How is Minnetonka preparing itself for emerald ash borer?
Purple prism traps
In January 2010, the City of Minnetonka received a $75,000 competitive grant from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to prepare for emerald ash borer. The goal of the preparedness project is to invest time and money before emerald ash borer becomes established in Minnetonka, in order to best utilize staff time and city resources. As of August 2010, the insect has not been found here.
Beginning in spring 2010 and using grant dollars, a forestry intern surveyed city properties such as parks, outlots, city buildings and right-of-ways for ash trees and made note of areas with the greatest density of ash and areas with declining or defective ash.
Using this information, the city has made plans to reduce the number of ash trees in the maintained areas of parks and to start replanting different and diverse tree species in their place. By prioritizing the removals of declining and defective ash, costs can be spread out over time. Proactive removals of stressed ash trees will also decrease the number of standing hazard trees in the active areas of parks once emerald ash borer takes root in Minnetonka.
The ash tree reduction project is underway in Groveland, Boulder Creek, Big Willow and Meadow Parks, with about 100 ash tree removals occurring in August and September 2010 and replanting occurring in September and October 2010 and depending on the weather, in May 2011.
In addition to removal and replanting, the grant also funds:
- A tree inventory
- A data management program to track tree planting and tree removals
- Hiring an additional tree inspector to scout for declining ash trees
- Watering newly-planted trees
- Grinding removed ash stumps
- Identifying high-value ash trees
- Communicating with residents about emerald ash borer
The grant is funded by the Forest Protection Reserve Grant program from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), provided from the Outdoor Heritage Fund, a part of the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, as appropriated in Minnesota Laws 2009, Chapter 172.
In addition to the above activities, the city has been preparing by:
- Informing and educating homeowners about emerald ash borer
- Applying for grants
- Participating in the MDA’s emerald ash borer trap program and destructive sampling of ash
- Inspecting ash trees with heavy wood pecker activity and reporting suspicious trees to the MDA
Read past Minnetonka Memo articles about the city’s emerald ash borer preparation:
- Emerald ash borer park preparation work begins in August—August 2010
- Taking action on emerald ash borer—April 2010 Natural Resources Pullout
- Minnetonka prepares for emerald ash borer—August 2009
- Learning more about emerald ash borer—December 2008
