1st Case Of Emerald Ash Borer Confirmed In Plymouth
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The City of Plymouth and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture have confirmed the presence of Emerald Ash Borer in at last one tree within the city.
On Tuesday, the invasive species was confirmed near Medicine Lake in the southeastern part of the city.
The unfortunate discovery was expected, however, according to Plymouth City Forester Paul Buck.
"There isn't a lot you can do to stop EAB, you can only slow it down," Buck said. "However, we have implemented prevention measures on our public ash trees in Plymouth, and we are in a better position because of it."
The city has been preparing for the arrival of ash borer since 2012. In preparation, the city has removed smaller, unhealthy or hazardous ash trees from city parks and replanted 16 different species of replacement trees. The city has also startd a two-year ongoing treatment cycle for larger, healthy ash trees in city boulevards and parks.
City officials say private property owners with ash trees should consider plans for treatment or removal.