Arvada's 'Ash Is On The Line' Because Of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB)

ARVADA, CO —The city of Arvada recently sent out a poll to residents to find out what they know about the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) beetle and whether they are treating their own trees for EAB.

Available online, the city said the feedback will help its Forestry Team determine what information and resources still are necessary to help protect more of Arvada's ash trees.

The EAB is considered the most destructive tree insect pest ever to be introduced into North America, and it has killed millions of ash trees throughout the U.S. and Canada.

First detected in Colorado in Sept. 2013, the EAB was first observed in Arvada in June of 2020, according to the city. The Colorado State Forestry Service (CSFS) said an estimated 15 percent or more of all urban and community trees in Colorado are ash species susceptible to being killed by EAB.

As Arvada celebrates trees through its Arvada tree campaign, the city also is looking to raise awareness about the impacts of the EAB on local trees. The poll will help officials determine if they need to provide the community with additional information and resources to help save more of the city's ash trees from EAB.

"Trees are vital to the infrastructure, health and beauty of our community. They provide important benefits, including: improved air quality, shade, stormwater mitigation and bird habitat," the city of Arvada said in a statement. "Our trees also face challenges. One threat that trees are facing in our city right now is the impact of EAB."

According to the CSFS, the first step in protecting your property from EAB is determining whether you have ash trees on your property. The key attributes of ash trees include:

• Compound leaves with 5 to 9 leaflets
• Leaflets, buds and branches growing directly opposite from one another
• Diamond-shaped bark ridges on mature trees

If you do have ash trees, the next step is determining if EAB is present, which can be difficult for the untrained eye. Symptoms include:

• Sparse leaves or branches in the upper part of the tree
• Vertical splits in bark possibly showing S-shaped galleries underneath
• Increased woodpecker activity
• Miniature leaves at the tips of branches late in the summer

The CSFS and its local partners continue to take steps to protect communities from EAB. Those steps include:

• Tree quarantines
• Outreach efforts
• EAB identification and branch-peeling workshops
• Assisting communities with tree inventories and assessing the ash tree population
• Introducing biocontrol measures that target and kill EAB larvae
• Implementing detection actions to try and locate EABs.

However, there also are several steps homeowners can take to protect ash trees, deal with EAB and prevent EAB from spreading, including:

• Monitoring trees for the presence of EAB
• Removing and/or replacing ash trees
• Planting new trees preemptively in an effort to get them established before the arrival of EAB
• Homeowners never should transport hardwood firewood or any other raw wood products from ash trees, as this is the most likely method of accidental spread.

Chemical treatments also are an option, though the CSFS warns that homeowners should educate themselves when purchasing chemical products to protect trees against EAB and talk to a professional forester, extension agent or arborist before applying any treatment.

More information about EAB and protecting your trees is available on the CSFS website and through its "Your ash is on the line" campaign.