THUNDER BAY - Steps to protect city’s most prominent urban street trees against a dangerous invasive species is underway.
The emerald ash borer, first spotted in June of 2016, is an unwelcome guest that ravaged through ash trees in Southern Ontario.
Thunder Bay supervisor of forestry Mike Dixon hopes Thunder Bay won’t be the next victim.
“The ash makes up better than 25 per cent of urban street trees,” said Dixon.
“It’d be quite devastating if all these succumb to the beetle.”
It’s the reason city council announced it will spend $550,000 in 2017 to protect against the bug, and $6.3 million over 10 years.
“We’re drilling holes around the base of the trunk, and then applying small canisters to help us determine the dose of the pesticide,” said Tim Nosworthy, an arborist for Rutter Urban Forestry.
Over the course of six weeks, the city and Rutter Urban Forestry will be protecting about 1,700 ash trees across town.
“[The ash] has been a workhorse in this city. They grow well, they’re tolerant of drought, pollution; they provide a lot of benefits.”
As of 2017, the species - which has its origins in China - has killed more than 20 million ash trees in Ontario.
Nosworthy said Thunder Bay should be better off considering the “headstart” on preventative measures.
“They didn’t have the same foresight we do. We saw it coming they didn’t.”
The city is also urging anyone with private ash trees to reach out to Rutter Urban Forestry in order to get it treated.
