Town of Oakville continues to treat municipal ash trees as EAB reach peak levels

InsideHalton.com
June 7, 2016

The Town of Oakville continued its fight against the invasive Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) this week by treating municipal ash trees on streets and in parks with TreeAzin.

The bio-insecticide protects the specially selected trees against the insect’s damaging effects.

Select treated trees will be adorned with a green ribbon.

The Town has budgeted $3.7 million for its EAB Management Program for 2016.

“Maintaining a healthy urban forest is vital to Oakville’s livability and sustainability,” said Oakville Mayor Rob Burton.

“Using best forest management practices, the Town is assuring a healthy, thriving tree canopy for today and years to come.”

Town staff said TreeAzin is a natural and safe bio-insecticide derived from the seeds of the neem tree, and provides up to two years of protection against EAB before it must be reapplied.

This is the fourth treatment for many of the trees in this year’s program.

“According to the most up-to-date research results, the EAB infestation has reached extreme levels in Oakville and is now at its peak,” said Jalil Hashemi, the Town’s acting manager for Forestry.

“All ash trees are under stress from the insect, but by continuing to treat the trees within the treatment program our goal is to have these beautiful trees lining our streets after the EAB population has died out.”

The Town’s EAB monitoring program suggests the EAB population will start to decline as all of the Town’s ash trees will either be protected or will have died, leaving the insect with no food source.

EAB larvae kill ash trees by eating the soft tissue under the tree’s bark, preventing nutrients from reaching the canopy.

TreeAzin inhibits the feeding and growth of the larvae.

The Town also wants to remind residents they can take action to mitigate the impact of EAB.

Forestry staff say watering a treated municipal ash tree helps the tree uptake the insecticide more readily, providing added protection.

In addition, residents are asked to remove any dead ash trees on their own property and help contribute to the town’s tree canopy by replacing those dead trees with native trees.

Municipal street and park ash trees that did not qualify for treatment are being removed for public safety and replaced with trees of different species.

Select trees marked for removal will be identified by a red ribbon.

For more information, visit www.oakville.ca and search Trees and Woodlands.