The Sac City Council has approved a plan to protect the community’s ash tree population following the discovery of a destructive invasive species within city limits last month. Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) was first identified in rural Sac County near Schaller last August, but the beetles can spread quickly, often inadvertently by humans transporting infected wood. Councilman, Bill Brenny, conducted a survey of city-owned properties and brought his findings to the council’s meeting Tuesday. He explains the criteria used to categorize the trees.
According to Brenny’s evaluation, only eight trees fell into the high-priority category. The required insecticide is costly at around $480 per quart, which is enough to treat two trees. It would cost over $6,000 to treat everything on city-owned property. Brenny says the council decided on a more cost-effective plan.
The council has set aside up to $5,000 for these treatments, which will need to be reapplied in 2023. City officials are focusing solely on municipally owned areas, so residents will be responsible for maintenance or treatment of ash trees on their own property.
Adult borers generally emerge from beneath the bark of ash trees from May into June, leaving behind D-shaped holes. Signs of an infested tree include: branch dieback, particularly near the crown; water sprouts along the trunk and main boughs; bark splitting; and S-shaped tunneling beneath the bark. Since it was first identified in eastern Iowa in 2010, EAB has since spread to 80 of Iowa’s 99 counties. Links with more information on EAB and contact information to report suspected infestations can be found included below.
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