June 1 to 7, 2014, is Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week

Fri, 30 May 2014

Learn what you can do to help save Oakville’s tree canopy!

The Town of Oakville has proclaimed the first week of June to be Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Awareness Week and encourages all residents to stay informed about the invasive insect, learn about ash tree treatment and removal options, and take proactive measures to help conserve our tree canopy.

Mayor Burton made the announcement at the town’s recent Arbor Day event held at Sheridan Valley Park woodland, where 200 trees were planted after the loss of the ash trees due to EAB.

“Oakville is leading the way in EAB management,” said Mayor Burton. “We encourage residents to follow the town’s lead to treat or remove ash trees and plant new trees. By taking a proactive approach we can protect and enhance our tree canopy for future generations.”

EAB is infesting ash trees across Canada and the United States and is responsible for killing tens of millions of ash since its discovery in North America in 2002.

New information about the spread of EAB in Oakville is available on the town’s website, including a map illustrating that the current infestation levels in Oakville are high to extreme in many areas of the town.

“With 80 per cent of Oakville’s ash trees located on private property, it’s important for residents to make a decision now about the fate of their trees. Untreated ash on private property are dead or dying and becoming structurally unsound. Doing nothing is not a solution and puts public safety and property at risk,” said John McNeil, manager of Forestry Services.

McNeil makes the following recommendations:

• Residents who have already begun a treatment program should continue the prescribed schedule.
• Residents who are considering beginning a treatment program should check the map to see if they are within the ‘moderate’ infestation zone and have a qualified arborist assess if their trees qualify for treatment.
• Untreated ash trees in the ‘extreme’ and ‘high’ zones are likely too infested to be saved and should be removed now by a qualified arborist and replaced with a different species.
• Residents without ash trees can also be part of the solution by planting new trees on their property to help conserve the town’s tree canopy.

The town is using the bio-insecticide TreeAzin® to treat municipal ash trees. Treatment is most effective when timed with the emergence of the adult beetles, which is early June in Oakville, and can be administered through to the end of August.

The town will continue its treatment of 75 per cent of the public ash tree canopy on streets and in parks this summer. For some trees, this will be the fourth treatment since Oakville first launched its EAB management strategy in 2008.

Municipal ash trees that did not qualify for treatment are being monitored by the town and will be removed from streets, parks and woodlands over the coming years to ensure public safety.

Residents are encouraged to like Oakville Canopy Club on Facebook and follow @OakCanopyClub on Twitter for EAB news, event announcements and useful information about tree care and protecting our urban forest.

For up-to-date information about EAB in Oakville visit EAB page.