 7:21 a.m.
Suggest removal
Some cities have decided to cut all ash trees when they are still green because dead ash trees are much more difficult to cut, meaning skyrocketing costs.
.
It sounds like it is much better to get ahead of this thing than to wait for the trees to die then deal with the aftermath.
Jul 22, 2012 at 3:41 a.m.
Suggest removal
The trees are going to die. Dead trees are a fire and safety hazard; this can't be ignored. The city should indeed consider ways to incorporate volunteer efforts into re-greening the city. It's great that we've saved money by being so frugal for thirty years that we don't have a forester, but that function is necessary at some level and its lack may have been a factor in the city's lack of tree diversity following a severe lesson in having too many of one species.
.
EdJames222, Green Tier does not require spending any money just by itself, and in theory it should ultimately be a way to save money for taxpayers by, for example, reducing energy costs. It would be foolish to say we can't afford it; in truth, we can't afford not to sign on. But I guess saving money for taxpayers is a UN conspiracy, too.
.
As for sidewalks, I thought everybody was ticked off because the property owners are paying for it, not the taxpayers. It isn't a general fund expense for the most part, so it won't compete against urgent expenditure needs.
Jul 21, 2012 at 9:28 p.m.
Suggest removal
Let it be. Leave the bugs, leave the trees and save the money. If the trees die I will not lose sleep. Nothing will change.
Jul 21, 2012 at 4:48 p.m.
Suggest removal
Like any elected officials, it is the Council's responsibility to establish priorites. Currently there are several issues vying for funding. First, the council is considering the sidewalk policy with possible property owner and/or city expenditures. Secondly, there is a move to become Green Tier. The Administration has recommended an expenditure for an outside consultant to organize the Green Tier effort. Whether justified or not the program will require property owner and city expenditures. Now, in today's newspaper the Parks Director indicates the probablility of removing 30,000 ash trees in the next few years. If this information is accurate, it answers the priority questiion. Significant city and property owner expense will be required. Sidewalks and Green Tier are wants but not needs. The removal of 30,000 tress will be a need. That need will greatly exceed any desire for the other expenses. Sidewalks and Green Tier expenses should be removed from consideration until the ash bore situation runs it's course.
Before you post a comment, consider this:
Note: GazetteXtra.com does not condone or review every comment. Read more in our User Policy AgreementPost Comment
Commenting requires registration.