For the past two years, we’ve been reminding you to treat for EAB. It’s been estimated that Kansas City has around 4 million ash trees. Which means 4 million ash trees will die if no action is taken. But, what about the situations in which a tree is incapable of being saved?
Is My Tree Eligible?
We know that May and June are the prime times to treat. But, we also know many trees should have been treated last year, if not the year before. By simply looking at your tree, you can determine if they are a treatment candidate. If the tree has less than 30% damage to the canopy, treatment will likely be effective, but if exceeds 30%, the rest of the tree will die and need to be cut down.
Another factor is the DBH (Diameter Breast Height). This is the part of the trunk that should be measured when figuring the diameter of the tree, this is typically 3.5 feet from the ground. Your ash needs to be 8 inches DBH or greater to be eligible for treatment.
Related Posts: When to Treat for Emerald Ash Borers
Why Are Trees Important?
Unfortunately, we will lose many ash trees because of these factors and while you will have to say goodbye to your ash tree, that doesn’t mean you can’t still have a shady lawn. Trees are our natural canopy, they benefit us in more ways than just providing shade. Without trees, we would lose:
- Natural Water Filters: Researches say our forests provide natural filtration and storage of nearly two-thirds of the water supply in the USA.
- Clean Air: This seems like a no-brainer, but did you know, Researchers at the Davey Institute found that urban trees and forests are saving an average of one life every year per city because of the particulates that they remove from the air? A study in the Journal of Preventative Medicine found that people experienced more deaths from heart disease and respiratory disease when they lived in areas where trees had disappeared. Trees are often referred to as the “lungs of the planet” because of the oxygen they provide to other living things.
- Carbon Sequestration: A tree can absorb up to 48 pounds of carbon dioxide every year. Which is important because burning fossil fuels are creating heat-trapping carbon dioxide into our atmosphere.
- Jobs: According to the U.S. Forest Service, recreation visitor spending in National Forests amounted to nearly $11 billion in 2012. All that economic activity sustains about 190,000 full- and part-time jobs.
- Reduced Crime: Neighborhoods with abundant trees have significantly fewer crimes than those without. Researchers think that this is because green spaces have a calming effect and encourage people to spend more with their neighbors outdoors, bolstering community trust.
- Temperature Control:. The shade and windbreaking qualities that trees provide benefit everyone taking shelter from hot summer days. The average air temperature of a city with 1 million people or more can be 1.8–5.4°F warmer than its surroundings. Planting trees reduce the temperature plus households with shade from trees could spend 12% less on the cost of cooling in the summer.
These are only 6 significant benefits of trees, there are dozens more. Knowing this, it is important that when you remove an ash tree, you should replace it with another tree species. Many public property trees will not be replaced, but you can do your part by providing mother nature with another life to grow.
For more information on the emerald ash borer and your options, contact your Lawn Coach, today!
