Dakota County Under Emerald Ash Borer Quarantine

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It was only a matter of time, now its official. Dakota County is under an emergency Emerald Ash Borer Quarantine. The first discovery of the Emerald Ash Borer Beetle in Dakota County was made in December 2014 in the City of Eagan in the Lebanon Hills Regional Park.

As of now the Quarantine for Dakota County is in “Emergency” status. However, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture is expected to announce a formal Emerald Ash Borer Quarantine near the end of April 2015. Dakota County now joins Hennepin, Houston, Olmsted, Ramsey, and Winona Counties under quarantine due to the Emerald Ash Borer Beetle.

The above Counties under Emerald Ash Borer Quarantine prohibit residents from moving ash trees, ash tree limbs, and firewood out of the county from which it originated. Those caught in violation of the Quarantine can expect to face stiff financial and criminal penalties.

Public Meeting for Dakota County Residents Regarding Emerald Ash Borer

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the City of Eagan are offering the residents of Dakota County the opportunity to have their questions answered through a Emerald Ash Borer public meeting. The meeting will take place Thursday, March 5, 2015 from 6:00 – 7:30 PM at the Eagan Municipal Center. This will be an jammed pack information session that will be highly beneficial to Dakota County residents regarding Emerald Ash Borer and the various Emerald Ash Borer Treatment options.

I would highly recommend attending this information session if:

  1. you are a Dakota County resident
  2. you have an Ash Tree you wish to save from this devastating pest
  3. you would like more information regarding Emerald Ash Borer

Since the arrival of Emerald Ash Borer in St. Paul, the spread has been methodical and continuous throughout the Twin Cities. This public meeting is a pro active approach to Emerald Ash Borer education and the various treatment options. As with most tree diseases and tree pests a pro active approach, especially with Emerald Ash Borer treatment, is the best way to ensure your trees survival.

For more information regarding the Dakota County Public Meeting on Emerald Ash Borer, contact either the Minnesota Department of Agriculture or the City of Eagan via their official websites.

As always, we at Sweet Leaf Tree Service are here to answer any of your questions and to help develop an effective Emerald Ash Borer Treatment strategy that best fits your needs.

Mark your calendar now; March 5, 2015 at the Eagan Municipal Center for a informative meeting on Emerald Ash Borer and local plans to deal with this devastating pest.

 

Twin Cities Emerald Ash Borer Treatment and Prevention Strategy

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Since the first discovery of the invasive Emerald Ash Borer beetle in 2009 in the St. Anthony Park neighborhood of St. Paul to it latest discovery in Lebanon Hills Park in Eagan in December 2014, one thing is for sure; Emerald Ash borer is in the Twin Cities, it’s spreading, and it’s here to stay.

The question on everyone’s mind is: what are we going to do about it?

Different cities across the Metro are taking slightly different approaches in their Emerald Ash Borer Treatment and home owners are left wondering what is the best approach in dealing with the devastating and invasive pest.

For example, the City of St. Paul has implemented a Emerald Ash Borer strategy of “structured removal.” Structured removal involves the cutting down of declining or infested Ash trees. While this is the strategy of the city, private home owners have the option of treating their trees with insecticides. If a home owner elects to go with treatment instead of removal, proof that their tree has been treated against Emerald Ash Borer must be submitted to the city. The City of Minneapolis is also moving in the direction of removing Ash trees while offering home owners who desire, to pursue Emerald Ash Borer treatment with various insecticides, a cost the home owner must pay for. St. Paul and Minneapolis seem to have the mind set that the Emerald Ash Borer beetle can’t be beat and are electing to remove rather than to treat their various Ash trees. This is a strategy that is not popular with residents, but one that city officials believe will be the most cost effective approach.

On the other hand the City of Burnsville has revised it’s Emerald Ash Borer strategy. Initially Burnsville city officials outlined a plan in 2010 that focused on cutting down and replacing their Ash Trees. However, due to increased evidence showing insecticide treatment can save Ash trees, along with the cost comparison between treatment vs replacement and removal, the City of Burnsville is now focusing on preserving it’s natural urban forest. The city is so convinced that Emerald Ash Borer treatment is the best approach, city officials are now encouraging its residents to consider insecticide treatment rather than moving to cut down their trees immediately.

As you can see their does not seem to be a general consensus on how to handle and deal with the Emerald Ash Borer Beetle. Some feel it’s a losing battle and one not worth fighting, while others believe that an effective Emerald Ash Borer treatment strategy can prove to be the best response. I am of the opinion that the Twin Cities can win the war against the Emerald Ash Borer beetle and we don’t have to alter our landscape in doing it.

The key to winning this war is simple: education and awareness. Knowing what the Emerald Ash Borer beetle is and how it affects your tree is crucial in our fight against this pest. Contact Sweet Leaf Tree Service today to set up a consultation and to design and Emerald Ash Borer treatment strategy that best fits your needs.