The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Boards

Emerald Ash Borer Preparedness Plan

Introduction
The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is a non-native insect that was introduced to North
America from Asia. It was discovered in the Detroit, Michigan / Windsor, Ontario
area in 2002 and probably arrived in wood packing materials on cargo ships or
airplanes. Despite eradication and suppression efforts, EAB has killed over 20
million Ash trees in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland and Ontario.
EAB is a beetle that is smaller than a dime. The adult does very little damage.
However, this is not the case with the larvae (immature stage) that feed on the
inner bark of Ash trees. This feeding disrupts the trees ability to transport water
and nutrients. Larval feeding takes place over a period of years and eventually
kills the infested tree. All species of Ash are susceptible. Because EAB is hard to
detect, it can be present for years before an infestation is confirmed.
There are currently no known control measures for EAB. This means that it has
the potential of killing millions of Ash trees throughout the United States and
Canada. In Minneapolis this means approximately 210,000 trees which compose
the urban tree canopy on both private and public property. Of these,
approximately 38,000 are boulevard trees.
No one can determine when EAB will arrive in Minneapolis but if left to its own
natural progression it may be 60 years before it is present. This would give plenty
of time to attrition existing Ash trees out of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation
Board (MPRB) system. Unfortunately, EAB can travel easily in firewood and
nursery stock. This means that despite state and federal quarantines of infested
regions, EAB may already be established in the metro area.

Economic Impact
As noted above, there are an estimated 210,000 Ash trees on both private and
public property in the City of Minneapolis. This means that when Ash trees begin
to die, the biggest financial burden will be felt by private property owners.
Utilizing a simple formula for removals, stumping and replanting helps
demonstrate the magnitude of this cost. For example, consider an average
removal cost of $150, an average stumping cost of $75 and an average
replanting cost of $150. At these rates, the economic impact of losing 210,000
trees would be about $152,000,000.00.
Because of diminishing federal funds, the Minnesota Department of Agricultures
(MDA) EAB management plan is likely to include fewer eradication projects.
Cities in Minnesota will probably need to address the EAB invasion with limited
local funds. This is why it is important to establish state funded assistance as
soon as possible.
Without eradication projects, efforts will be put towards monitoring and regulatory
activities. Recognizing this reality, Jim Hermann and Ralph Sievert have become
regular participants on the MDA EAB Strategic Planning Team.
Beat the Beetle 15 steps to prepare for the arrival of EAB
The MPRBs Forestry Division has recognized the serious threat posed by EAB.
As a result, a fifteen step plan has been developed to proactively implement
procedures that will lessen the aesthetic, environmental and economic impact of
EABs arrival. Nicknamed the Beat the Beetle campaign; this plan was
endorsed by the Minneapolis Tree Advisory Commission in 2006. It was
unveiled on March 15, 2007 during an educational session of a meeting of the
Minnesota Shade Tree Advisory Committee.
Step #1: Ordinance Revisions
Much of the success that the MPRB has experienced in controlling the spread of
Dutch Elm Disease (DED) has resulted from the legislative authority prescribed
in local ordinances. Article II of Chapter 10 addresses DED control by declaring
DED to be a public nuisance. The ordinance then details the prohibition of the
nuisance, the right to enter all premises for inspection, abatement procedures for
public and private property, collecting assessments and not interfering with
performing the duties that the ordinance imposes.
Because the current ordinance deals only with DED, a revision will be needed to
prepare for the arrival of EAB. The obvious change will be to cover all tree
threatening pests within Minneapolis. By necessity a pest will be defined as an
injurious insect or microorganism that is harmful to trees. By broadening the
scope of the ordinance, it will be possible to adapt to both known and future
pests.

Step #2: Inventory Collection

The MPRB Forestry Division is in the process of collecting data on boulevard
trees throughout Minneapolis. From data collected thus far, it is known that 19%
of all boulevard trees are Ash. This percentage translates into an estimated
38,000 vulnerable trees. Considering that the cost of removing, stumping and
replanting these trees can be three times the current Forestry Division budget,
its easy to see why delaying the arrival of EAB is so important.
As of the writing of this plan, about three fourths of the City has been inventoried.
The Forestry Division is committed to the completion of this project and is
working with the MPRB Information Technology staff on data storage. Having a
functional inventory will provide the exact location of boulevard Ash trees. This
information will be an important management tool for combating EAB when it
arrives.
Step #3: Informing Policy Makers
For over four decades, a key component to the success of the Forestry Division
has been the support provided by elected officials. Specifically, the
Commissioners of the MPRB have provided the resources and policy support
needed to remove elm trees when it was not politically popular to do so. The
same kind of support will be needed when EAB arrives.
As new information on EAB becomes available from the Minnesota Department
of Agriculture, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the US
Forest Service, Forestry staff will relay what is pertinent to the MPRB
Commissioners. This is in addition to formal updates that will be made during
Operations & Environment Committee reports. Such Committee reports also
help inform the public during broadcasts on cable television.
Step #4: Media Relations
The MPRB Forestry Division and the MPRB Public Information and Marketing
Office are cooperating on monthly news releases that cover a variety of tree
related topics. This helps with the dissemination of timely information regarding
EAB. This can result in public interest stories like one that appeared on KARE
11 TV on May 22, 2007 during EAB Awareness Week.
However, the very nature of the work performed by the Forestry Division leads to
regular contacts by TV, radio and newspaper journalists. Whether the subject is
DED, new tree planting or the need for watering; Forestry staff is regularly asked
to respond to the media. When such opportunities occur, every effort will be
made to incorporate EAB awareness into the story subject.

Step #5: Inform the Public

In addition to cultivating media relations, there are other means whereby the
MPRB can disseminate information about EAB. The most accessible are those
that the MPRB has direct control over. These include the MPRB neighborhood
recreation and community centers, MPRB District Newsletters, tree care clinics
and cable TV. In February 2008 an EAB informational page was posted on the
MPRB website with links to state and national web pages.
Still other avenues are available to the MPRB for spreading news about EAB.
Neighborhood newsletters lend themselves to this cause because the editors are
regularly seeking timely and relevant news. Another is neighborhood meetings
and festivals where Forestry staff can reach a large number of people.
Step #6: Train the Staff
The key to responding to an EAB infestation is to identify the presence of the
insect as early as possible. This will allow the MDA to determine the extent of
the infestation and the best containment strategy to use. The MPRB Forestry
Division is fortunate to have 70 Arborists, Crewleaders and District Foresters
working in the field to assist with this task. Unlike DED, identifying EAB is often
difficult. In places where EAB has been found it is believed to have been
undetected for years.
The Forestry Division has responded by increasing the credentials required of its
staff. The International Society of Arboricultures (ISA) Certified Arborist and
Certified Tree Worker programs that have been available for years has resulted
in approximately 40% of Forestry staff having one of these titles. Now newly
hired Arborists will need to obtain certification as a condition of employment. To
ensure that certification is maintained educational opportunities such as the
Minnesota Tree Care Conference, Shade Tree Short Course and in-house
training will continue to be made available.
Step #7: Educate Contractors
For several decades the Forestry Division has utilized private contractors for the
removal of diseased elm trees on private property. The relationships that have
developed over time will enable these contractors to provide added help with the
approaching invasion of EAB. Beginning in 2008, the Forestry Division is
providing contractors with information on EAB so that they may assist with the
identification and early detection.
Knowing that continuing education is a key to EAB identification, the Forestry
Division has updated its private tree removal specifications to require contractors
to employ at least one ISA Certified Arborist in their company. This requirement
took effect in 2007. Since then the Citys Department of Regulatory Services has
established a similar requirement for all companies seeking a tree servicing
license. The resulting workforce will be better informed about recognizing the
symptoms of EAB and how to deal with its arrival.

Step #8: Adapt Maintenance

The pruning of boulevard trees can be very time consuming if the trees receive
the kind of work that is necessary to increase their longevity. For example,
pruning for proper branch structure and apical dominance helps a tree to
withstand ice and storm damage. However, this may not be the best use of
resources for a tree species that will not be around for the long term future.
Recognizing that the arrival of EAB is just a matter of time, Forestry Division
crews are spending less time pruning ash trees that other types. Ash tree
pruning now consists of two basic steps. These are the removal of low limbs that
interfere with pedestrian and vehicle traffic as well as the removal of deadwood.
The time saved pruning ash trees can be spent on longer lasting species.
Ironically, one of these is the disease resistant elms that show promise in tough
urban settings.
Step #9: Stop Planting Ash
The loss of thousands of elm trees to DED in the late 1970s caused a need for
inexpensive yet fast growing trees that could endure tough city conditions. This
resulted in the unintentional over planting of ash trees by home owners and
municipalities. Unlike many cities and villages, Minneapolis adopted a Master
Street Tree Planting Plan (MSTPP) in the early 1980s. This helped ensure
species diversity and limited the number of ash planted on public properties.
Over time the MSTPP developed into a dynamic document. Species that were
prescribed in the 1980s proved unsuitable over the next twenty years. Even
when following the MSTPP, the number of ash on boulevards and in parks
increased. It was not uncommon for the MPRB to plant over 300 ash each year.
With the realization of EABs destructive nature, the Forestry Division reduced
the number of ash planted to 44 in 2005 and 9 in 2006. Since 2007, no ash trees
have been planted by the MPRB.
Step #10: Replacement
The perfect scenario for any urban forest would be one in which there were no
disease or insect pest to deal with. However, even in this ideal setting there
would still be a need to remove aging trees and replace them with new ones.
This is because much of an urban forest is manmade. Without replanting, the
urban forest would suffer from senescence and eventually die off.
One of the goals in the battle against EAB is to slow the insects arrival to
Minnesota for as long as possible. During that time, there are ash trees that will
reach the end of their life cycle and need to be replaced. The MPRB Forestry
Division will use this opportunity to replace ash with other species.
Other opportunities for ash replacement will also be pursued. These include
situations where ash was probably not the best choice at the time of planting.

The best example of this is ash trees that have been repeatedly topped for
utility line clearance.
Step #11: Attrition
Each year the MPRB and the City of Minneapolis undertake improvement
projects that are within close proximity to public trees. These projects may
involve pathways, trails, streets, bridges, playgrounds, buildings and utilities.
Even with the incorporation of tree preservation techniques, such projects
occasionally impact trees in a negative way.
During these improvement projects, the Forestry Division will look for
opportunities where desirable types of trees may be preserved by sacrificing
neighboring ash. For example, the construction of a new pathway may require
choosing between the removal of large ash trees or young oak trees. Even
though the ash may be larger and possess a bigger canopy, it makes more
sense in the long run to sacrifice them and save the smaller less mature oak
trees.
Step #12: Empathy
There is a personal side to the removal of ash trees that the Forestry Division will
consider as it prepares for the arrival of EAB. Many property owners have
developed a connection with the boulevard ash bordering their residence.
Occasionally such trees mark a significant event that only the adjacent resident
can appreciate.
With the exception of hazardous trees, ash trees will not be removed with the
goal of replacement (as outlined in Step #10) if the adjacent property owner
objects to the removal. The Forestry Division has determined that the loss of
goodwill is not worth the benefits gained from a controversy with a resident. This
is especially true considering the fact that EAB will indiscriminately destroy such
trees anyway.
Step #13: Cooperate
The earlier that EAB is found, the sooner it can be dealt with. The lead agency in
Minnesota for preparing for and detecting EAB is the Minnesota Department of
Agriculture (MDA). The MPRB Forestry Division has been actively cooperating
with the MDA in this effort for years.
Forestry Division staff have participated on the MDAs EAB Strategic Planning
Team. This lead to the creation of an EAB Response Plan. Cooperation has
also meant the provision of wild grown ash trees that are sacrificed as EAB bait.
Such trees are called trap trees and are removed, dismembered and examined
for the presence of EAB.

Step #14: Advocate

When the devastation from DED was at its peak in the late 1970s, public demand
resulted in state assistance to municipalities. Tens of millions of dollars were
made available to help with removals and replanting. Rather than wait for the
arrival of EAB to spur a similar response, the ideal approach would be to have
state assistance in place ahead of time. Steps in this direction have been taken
by MPRB lobbyists at the state level.
In 2007 the Forestry Division participated on the Forest Protection Plan Task
Force (FPPTF) which was created by the Minnesota State Legislature. The
FPPTF was charged with developing a plan to prepare the state for early
detection, appropriate response, and educating the public regarding invasive
pests that threaten tree cover in Minnesota. The creation of the Forest Protection
Plan in 2008 outlines what is needed at the state level to help Minnesotas cities
and villages prepare for EAB. The MPRB will advocate for the need to
implement this important plan.
Step # 15: Follow the Leader
Once EAB is found in Minnesota, the MDA will implement its EAB Response
Plan. A variety of options are laid out in the plan. These range from suppression
which limits the spread of EAB to eradication which seeks the total removal of
EAB. The extent of an infestation will determine which course of action will be
pursued.
The longer it takes EAB to arrive in Minnesota, the longer the MDA will be able to
learn from other states and municipalities where the insect has become
established. Procedures nationwide for dealing with EAB have already changed
dramatically since the initial discovery in 2002. As one of MDAs cooperating
partners, the MPRB Forestry Division will have an intimate knowledge of what to
expect when EAB arrives.

Links to Websites
U.S.D.A. Forest Service:
http://www.emeraldashborer.info/index.cfm
Minnesota Department of Agriculture:
http://www.mda.state.mn.us/plants/pestmanagement/eab.htm
Compiled by:
Ralph Sievert
Director of Forestry
MPRB Forestry Division
March 17, 2008