Bloomington, Indiana – The Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Bloomington has gotten additional funds to deal with a silent but harmful threat that has been in the neighborhood for more than ten years.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has given a $50,000 State Urban Forest Resilience Grant to help protect and evaluate ash trees that are still under attack by the invasive emerald ash borer.
In 2012, the emerald ash borer, an insect that lives in Asia, was first found in Bloomington. It has been slowly changing the city’s landscape ever since. When the insect in question is in its larval stage, it digs tunnels under the bark of ash trees, blocking the flow of water and nutrients.
Most trees that are affected die within two years if they aren’t treated. At first, the damage may not be obvious, but once symptoms show up, things can become more serious very quickly.
With the grant in place, Bloomington’s urban forestry team will carefully look at the more than 500 ash trees that remain standing in municipal parks and along public routes. The assessment will show which trees can be saved and which ones are too damaged to be saved. The money will also let the city keep treating healthy, valuable specimen trees to keep bugs away and make them live longer.
Haskell Smith, an urban forester, emphasized that the long-term goal is more than just short-term care. The city wants to make a 10-year plan that says they will cut down ash trees that are dying and replace each one with two natural species.
“Replanting at a 2:1 ratio with a diverse selection of native trees will help protect against future invasive pest introductions and widespread disease outbreaks, such as Dutch elm disease,” said Haskell.
“Removing ailing ash trees will, over time, reduce safety concerns and the number of failures associated with wind and storm events.”
Taking down trees that are getting worse is supposed to make people safer as well as make them more resilient. Ash trees that are weak or dying can become unstable, especially in severe winds and storms. This makes it more likely that branches or the trunk would break. Over time, the goal of gradual removal and replacement is to lower those risks.
The Parks and Recreation Department will add $67,000 in local revenue to the state grant, which will allow for more work to be done. The award period lasts until June 1, 2027, which gives a set time frame for evaluation, treatment, and planning.
City officials also intend to run workshops and educational programs later this year and next to teach locals how to care for ash trees on public property and discuss what might happen to ash trees on private land in the future.
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You may find out more about how Bloomington takes care of its urban forest canopy and emerald ash borer by visiting the city’s website or emailing Urban Forester Haskell Smith at [email protected].
