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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, September 24, 2015 | 14 Emerald ash borer is taking its toll in Oakville by David Lea Oakville Beaver Staff Residents in the area of Solingate Drive and Hixon Street glimpsed into Oakville's future last week as more than 40 ash trees, infested with emerald ash borer (EAB), were cut down on a private property at 2123 Hixon St., currently occupied by the Educational Resource Centre. The site took on the look of a logging camp with tree trunks and debris littering the property. While the images may be upsetting to some, the Town of Oakville is advising residents time has run out for the more than 40,000 ash trees on private properties in town. John McNeil, manager of forestry services for the Town, stated Friday the infestation of the invasive EAB is so bad that any ash tree that has not been treated against EAB is now beyond saving. Any resident with an ash tree on their property will need to have it cut down -- and sooner is preferable to later. "The population of the insect has continued to rise and it is now at a level where it is too late to begin effective treatment programs," McNeil said. "Ash trees that are not in a treatment program are getting so infested now, they are essentially `dead trees standing.' It behooves the owner of the tree, who is ultimately responsible for the management of that tree, to realize that tree is Tree debris litters the former St. Ann School property on Hixon Street last week as dead, or dying, ash trees were removed from the grounds. Residents gathered on sidewalks to watch and the Town is warning residents the sight will be commonplace as devastation caused by the emerald ash borer (EAB) makes itself visible. | photo by Nikki Wesley ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog or facebook.com/HaltonPhotog) a dead tree standing and not wait until it is at a state where it is decaying." McNeil said even if an ash tree looks healthy, it will not stay that way as ash trees have no natural immunity to EAB and the pest will not spare them. If residents wait until their ash trees die and become brittle, he said, the cost of removing them, particularly rear yard trees that cannot be reached by an aerial bucket truck, will skyrocket. If residents wait, they also run the risk of being held liable for any injury or property damage caused if a dead tree or one of its branches falls. Last year, Town staff warned the summer of 2014 would likely be the last time private ash trees could be effectively treated against EAB. For a few years now, McNeil said, the Town has been engaged in a campaign to encourage residents to treat their ash trees. That included advertisements on bus shelters, buses and media releases. The Town has treated a total of 5,700 municipal ash trees through its Ash Canopy Conservation program. Town officials note this number makes up 75 per cent of the treatable municipal ash tree canopy on streets and in parks. Residents are not the only ones being asked to take action. In June, the Town announced it would be cutting down thousands of EABinfested ash trees in woodlots across Oakville. That work began in August with McNeil noting a restoration program would follow. Residents are also being encouraged to replace the trees they will be removing from their property, said McNeil, stating the loss of 40,000 to 43,000 trees with no replanting would be a massive blow to Oakville's canopy. "In most cases, it would be appropriate to replace it with another large stature tree, the maples or the oaks," said McNeil. "That way we get back the same ecological benefits that previous ash used to provide." While the cost of removing ash trees may be considerable, particularly if a homeowner has several on their property, McNeil says there are no grants or financial assistance residents can tap into to ease this burden. EAB, a metallic, green-coloured invasive beetle, has killed tens of millions of ash trees in North America since its discovery here in 2002. The pest tunnels into the bark and destroys the tree's vascular system, killing the tree within a few years. Claude's vaCuum shop Includes Deluxe Air Package Sales · Service · Parts Free Estimates on Repairs Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday · 9am - 6pm Wednesday · 9am - 5pm Saturday · 9am - 4pm sale $39999 Supreme 100, 10 Years Warranty 128 Kerr St., Oakville, ON L6K 3A7 905.842.5658 | claude2@cogeco.net www.claudesvacuum.com 0% Interest on All Water Treatment Equipment LIMITED TIME OFFER All Softeners, All Iron Removal Systems, All UV Units, All R/O Units! Receive 50 FREE litres of U Fill Water and we'll also give you a FREE jug to transport your water! ening p p a H WATER DEpOT hAS A Now! 0% InTEREST EVEnT NEW CUSTOMER OFFER: 2251 WESTOAK TRAIL BLVD., UNIT#1 (905) 257.9257 · Email: oakvillewaterdepot@yahoo.ca