WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – A foreign beetle made it to the north country nearly three years ago, infesting many ash trees in the city of Watertown. Thompson Park is one of the most affected areas.
Now dozens of trees will have to come down because of the emerald ash borer.
Watertown Urban Forestry Coordinator Michael De Marco says the beetle first appeared in Jefferson County in 2019 and has been bad news ever since.
“In Thompson Park, 20 ash trees were removed as part of the second phase of ash tree removal here in this park. We expect city-wide to remove roughly 80 ash trees before the end of the calendar year. That includes the 20 that are removed here in Thompson Park,” he said.
The reason those trees have to come down is for safety. Trees eaten by the emerald ash borer can splinter and pose danger.
However, De Marco says an insecticide treatment they have also been using has saved some ash trees.
“The arborist drilled into the tree just a little bit, hammered in these little valves, and then you inject the insecticide into this little capsule, at which the tree will then pull the insecticide up, killing any larva or adult beetles,” he said.
De Marco says the trees are categorized based on condition to decide if they are salvageable, some being evidently more infested than others. One clue of a major infestation: woodpeckers.
“More signs of woodpecker activity, more died back within the canopy – classic signs,” said De Marco.
For every chopped-down tree, a new one is planted in its place.
De Marco says the insect has the ability to distinguish the sap in the ash trees. Therefore, ash trees are no longer being planted, and instead, the Department of Public Works is planting a diversity of tree species.
People who own ash trees are encouraged to reach out to the city’s planning department.
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