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Town wants residents to take a stand against EAB by Julia Le Oakville Beaver Staff 7 | Wednesday, June 18, 2014 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com A number of Oakville ash trees are getting a new lease on life thanks to a Town of Oakville's treatment program. Last Wednesday, Town officials kicked off this season of the program that began in 2008 to protect ash trees against the invasive emerald ash borer (EAB). At a Barclay Crescent home, lawn and landscaping company TruGreen Canada demonstrated how bio insecticide TreeAzin is being used to combat the destruction the exotic beetle from Asia is having on Oakville's tree canopy. TruGreen General Manager Michael Afzal said the treatment must be administered to infected trees every two years to maintain the health and vitality of the ash tree and protect it from further infestation. In this case, he said the particular 60- to 80year-old ash tree they were demonstrating on is having its third cycle of treatment since the program began. Noting the tree continues to thrive with lush green foliage, Afzal said not all share that fate. The Town is doing its part to maintain its municipal ash tree population, but more needs to be done, he said. "We will not be able to win this battle against this beetle, emerald ash borer, if the private homeowners are not going to join us in this war As the Town of Oakville's 2014 municipal ash tree treatment against Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) began last week, from left, Ward 3 councillors Keith Bird and Dave Gittings, along with Mayor Rob Burton, tie a green ribbon onto the tree following its treatment. | photo by Eric Riehl ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog or facebook.com/HaltonPhotog) against this beetle," said Afzal. "It's so critical they get actively involved and be part of this campaign so we can work together." To raise awareness about the importance of taking protective measures, the Town is tying a green ribbon around a selected number of treated trees as it works to inject some 3,000 of the municipal ash tree canopy on streets and parks from now until August, said John McNeil, the Town's manager of Forestry Services. Another 2,500 will be treated next year, he estimates. Mayor Rob Burton said the program is seeing "remarkable success" and he'd like residents to treat or remove ash trees and plant new trees. "About 40,000 are on private properties and we want those trees to be saved," he said. Burton noted it would cost a homeowner more to take down the tree and replace it than to save the tree with TreeAzin injections. McNeil said it's time to take a stand against the species responsible for killing tens of millions of ash trees in Canada and the U.S. since its 2002 discovery in North America. EAB is most destructive when its larvae create holes under the tree's bark, disrupting the flow of nutrients and the tree's vascular system, he said. "The insect presents you with only two choices, it's very simple. You either conserve your tree through a treatment program or you have to deal with a dead ash tree, which essentially means removing and, hopefully, replacing the tree. "EAB is very selfish in not giving ash tree owners much flexibility. You have to take action one way or another. Doing nothing isn't an option." He added the Town is leading with the most "economic and ecologically-preferred option," which is treating infected trees and it's hoping private ash tree owners follow suit. On average, treatments cost $200-$300 every two years, depending on the size of the tree. About 10 per cent of Oakville's urban forest is made up of ash trees. The Town will continue its treatment of 75 per cent of the public ash tree canopy. It has budgeted $3.5 million for the program. 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