Ash Borer-Infested Trees Cut Down Near Summit Ave.

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Crews with the city of St. Paul are cutting down several old-growth trees near historic Summit Avenue that are infested by emerald ash borer. A chop-down of six trees is scheduled for Monday morning at Portland and Kent avenues in Crocus Hill.

This year, St. Paul officials have removed about 3,000 ash trees in total, with about 200 of those trees already infested with emerald ash borer. The other tree removals were proactive measures.

Ash trees account for about 30 percent of the trees in St. Paul, and for many, the trees in the district have helped define the area and lured people like Dana Simonson to live there. Now, as six trees are being sawed just blocks from her home, she fears more will soon follow.

"I believe they all will," she said. "We'll lose all of our trees and it'll take years for them to grow back."

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has stepped up its fight against the spread of emerald ash borer in the past year, releasing stingless wasps and setting purple traps to eradicate the invasive insect.

"When the larva are deposited in the tree, they will hatch out and eat through the live part of the tree," explained Andrea Hefty, a graduate student at the University of Minnesota and member of the research team studying the bothersome bug. 

As a St. Paul resident herself, she said the removal of the trees is personally heartbreaking -- but it also helps them find ways to treat the trees and eradicate the insect.

"The faster we can get rid of them, the better," she said.

There are roughly 1,000 ash trees int he Summit area, and officials plan to treat about 300 trees that are still in good condition to stave off an infestation; although, park officials say eventually, the bugs will spread and all of the Ash trees in St. Paul will likely be gone.

All of the trees that are removed will be replaced with a different species.

While the ash-borer infested trees are not on Summit Avenue itself, the proximity to the treasured street is unsettling. Summit Avenue was named a Top 10 Great Street in 2008 by the American Planning Association. Summit Avenue was selected because of its “breathtaking vistas, park-like qualities and decades-long history of planning measures, civic participation and private stewardship that have kept Summit's unique character intact.”

Tip: Wait Until Oct. to Prune Ash Trees