The City of Saint Paul Parks & Recreation Department will host informational meetings on Jan. 24 and Jan. 29 to highlight upcoming removals of public boulevard ash trees and to further educate concerned residents of the impact the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) infestation is having on the City’s urban tree canopy. Both meetings will take place at 6 p.m. with Hillcrest Recreation Center hosting the Jan. 24 meeting and Dayton’s Bluff Recreation Center hosting the meeting on Jan. 29.

Saint Paul has more than 25,000 ash trees on public boulevards with tens of thousands of additional ash trees on other public and on private property throughout the city. As part of an ongoing EAB management plan, the City has removed almost 4,000 public boulevard ash trees since 2009. The City’s EAB management plan focuses on slowing the spread of the infestation enabling the City to respond over multiple years. The City’s 2013 EAB management plan calls for a mix of structured removals of declining boulevard ash trees throughout the city, limited pesticide treatments for some non-declining ash trees in specific areas, and continuing to monitor and remove infested public and private ash trees. In addition, the City is working in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to test the success of the stingless wasps which were released in some “pilot” infested areas in 2011 to feed and kill the larvae of EAB.

City of Saint Paul Forestry experts will be on hand at each meeting to discuss the City’s plans for managing the EAB infestation in 2013 and to give homeowners tips and advice for how to manage their private property ash trees.

COMMUNITY MEETING DETAILS

Date: Thursday, January 24, 2013
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Hillcrest Recreational Center, 1978 Ford Pkwy, Saint Paul

Date: Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Dayton’s Bluff Recreation Center, 800 Conway Street Saint Paul

For more information on the City EAB management plans or 2013 structured removals, visit the link below