This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Life Editor

Blaine is moving ahead with a program to address the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) infestation threat in advance of the tree-eating pest’s first city appearance.

Robert Therres, Blaine’s public services manager, briefly described the city’s advance plan of attack to battle the insects during a Nov. 19 Blaine City Council workshop.

Therres reported that City Forester Marc Shippee estimates there are about 80,000 ash trees in Blaine.

He estimated about 15,000 of the trees are on public right of way or located in the city’s parks.

St. Paul and more recently Falcon Heights have reported the EAB’s presence, Therres said.

“It’s moving west and will make its way to us,” he told the council last week.

According to Therres, once a city is infected by the pest, the end result is “total devastation” to the ash tree population.

Therres told city council members that Shippee had put together a draft plan for dealing with the EAB threat before the tree-killing insects are detected locally.

According to Shippee, the most appropriate management approach to fight the EAB is systematic removal of ash trees on public property over 10 to 15 years.

All ash trees native to Minnesota are susceptible to infestation by EAB, Shippee said.

Trees become infested when adult beetles lay eggs on the bark.

The eggs hatch into larvae that bore into the tree, reaching the layer between bark and wood.

This disrupts water and nutrient movement and kills the tree.

According to Shippee, the EAB appears to prefer to attack trees that are under stress, but the insect is capable of killing perfectly healthy trees.

“We know EAB adults can fly at least a half-mile from the tree when they emerge,” Shippee wrote in his management report.

“However, many new infestations are started when people move infested ash nursery trees, logs or firewood into uninfested areas. Shipments of ash nursery trees and logs with bark are now regulated.”

This year, the city and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture placed EAB traps in trees throughout the city, but Shippee said that no beetles were captured.

“Although it’s tough to know for certain when the EAB will arrive in Blaine, our best estimate is anywhere from 2010 to 2015,” he said.

While a tree inventory has never been done in the city, Shippee estimated that Blaine has approximately 3,000 to 5,000 boulevard ash trees and 8,000 to 10,000 ash trees that are located parks and open spaces.

Approximately 50,000 to 70,000 ash trees are currently located on private property throughout the city.

The city’s plan calls for preventive removal of trees on public property, starting a replacement tree program and spreading out planting and cutting over several years to soften the cost and workload of the program.

According to Therres, there is grant funding up to $100,000 available from the Department of Agriculture for EAB programs. It requires a 15 percent local government match, but the match can be done with “in-kind” services.

Shippee said that the city’s tree reforestation fund is another resource that should be considered for purchasing replacement trees of a different species.

The current fund balance is just under $120,000, according to Shippee.

Once EAB is discovered, ash wood will be quarantined by the state and its movement will be illegal.

Blaine is currently working with Anoka County to identify designated areas where the wood can be brought. Similar sites will be located in the city.

“Evidence shows that once this insect becomes established, ash trees could start dying by the thousands,” Shippee concluded.

“With that much work available, the cost of hiring a contractor will rise significantly. It may be prudent to put out a request for proposal (RFP) to removal contractors.”

According to Shippee, the city may be able to get a significantly lower flat-rate if one business is awarded the contract for ash tree removal.

Council members concurred during the workshop that staff should proceed with developing its EAB management plan and submit it for state grant funding.

Tim Hennagir is at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it