City Council Minutes 2014 04 01 - Laserfiche WebLink

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City Council Meeting Minutes April 1, 2014 Page 3 of 24 City Forester Lichty provided information and management strategies the City will use to deal with the Emerald Ash Borer. The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB): The EAB is a wood boring beetle, which is an emerging threat to all North American species of ash. EAB has killed millions of ash trees and will kill all unprotected ash trees it invades. An EAB infestation was confirmed on the University of Colorado campus in September 2013. This location is within 5 miles of the City of Louisville. Treatment within a 5 mile radius of an infestation is recommended if the owner(s) elect to implement control measures. EAB may already be present in the City of Louisville, but not yet found. Fortunately, the numbers are still very low and sampling of suspected trees will be conducted spring 2014, and program implementation will be amended as necessary. Number of Trees City -Wide: Staff estimates the City has a total population of 123,000 trees, approximately 18,000 are ash. Out of the 18,000 ash trees, 1,000 are on public property, the rest are on private property. The Number of Ash Trees Located on Citv -Owned Property: 1,013 (274 White Ash and 739 Green Ash). Approximately 196 are high value trees located in Parks and City - owned median or rights -of -way. Staff recommended only treating public trees considered of high value. Treatment Options: Trunk injection; trunk spray and soil application. Treatments made before Ash trees are infested have a very good rate of success. Branch Drop Off /Curb -side Composting Program: Boulder County has established a Quarantined Tree Policy, whereby diseased trees cannot be transported outside the County. The City's Branch Recycling site meets regulatory requirements for any required quarantine procedures related to EAB. EAB will not impact Western Disposal's curb -side composting program. Privately Owned Ash Trees: Staff provides basic consultation as it relates to EAB and avoids recommending specific treatment options. The Colorado State University (CSU) Extension Service is the best source of information on EAB. COUNCIL QUESTIONS Council member Loo inquired whether the trunk injections pose a hazard to children and will the area be fenced. City Forester Lichty explained the injections are not toxic and treatment would be done very early in the morning. The areas will be posted and there will be a staff member on site until the procedure is complete. Mayor Muckle asked if it makes sense to remove and replace the non -high value Ash trees. City Forester Lichty stated new trees should be planted. He has identified areas for replanting. He noted many communities are replacing healthy Ash trees. Public