Emerald Ash Borer
- The Emerald Ash Borer Beetle has killed tens of millions of ash trees across the eastern half of the United States and Canada.
- The beetle was first discovered in Minnesota in summer 2009.
- The city of New Hope implemented an Emerald Ash Borer Program in 2010 to preemptively address the problem by removing and replacing public ash trees.
New Hope's Emerald Ash Borer Program
- Each year since 2010, the city has budgeted $100,000 to fund the program.
In that time, New Hope has removed nearly 800 ash trees from city boulevards and other public lands and funded or partially funded the replanting of nearly 300 trees.
- In 2015, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture positively identified the presence of the Emerald Ash Borer Beetle in Plymouth, southwest of Highway 169 and Medicine Lake Road -- very near to New Hope.
- In 2016, the City Council approved a $25,000 increase in funding for the city's Emerald Ash Borer program from $100,000 to $125,000. The additional funding will be used to increase the number of public ash trees the city is able to remove and replace.
- In 2016 The City Council has agreed to offer a replacement tree at no cost to residents who have a boulevard ash tree removed. Residents can choose the species of those replacement trees from a list of tree species native to Minnesota.
- Residents who chose a replacement tree of another species are eligible for a 50/50 cost share (with a city share of up to $200) to replace boulevard ash trees that are removed.
- The Maple Grove Yard Waste site is an ash tree waste disposal site. Wood and waste from ash trees cannot be moved outside the quarantine area.
Minnesota Certified Firewood
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has certified seven firewood producers in the state of Minnesota for heat treatment of firewood. This means that the firewood is safe to move and is free of emerald ash borer. Look for the logo!
Online Resources for Emerald Ash Borer