Arbor Update

Ann Arbor Area Community News

Ash Borer to cost Ann Arbor more than $6 million

31. December 2004 • Murph
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The Ann Arbor News reports that the City may place a special millage on the November ballot to raise money to pay for the removal and replacement of 9000 city ash trees. The city has already spent about $1 million to remove 1800 trees and replace 1000 of them.

Ann Arbor’s expense in dealing with the emerald ash borer is greater than that of other cities because of the number of publicly maintained trees. For example, the city of East Lansing hasn’t seen the Asian beetle yet. But Dave Smith, that city’s environmental specialist, said it’s just a matter of time. He estimates it will cost East Lansing $500,000 to take down and replace its 837 street trees.

By comparison, Ann Arbor has to replace 7,500 street trees.

Add another 3,300 city park trees and overall, Ann Arbor will have to replace some 10,800 public ash trees, roughly one-fifth of its tree population. The costs range from $450 to $600 per tree, for removal and between $120 to $330 for replacement.

And the infested trees must be removed within three years because of safety concerns, McCormick said. The trees become brittle once they are dead.

The Detroit News, meanwhile, reports of the spread of the ash borer, with three times as many counties now quarantined for the beetle as two years ago, despite a $35 million state containment program.



  1. Remember that the ash borer millage is on the ballot for this coming Tuesday.
       —Edward Vielmetti    Nov. 5 '05 - 06:21AM    #