BLOOMINGTON – The City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department has received a $50,000 State Urban Forest Resilience (SUFR) Grant from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to evaluate and protect ash trees from the ongoing impacts of the invasive emerald ash borer (EAB) beetle.
The EAB, native to Asia, was first detected in Bloomington in 2012. The beetle burrows beneath the bark of ash trees during its larval stage, disrupting the tree’s vascular system. Most infested trees die within two years, unless treated.
The SUFR grant will allow the urban forestry team to systematically assess the health of more than 500 remaining ash trees in City parks and along City streets. The funding will also support continued treatment of healthy specimen ash trees to protect them from EAB damage.
“Replanting at a 2:1 ratio with a diverse selection of native trees will help protect against future invasive pest introductions and widespread disease outbreaks, such as Dutch elm disease,” said Haskell Smith, City of Bloomington Urban Forester. “Removing ailing ash trees will, over time, reduce safety concerns and the number of failures associated with wind and storm events.”
Plans also include developing a 10-year strategy to remove failing ash trees and plant two native trees for each tree removed. Smith said workshops and educational programs later this year and next will share information with residents about the City’s efforts to manage ash trees on public property and what the future may hold for ash trees on private property.
Parks and Recreation will leverage the SUFR grant with an additional $67,000 in local funding. The grant period runs through June 1, 2027.
For more information about Bloomington’s urban forest canopy or emerald ash borer management, contact Haskell Smith at smithh@bloomington.in.gov or visit bloomington.in.gov/treecare.
