'Total devastation'

A tiny green beetle is poised to cost the City of Everly a lot of green.

Waste Water and Street Superintendent Nate Fitzgerald on April 18 shared his concerns about the emerald ash borer (EAB) with the city council. He recently tallied 115 ash trees on city-owned property and in the right-of-way, a vast majority of which will need to be removed once the invasive pest makes its way to Everly.

"It will cause total devastation of our ash trees," Fitzgerald explained. "I just want the city to be prepared of what can happen because it's something we need to be prepared for. It will be costly for small towns like us."

EAB was confirmed last month in a park in Spencer. So far, the destructive beetle has been located in all but 10 of Iowa's 99 counties.

Once in a community, Fitzgerald explained the beetle wreaks havoc in relatively short manner. The adult beetles feed on ash leaves, causing very little damage. It is the cumulative damage by larval feeding on the inner bark that eventually kills ash trees. The feeding cuts off the tree's ability to transport water and nutrients to the canopy, typically killing a tree within two to four years.

Fitzgerald wasn't in favor of removing every city-owned ash tree immediately; however, he said a gradual process of removal would be necessary. He said the city council should consider adopting a dead tree ordinance so property owners are required to remove dead ashes at their residence once the beetle comes through.

"When we get some of these big ash trees that die, we don't want the town looking like crap," he said.

Pesticide treatments against EAB exist. Fitzgerald said the city may want to treat a few of its ashes, but most will need to be removed. Over time, the cost of the treatments adds up, making removal and replacement more cost-efficient.

Fitzgerald said Everly residents will need to make their own decisions about their ash trees. If a tree is shading a house, he suggested treatments would be a worthy investment.

"If it doesn't shade your house, let it go. It's that simple," he said.

EAB is the No. 1 threat to North American ash trees. Originally from Asia, the beetle traveled across the ocean and was first discovered in Michigan in 2002. Experts believe the bug hid in wood packing material or other shipping containers.

Fitzgerald said the City of Alta has been hit hard by EAB. He noted that the pest's primary mode of transportation is via firewood, and residents should be cognizant of what kind of wood they're bringing into the community and what they're taking out to slow the spread.

It's only a matter of time before EAB hits Everly, and Fitzgerald surmised the bug has already arrived – it simply hasn't been discovered yet.

"There are communities a lot worse off than us right now," he said. "It's sad, but it is what it is."

The city council agreed to investigate a tree removal ordinance in the near future and discuss a plan for EAB's arrival.

"It sounds like we have a lot to think about," said Mayor Ron Thompson.