City Trees is a premier publication focused on urban + community forestry. In each issue, you’ll learn how to best manage the trees in your community and more!
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/22884
Large ash removals can be costly, so ash tree owners must be educated to budget for EAB just like municipalities must. showed that Bowling Green has 33% of the total tree population as maple. By 2010, however, maple trees represented 21.6% of the urban forest. In 2004, cra- bapples comprised 13% of the urban forest, but in 2010, they comprised 10%. Pear trees that made up 8.6% of the City-owned trees dwindled to 5.9% of the total tree population. —David S. Bienemann, Municipal Arborist, City of Bowling Green, Ohio comes to dealing with the inevitable impact of EAB in your community, being prepared for it is most important and beneficial. B Back in 2003, after EAB was first discovered in Ohio, ODNR Division of Forestry Urban Foresters began work- ing with communities and their tree boards to help get the word out about EAB and educate the public. Ohio already had experience with DED and gypsy moth, which offered several techniques that communities could uti- lize to prepare for EAB. In northwest Ohio where EAB was first discovered, tree commissioners placed post- 28 e Prepared. It is a simple motto that can be followed and encompass a whole host of actions. When it ers and signage about EAB and not moving firewood in key locations such as campgrounds, parks, rest areas, and local bulletin boards in offices, meeting halls, and even grocery stores. ODNR provided communities with items such as a map with their assigned area to hang posters, a list of talking points and tips, a vial with EAB larvae for show-and-tell, a letter with a USFS EAB fact sheet, and a sample press release to publicize the community’s participation in the effort. It got community volunteers accustomed to identifying high risk areas, talking about EAB, and answering common questions about the pest. Many communities began publishing regular articles in local newspapers and media, on their websites and utility bills, and even tagged ash trees in high profile locations for EAB Awareness Week. They also required mandatory EAB inspections in their pruning and removal contracts. Over time, there was multi- agency coordination between ODNR, Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA), and Ohio State University (OSU) Extension. Many informational open houses and town hall meetings were held for both green industry repre- sentatives and the general public to help educate and answer questions about EAB. All of this has been done City Trees