If you want to save your ash trees from an emerald ash borer invasion, get them treated with insecticide when they’re still young. If not, chances are that when the ash borer pestilence ultimately comes around, your ash trees— relatively unique among chlorophyll-powered lifeforms for having distinct male and female plants—won’t be able to reproduce, and their colonies slowly die off as a result, creating lots of dead wood in the city, among other fallout to the local area landscape. As of the November 2 council meeting, no vote was taken or firm decision made on the matter locally, but there was plenty of talk.

Originally native to northeast Asia, the six-legged pest largely resembling a dark-green cricket but with far more harmful results for members of the ash tree family was first detected in Michigan some 18 years ago. From there it branched outward, reaching into South Dakota and even Texas. If ash trees are left untreated with preventative measures, the larvae of the emerald ash borer deposited into crevices of ash tree bark burrow down inside and feed upon the host tree as they grow, leading to plant health problems, followed by a dead tree. Ash trees can be fortified against the winged emerald invaders if treated with a repeated injection of something called ‘emamectin benzoate’ over time from their younger years on, per the UW-Extension Horticulture department. Meanwhile, called back to memory during public comment at the Stanley city council meeting November 2 was the news that government money was available to help address the pest, and save the ash trees. Local citizen John Dickson brought up his concerns during public comment time.

Referencing a council meeting from the fall of 2018 wherein it was reported that grant funds were available from the DNR to fight the emerald ash borer if the city could be designated a “Tree City USA” on Arbor Day, Dickson said one of the two tree experts present at that meeting was willing to help fill out the grant forms for the program.

“I talked to Todd Chwala and he’s willing to assist with filling out the grant forms,” Dickson shared with the council Monday. As part of the first step, an ash tree inventory was carried out by the High School Environmental Sciences Class in cooperation with the city from 2018 on into 2019. Dickson said that one of the reasons that he was bringing the issue up to the council was that he had an ash tree on his boulevard and that if assistance was available to address the emerald pest issue, it should be taken.

“There are plenty of ash trees around,” he said. “So if there is assistance money out there to help alleviate the problem the city might as well move forward.” Dickson wanted to make sure the new city mayor Al Haas and administrator- treasurer-clerk Donelle Spaulding were aware of the matter, while alderman Kevin Hendrickson told Dickson the issue had come up recently.

“No, we appreciate that,” Hendrickson told him of the comments. “We talked about that last meeting.” Alderwoman Laurie Foster said in addition that whatever the city ended up removing for ash trees would be replaced, while city public works director John Hoel had comment as well.

“It’s the younger, premature trees” that the preventative actions would help, he said. If action was to be taken, it would need to be prior to arrival of the emerald ash borer and its tree-killing larvae. Acting after the fact would do little to nothing for saving the local ash tree population. Dickson meanwhile said that local arborist Travis Wellner might be good to contact, as opposed to burdening John (Hoel) and the whole city crew with the task. “Trees are important,” Dickson said. “So that’s all,” he said. Signage at the east end of town along X shows that the city is now a “Tree City USA,” per the National Arbor Day Foundation. Hurdle one, it would seem, is complete. But there were still questions Monday.

“Does it have to be assessed by an arborist?” alderman Mark Fitzsimmons asked, with a long-serving council member answering in the affirmative.

“For the grant I believe,” Jacob Huff said, earlier showing familiarity with the topic during Dickson’s comments.

With no further discussion on the topic, it was into the NHS partnership pitch.

Photo by Joseph Back.