Business & Tech
Widespread EAB Infestation Forces West Des Moines To Issue Tree Removal Notices
Homeowners with infested ash trees on their property are now left with no choice but to have them removed.
July 14, 2020
As anticipated, the emerald ash borer (EAB) population has reached the level to where untreated trees are declining and dying rapidly. Homeowners with infested ash trees on their property are now left with no choice but to have them removed. Ash trees that die or have substantial dieback due to EAB are extraordinarily dangerous. The dead wood becomes highly unstable and brittle with limbs and branches failing at any time and under any condition.
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WDM City Code (7-10-7E) references “Dead, Diseased or Insect Ridden Trees” on private property and the ability of the City to require the removal of hazardous trees. Code Enforcement Officers, along with the assistance of Forestry Staff, will be assessing trees that pose a serious risk to pedestrians, the traveling public and neighboring property. Written notice will be served to property owners with dead or dying trees threatening sidewalks and streets.
Signs that a tree may be infested with the ash borer include thinning or dying branches in the top of the tree, evidence of excessive woodpecker activity, numerous sprouts anywhere on the tree and/or the presence of EAB larvae or adult insects.
Urban Forestry Supervisor John Olds said if you haven’t had your ash trees treated with a chemical injection, it’s more than likely too late. “It’s time to call a tree care professional and talk about treatment or removing these trees because they are dangerous and prone to breaking apart with no warning,” he said.
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The City of West Des Moines has been preparing for the emerald ash borer for about the last seven years. An initial EAB Management Plan was developed in 2013 and modified in 2014 to reflect advancements in injection treatments capable of protecting an ash tree for approximately two years. The City has successfully been treating 830 public ash trees since 2015 and has removed several hundred more that did not meet the criteria for treatment. If you have any questions, contact John Olds at (515) 222-3417 or by email at john.olds@wdm.iowa.gov.
This press release was produced by the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce. The views expressed here are the author’s own.