Colorado-Real-Estate-Journal_355045

Page 30 - August 2-15, 2023 www.crej.com Property Management Raise Your Voice E merald ash borer is slowly but surely making its way through Colorado, more recently being spotted in at least one tree in Littleton. This tree-terrorizing invasive pest has the potential to ruin metro Denver’s landscape. The major issue when it comes to emerald ash borer is that the species has no natural predators in the United States. Ash trees have been heavily planted for the last 40 years, so there is plenty of food supply and nothing to slow this pest down other than preven- tive measures from local arbor- ists. If treatment and preventive steps aren’t done in time, one in five trees can be affected and potentially killed by these non- native beetles. Emerald ash borer is most com- monly spread from transporting firewood from city to city. These pests can fly, but not far. They are jumpers, so they hop their way around and essentially hitchhike from point A to point B and mul- tiply – and the cycle continues. Education is important when it comes to these pests. Know- ing what signs to look for on your trees and being aware of your local resources is what will help to keep these beetles under control. n Emerald ash borer. Emerald ash borers are small but mighty c r e a t u r e s . Adults are small, metal- lic green bee- tles that are one-half-inch long and one- eighth-inch wide (smaller than a penny.) Larvae are cream-colored and approxi- mately 1.25 inches long. These tiny pests may not boast a big problem visually, but their destruction is unmatched. They are non-native and invasive Asian insects that were first detected in Michigan in 2002 and have been spreading across the United States, first spotted in Colorado in 2010. EAB feeds on tissue just below the bark, creating winding tun- nels. Its feeding disrupts the tree’s ability to transport water and nutrients, eventually killing it. Because of this, regulatory agen- cies and the U.S. Department of Agriculture enforced quarantines and fines preventing logs from being moved out of areas where EAB occurs. These pests have ultimately caused municipalities, property owners, nurseries, and forest industries hundreds of mil- lions of dollars. n Signs and symptoms of EAB. How many ash trees are in your neighborhood or urban forest? This is a good telltale sign of how affected your area could be by emerald ash borer. Adult EABs are most active during late summer, fall and winter, tunnel- ing deep into the trees they infest. There are signs that property owners can look for when assess- ing their tree’s health. Canopy dieback, which typically begins in the top one-third of the cano- py, can be an early sign of EAB damage. Excessive woodpecker activity is a sign that the pests are actively present in your trees – they are searching for food and eating the larvae. Bark is major- ly affected by the EAB, leaving D-shaped holes chewed through the bark by emerging adults, bark splitting and flaking or S-shaped tunnels beneath the bark. Foliage edges can appear to be chewed off, and there can be sprouts of new growth at the tree’s trunk with heavy infestation. n Solution: Preventive care. So what can be done to fight against the emerald ash borer? Trees are urban infrastructure – just like a city bench or a sidewalk or a streetlight – and the benefits that healthy, mature trees pay back to communities are worth more than new trees will cost to install. Diversify your plantings. Be sure to plant different varieties of trees in and around your prop- erty so that, if one species suffers from disease, your entire land- scape won’t be wiped out. For treatment, start with a free arborist consultation to deter- mine if EAB is present and deter- mine suitable treatment options. Treating an infected tree is much less expensive than replacing it. There are four types of treatment options that Davey Tree offers: soil injection, trunk injection, bark spray and canopy spray. The most common treatments are soil injections and trunk injections. Both deliver the prod- uct right into the tree's tissue, which is then evenly dispersed throughout the canopy. The injec- tions target the larvae tunneling in the tree, which stops the most destructive phase of this insect. Canopy sprays, which help pre- vent adult borers from feeding and laying eggs, are also used occasionally. Systemic applica- tions help limit environmental exposure. Arapahoe County is priori- tizing ash tree insecticide treat- ments and removal, and there are some programs to help residents with the cost. Contact your local municipality for more informa- tion. s Steve.schopp@davey.com Emerald ash borer is making its way through Denver trees Steve Schopp, ISA Arborist and district manager, Davey Tree Expert Co. Emerald ash borers are small but mighty creatures.