Menomonie Nearly Completion of Ash Tree Removal Project

City of Menomonie officials say they’ve almost finished removing all of the trees impacted by the invasive Emerald Ash Borer.

The Emerald Ash Borer spread to the last uninfected areas of Wisconsin about two years ago. Conservation experts estimate the invasive beetles will eventually kill 99 percent of the ash trees in the state. The structural damage they cause to the trees can also pose significant safety risks for pedestrians and homeowners.

To prevent that, municipalities like Menomonie, Chippewa Falls, and Eau Claire have spent years working to remove the ash trees from their streets entirely. Many are also exploring alternatives to costly tree removals, like introducing native wasp species to naturally reduce the Emerald Ash Borer population.

City of Menomonie officials say over 240 ash trees have already been removed from city boulevards, and there are only eight trees left for removal. Their crews have also removed some trees that had not yet been affected by the Emerald Ash Borer, but still showed signs of overall decline or damage from storms.

Once those final trees are removed, the City will begin replanting the area with ten different tree species. Their goal is to rebuild the urban forest environment with more resiliency and reduce the risk of future widespread losses. Replacement tree planting is scheduled to begin this Spring. A second round of planting and stump removal is scheduled to take place in the Fall.

More information about the tree replanting project and some of the benefits of having a diverse urban forest are available on the City of Menomonie website.