The Stevens Point Department of Parks, Recreation and Forestry received confirmation Friday, April 8, from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection that the emerald ash borer (EAB), an invasive pest that kills ash trees, has been found in the city in the 2900 block of Center Street. This is the first confirmed EAB infestation in the city and Portage County.

EAB is a metallic–green beetle that measures approximately a half-inch long. The immature stage of the insect feeds on the inner bark of ash trees, disrupting the tree’s ability to transport water and nutrients.

Signs of EAB–infested ash trees include thinning or dying branches in the upper canopy, evidence of woodpecker activity, S–shaped feeding galleries under dead or splitting bark, D–shaped exit holes, and water sprouts along the trunk and main branches.

“This is a classic example where the woodpeckers are finding the infested trees before people on the ground do,” said Stevens Point Mayor Mike Wiza. “EAB attack is difficult to detect early on, so the dormant season is an opportune time to follow up on ash trees where woodpecker activity is evident and where they just might be feeding on EAB larvae that are overwintering underneath the bark.”

For homeowners concerned about the trees on their property, Stevens Point City Forester Todd Ernster offered some tips.

“Number one, you want to make sure you have an ash tree. If you’re sure it’s an ash tree, then you can move on from there,” Ernster said.

He said there are several types of trees similar to ash trees, but are not true ash trees, and EAB exclusively attacks ash trees without exception.

“The second thing you want to do is take a look at the tree and (determine) if it’s in good shape. Is it structurally sound? Is it declining? Is it in a good location – is it below power lines and you have to cut the top off all the time?” said Ernster.

If the tree is in good condition, Ernster said to determine if it adds to the property, such as adding shade to a patio or whatever the case may be.

If all those conditions are met, then he said treating the tree might be the best option for a homeowner.

“If it’s up to 14-inches across (diameter), if it’s bigger than that, you need to get ahold of a certified arborist to treat the tree. If it’s smaller than that, then you can just get something like this over the counter,” he said, pushing a bottle of Bug B Gon to the edge of his desk.

He said the treatment needs to be applied once a year. If the tree is larger and an arborist is required, there are a few different treatments that can be applied. Some require reapplication annually, bi-annually and less frequently.

If the ash tree doesn’t meet the criteria for keeping, if it’s already on its way out or if the homeowner doesn’t desire to keep up with treatments, the alternative is to have it removed.

“What I would do, number one, I would get a couple of estimates,” said Ernster. “People need to keep in mind that there are people that look for these first outbreaks, whether it’s treating the trees or removing the trees, but if it’s somebody that comes by with a pickup truck and a chainsaw, it’s not necessarily your best bet. So you want to get a couple estimates. It’s best if they are certified arborists, otherwise make sure they have insurance if they are removing the tree on your property because if they hurt themselves or they damage your house it could cost you more than the couple of hundred dollars you saved by not having a legitimate company doing it.”

He said asking around for references might not be a bad idea either, but getting more than one estimate and making sure they have insurance is vital.

Ernster said all the details and extra information, including photos and checklists, is available on the Stevens Point website at www.stevenspoint.com/eab.

The city launched an EAB awareness program Friday, April 1, by going around and tying green ribbons to city-owned ash trees. Ironically, the first EAB beetle was confirmed by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) the same day.

“It was a lousy coincidence that we happened to do the ribbon tying for the ash borer awareness at the same time we found emerald ash borer. Several people have told me they think we’re cutting down all those trees and that’s absolutely not true,” said Wiza.

“We had that planned with the Golden Sands Resource Conservation and Development Center for months that we were going to be putting those up that particular day – Friday, April 1, (April Fool’s Day) of all days,” Ernster said.

He said the day before his office had received a phone call about a possible sighting of EAB, and it was confirmed by the DNR the next day.

Ernster said he has gradually been preparing for EAB for years, as it was “an inevitability.”

“We’ve been working on this for a long time,” he said. “In 2004, we planted our last ash tree … and since then we’ve stopped planting them, we’ve been talking to (tree) retailers to make sure they are aware of (EAB) and aren’t selling them and to maybe sell different varieties of trees.”

When construction or land developments have come about that require cutting down trees, the city has replaced them with other species of trees.

Currently, about 11 percent of the 7,374 inventoried trees located on city-owned properties are ash. Ernster has reduced the number of ash trees from 14 percent in recent years through careful management.

The city doesn’t plan to cut down all the current ash trees, but will use a check list similar to the homeowner’s list to determine which are worth keeping and treating and which ones will need to be replaced.

Ernster said he will develop a more detailed plan for which trees to keep and which to replace and present it to the Stevens Point Common Council hopefully next month.

For more information, visit www.stevenspoint.com/eab or contact the Forestry Department at 715-346-1532.