A yellow X will mark Collingwood trees that won’t survive an invasion of Asian beetles.
Collingwood has begun its seasonal tree management, and that means marking ash trees vulnerable to the Emerald ash borer infestation currently devastating ash trees across North America since the beetle was discovered here in 2002.
But a green dot may bring some hope to Collingwood residents particularly attached to a local ash tree. A green dot painted on the trunk means that tree will be getting a TreeAzin treatment, which is an annual injection of emerald ash borer killing serum that has been known to save an ash tree from its fatal destiny.
In 2014, Collingwood undertook an assessment of trees on town property and identified 140 ash trees that could be saved. According to Adam Ferguson, communications officer for Collingwood, the town chose the healthiest trees located on boulevards and in parks and started them on a TreeAzin treatment.
The cost per year for the treatments is approximately $9,000.
According to Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Forest Service scientists estimate Canadian municipalities will spend about $2 billion over a 30-year period dealing with the effects of the emerald ash borer. That total includes treatment, removal, and replacement of trees.
The town of Collingwood plants approximately 125 trees annually.
Currently, the town is undertaking an Urban Forest Management Plan (you can learn more about it here), and that includes taking a full inventory of the town’s trees and the health of them. The evaluation will guide the town’s tree management efforts this summer.
Trees slated for removal will be marked with a red R. According to a press release issued by the town today, trees are removed when they become hazardous and could potentially fall on a busy street or sidewalk. The town will prioritize the removal of hazardous trees over those along the side of a trail.
If you see a tree marked with both a green and a blue dot, that tree has been treated with TreeAzin.
The town will not be treating or removing ash trees on private lands. Residents are encouraged to call an arborist for their private trees.
