City Staff have begun marking trees and notifying residents regarding removal of ash trees within the public right-of-way (boulevard) that are infected with Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) disease. These trees, though sometimes appearing to be on private property, are located within public right-of-way. The width, or distance from the road, of public right-of-way differs by street and sometimes by address.
EAB is an invasive insect that attacks and kills ash trees. Signs of EAB infestation:
- Canopy die-back
- Blond patches on branches and/or trunk
- Woodpecker damage
- Splitting bark
- D-shaped exit holes
Removal on private property is not required by City Code, but is encouraged to help slow the spread, and prevent dead and dying ash trees from becoming a safety hazard. If you have an ash tree on your property that must be removed, consider replacing your ash tree with another native or non-invasive, quality shade tree species.
Some good options for replacement shade tree species are:
- Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa)
- Disease resistant elms, such as Ulmus ‘St. Croix’ or ‘Cathedral’
- Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)
- Ironwood (Ostrya virginiana)
- Kentucky Coffee Tree (Gymnocladus dioicus)
- White Oak (Quercus alba)
- Swamp White Oak (Quercus alba)
- Or visit the MN DNR website on the best native yard trees for our changing climate.
Learn more about Emerald Ash Borer.