Corp Comm Connects
 
York residents enlisted in war on emerald ash borer
Neighbourhood ambassadors asked to spread word, plant trees today

YorkRegion.com
May 31, 2014
By Amanda Persico

With the cold and fierce winter we had, you might think no pest could survive those freezing temperatures.

Well, think again.

The last winter, with temperatures reaching well into the negative double digits, did not make a dent in the emerald ash borer population.

The invasive beetle is quite adaptable and the larva found within the trees produce their own form of anti-freeze, said Stacey Bowman, an invasive species specialist with York Region.

"The only good thing about this crisis is people are suddenly stopping to think about the trees on their street."

Bowman, together with members of the LEAF organization, hosted an emerald ash borer ambassador program for residents, arborists and forestry students in Newmarket today.

The focus of the program is to encourage residents to become ambassadors within their communities, spread education about emerald ash borer and organize community tree plantings.

There are reports the emerald ash borer has been in York Region since the early 1990s, but was not confirmed until 2008 when it was found in Vaughan.

The beetle, originally from China, travelled north from Michigan and continues to travel north to Lake Simcoe.

Now, Forestry Canada has drawn the ash quarantine line to include all of southern Ontario and parts of southern Quebec.

"We're seeing trees disappear from our streets," Bowman said.

During the course, the group ventured into a Newmarket subdivision where there were already dead ash trees together with dying and infested ashes on the same block.

"EAB spreads so quickly," Bowman said. "These beetle don't go tree by tree, one at a time. Often they attack entire streets."

And if you see one tree infested, often there are several others in the same location.

Unfortunately, a tree can be infested long before it shows any signs of infestation, but the tree rapidly dies off starting at the top.

"Within a year, the tree could be dead," Bowman said.

While the region along with each local municipality has a plan for dealing with ash trees along roads and within parks, there is still work to be done with ash trees on private properties.

That's where EAB ambassadors come into play.

Local volunteer ambassadors through the LEAF program play a vital role in spreading awareness of the emerald ash borer throughout neighbourhoods.

The program teaches volunteers how to identify ash tress and how to talk to neighbours about ash tree options.

Ambassadors can team up with local business improvement areas, ratepayer associations and parents groups as well as have a presence at the local farmers market and other street or cultural festivals.

Some of the success stories from the program come from local ambassadors canvassing the neighbourhood and going door-to-door talking to neighbours about ash trees, emerald ash borer and its impact.

Trees, especially mature ones, add to the value of a home and to the value of a neighbourhood, so protecting the trees would be in everyone interest, Bowman said.

"The only good thing about this crisis is people are suddenly stopping to think about the trees on their street," Bowman said. "The good thing is people are taking notice of those trees and realize we have to take care of exiting trees."

The best defence is knowing your options. Residents have the option to pay for treatment for private ash trees. Compared to total tree removal, treating an ash tree is often the less expensive option, she added.

Residents can even plant a new tree, regardless if they lose an ash tree, to help boost the urban tree canopy.

When considering their options, residents should seek professional help from a licensed arborist or a licensed ash tree treatment specialist.

For more information on how you can become an EAB ambassador in your neighbourhood, visit yourleaf.org

SIDEBAR

How to tell if your ash tree is infested: