Muskego Fares Well With Emerald Ash Borer

Muskego's lack of public tree plantings may have served it well, as other communitieis are struggling with the encroaching problem of emerald ash borer.

"We don't have many areas where we have public trees, and in those areas, there aren't any ash trees," explained Tom Zagar, conservation coordinator for the city. "Most of the trees planted are on private land, and even with our subdivisions, it's up to the developers what trees are selected."

Zagar said where there are white ash on public land, management is handled with a soil treatment at the base of each tree, costing only a few hundred dollars a year.

In comparison, the Whitefish Bay Village Board is considering how it will move forward with a recommended 10-year, $2.3 million plan to safeguard the village against the emerald ash borer tree disease. The emerald ash borer has also noticeablely infected trees in Oak Creek, which is about 10 miles away. Oak Creek and Franklin have removed hundreds of trees so far.

The village has contracted Wachtel Tree Service to study the vulnerability of Whitefish Bay's trees. Wachtel arborist John Gall said the bug is easily spread by moving ash trees and firewood, and is difficult to detect because of their small size.

“It’s inevitable that it’s going to come," Gall said. "It’s probably already here … in the early stages, it's very difficult to find it.”

Zagar agreed, stating that the purple 'tents' that are used to attract the insects in trees around the city have yielded no positive findings, but he knows that they are likely already here.

Last year's efforts in Whitefish Bay reduced the percentage of ash trees on village streets from 47 percent to 42 percent. The proposed 10-year management plan would reduce the number of ash trees from 42 percent to 19.2 percent and keep a majority of the current urban street tree canopy.

Other communities such as Oak Creek, Franklin, Milwaukee, West Allis, Wauwatosa, Shorewood and Fox Point are also treating public ash trees. Like Muskego, more rural communities do not have public street tree programs. The Whitefish Bay program only pertains to public street trees, not trees on private property.