City of Lake Geneva will lose over 3000 ash trees due to the infestation of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in a matter of several years so stated Alderperson Mary Joe Fesenmaier in her report to the city council on 3.2.2009.
At the city council meeting on 03.09.2009 Alderperson Fesenmaier added $200,000 to the TIF projects budget for the purchase of new trees.
In a report to the Tree Board by Jonathan Foster, Forester for the City of Lake Geneva, stated that “all of the Ash trees will be dead within a number of years and will have to be removed.” The EAB has infested Ozaukee and Washington, plus the neighboring quarantined counties of Fond du Lac and Sheboygan. The infestation is so severe that the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection have decided eradication methods would be ineffective and impossible.
Also contributing to the pending “vacant look to our landscape” the power utility, ATC (American Transmission Company), will be taking a more aggressive approach to trimming trees under their lines this spring.
The city’s arborist wants to take a proactive approach and begin planting replacements now.
Wisconsin has an estimated 725 million ash trees, including 5 million in cities and villages.
Life Cycle of Emerald AsH Borer
