by Kevin Zimmermann
SHEBOYGAN, WI (WHBL) – A tiny pest has made for big headaches for Tim Bull. He’s the forester for the City of Sheboygan and it’s his job to oversee the battle against the Emerald Ash Borer. The tiny invasive beetle kills ash trees in a few years, and their destruction can be seen in most of Wisconsin. 4 years ago Sheboygan launched its efforts to manage the disease in the roughly 5,000 ash trees it hosts, and so far – so good.
Bull says that insecticide treatments to around 24-hundred ash trees in city parks and parkways have been over 95% effective in keeping those trees alive. The trees not treated are being removed, and about 500 of those remain.
The next step is replacement and in October, 127 sizable trees will be planted in six city parks to replace the ones lost. That’s made possible by grants like the $5,000 corporate gift made by Alliant Energy in collaboration with several area Rotary organizations that kicked in another $15,000. The new trees won’t be Ash, but the new ones won’t be vulnerable to the Ash Borer, and will provide a colorful variety of foliage and flowers.
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