Low cost trees are being made available in the metro

There are a number of tree sales running at present that provide really low cost trees for residents. For folks residing in Minneapolis or Saint Paul, your tree planting this season can offset future losses due to the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). This is especially true for folks closest to the start of the infestation in the St. Anthony Park neighborhood in St. Paul. Here are the details for 2 offerings. Do not delay, these sales do sell out of species.

A low cost tree sale available to St. Paul residents, deadline for order 4/17
This sale is the The Friends of the Parks and Trails Tree sale where low cost trees are available to metro residents, but I am highlighting it for St. Paul-ites as they can't take part in the City Trees program (Minneapolis only).

Buy a Tree Sale 2010. Order trees until Saturday April 17. Pick up trees 9AM-1PM Saturday May 1. To order trees: print the Tree Sale Form (PDF) and mail it with a check. Your phone and email are needed if you forget to pickup your trees.

• Autumn Blaze Maple
• Bicolor White Oak *
• Black Hills Spruce
• Pagoda Dogwood *
• Thornless Cockspur Hawthorn
• Mount Royal Plum
• Honeycrisp Apple
• Arrowwood Viburnum *
• Little Lamb Hydrangea
• Blue Velvet Hypericum
• Miss Canada Lilac
• Hope For Humanity Rose
• Wisteria Aunt Dee

* Native

Online Donation of Trees to Parks Credit card only, your donation is tax deductible because we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Give trees to City or County Parks of your choice from our list.
Donated trees will be picked up and planted by the park system you choose.

Pickup Sites:

Highland Park Pavilion, 1200 Montreal Ave., St. Paul
Ramsey County Parks Garage, 2015 No. Van Dyke, Maplewood

For more information contact PeggyLynch@visi.com (Peggy Lynch) Telephone: 651-698-4543

Mailing address:
The Friends of the Parks and Trails of St. Paul and Ramsey County
1621 Beechwood Avenue
Saint Paul, MN 55116

Minneapolis residents can order an inexpensive tree to enjoy for their yards

More than 1,000 trees are being made available to Minneapolis residents for planting this spring. Since 2006, the City of Minneapolis has funded the City
Trees program, a low-cost way for folks to help build the city’s tree canopy. The trees cost $25 each, residents can order one tree per household, and all
trees are available first-come, first-served. Last month, the emerald ash borer was found in Minneapolis and could potentially contribute to the decline of all
of the City’s more than 200,000 ash trees. Planting a new tree now will help start the next generation of trees.

Varieties of trees available are

• Fat Albert spruce,
• pagoda dogwood,
• Kentucky coffee tree,
• blue beech,
• Merrill magnolia,
• regal prince oak,
• Canada select chokecherry,
• Redmond linden and
• burgundy belle maple

Orders for trees can be placed at www.treetrust.org. You can also order a tree by calling (651) 644-5800. In previous years, the trees have sold quickly, so place your order early.

Folks who order trees will need to pick them up on one of three days at the Minneapolis Impound Lot, 51 Colfax Ave. N.

Saturday, May 8, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sunday, May 9, 8 a.m. to noon
Monday, May 10, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Volunteers will be on hand to help load your new tree and complimentary bag of mulch into your vehicle.

Research has proven that trees are a valuable investment and improve urban quality of life. Healthy trees are beautiful, increase property values, help improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gases by absorbing carbon dioxide, save energy, keep the city cooler, provide homes for wildlife and help manage stormwater.

The City Trees program is a partnership between the City of Minneapolis and Tree Trust, a local nonprofit that works to improve the community environment.

Steph Hankerson
http://midpointgreen.blogspot.com/

Emerald Ash Borer confirmed to have moved into southeast Minneapolis

Below is the press release on Thursday's find of the Emerald Ash Borer in Prospect Park, Minneapolis. It was a find that folks were expecting, but dreaded to hear. One-fifth of the boulevard trees in Minneapolis are Ash. The continuing infestation of EAB only highlights the efforts by the Hamline Midway Environment Group (HMEG) to fundraise around community tree planting projects.

If you live in a 5 mile radius from St. Anthony Park (Saint Paul) or Prospect Park (Minneapolis) please plant a tree this season!

Here are some of the local press available on this announcement:

• Minnesota Public Radio
• Start Tribune
  

___________________________________________________


Thursday, February 25, 2010

Minnesota Department of Agriculture confirms emerald ash borer infestation in Minneapolis trees


The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) today confirmed an emerald ash borer infestation in four trees in the Prospect Park East River Road neighborhood of Minneapolis within Tower Hill Park. This infestation is within a mile of the St. Paul neighborhood in which the tree pest was found last year. The infestation was discovered through an ongoing survey of ash trees in the vicinity of the South St. Anthony Park neighborhood, where EAB was found in May 2009. While this marks the first time emerald ash borer has been found in Minnesota outside Ramsey County, state officials said the discovery was anticipated. Last fall, scientists determined that the St. Paul infestation had been in place for about three years prior to detection. Since the
adult beetles can fly up to 2 miles each year, officials expected that the bug had spread into Minneapolis. “When we found the St. Paul infestation last May so close to the border of the two cities, we knew there was a good chance we’d find it in Minneapolis,” said MDA Plant Protection Director Geir Friisoe. “That’s why we included Hennepin County in the initial EAB quarantine, even though it had only been confirmed in Ramsey County.”

The EAB quarantine in place for Ramsey and Hennepin Counties prohibits moving from the counties any items that may be infested with EAB, including ash trees and ash tree limbs, as well as all hardwood firewood. This quarantine remains in effect in 2010. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s Forestry Division is responsible for planting and maintenance of public trees on Minneapolis city streets and parkland. The Park Board’s forestry division has been working with MDA to prepare for the arrival of EAB. Next steps will include removal of infested trees and an intensified survey of all ash trees in the surrounding area.

EAB is an invasive beetle that kills ash trees. Its larvae kill ash trees by tunneling into the wood and feeding on the tree’s nutrients. Since its accidental introduction into North America, EAB has killed millions of ash trees in 13 states. The metallic-green adult beetles are a half inch long, and are active from May to September. Signs of infestation include one-eighth inch, D-shaped exit holes in ash tree bark and serpentine tunnels under the bark. Officials remind Minnesotans they can take the following steps to keep EAB from spreading:

• Don’t transport firewood. Buy firewood locally from an approved vendor, and burn it where you buy it;
• Be aware of the quarantine restrictions. If you live in a quarantined county, be aware of the special restrictions on movement of products such as ash trees, ash limbs, and firewood. Details on the quarantines can be found online at http://www.mda.state.mn.us/plants/pestmanagement/eab/quarantinefaq.aspx; and

• Watch for signs of infestation in your ash trees. If you suspect your ash tree could be infested by EAB, visit www.mda.state.mn.us and use the “Do I Have Emerald Ash Borer?” checklist.
MPRB Emerald Ash Borer Preparedness Plan

CONTACT:
Michael Schommer Communications Director , Minnesota Department of Agriculture 651-201-6629
Janell Wojtowicz Communication Specialist Minneapolis Park and Recreation, Board 612-230-6414

What to do about my Ash Tree?

U of Mn Extension compiled a resourceful list of FAQ's, links and resources on the topic of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) for the Ramsey County Master Gardeners. I am sharing an edited version of it here because of its completeness. The Hamline Midway Environment Group made a key addition though- Don't forget to plant trees!

You cannot move untreated firewood out of the quarantined counties of Houston, Hennepin and Ramsey:

• Quarantine info
• the MDA website’s site maps for quarantine boundaries
  
• Want to learn how to treat your wood so you can move it? Call the MDA’s “Arrest the Pest Hotline” 651-201-6884.

Think you have a tree with EAB?

• Read the “Do I Have EAB” sheet.
  
• Call the MDA’s “Arrest the Pest Hotline” 651-201-6884(Metro) or 1-888-545-6884 (Greater MN).

Should I treat for EAB? You should treat for EAB ONLY if:

• The environmental, economic, and time costs of treating is less than the cost of replacing the tree
  
• You are willing to treat your ash tree every 1-3 years for the tree’s ENTIRE LIFE
  
• Your ash is less than 10-15 miles from a known EAB infestation.
  
• Your ash is a beautiful specimen worth saving.
• You properly apply, store, & dispose of any leftover chemicals.

What Can I Do to Help?

• The Hamline Midway Environment Group says "Plant a tree!"
• Do Not Move Firewood, not even within MN. Respect the quarantine.
  
• Prune trees & shrubs at the right time (to avoid the sap attracting EAB).
• Be aware of EAB and its symptoms.
  
• Understand that you CANNOT IDENTIFY EAB by looking at a tree, as an Ash tree can look bad for other reasons.

Where do I get rid of Ash wood?

• Do you live in Ramsey County? Then see this MDA list of Ash Tree Disposal sites or the Ramsey County yard waste site info .
  
• Or visit the MDA website’s site maps for further information:
  
• Grinding your ash wood down to chips less than 1’ in any direction should theoretically kill the borer.
  
• Apparently, there IS some demand for urban wood for sale.
  

EAB websites

• Extension Service
  
• MDA
  
• Especially see: “Q&A for Homeowners in EAB-Infested Neighborhoods”
  
• DNR
  
• www.emeraldashborer.info

Want Even More EAB details?

• Best Management Practices for Known EAB Infested Areas
  
• Interactive Minnesota Survey Map
  
• Emerald Ash Borer University
  
• E-mail Eab.Review@state.mn.us to receive monthly updates on the EAB quarantine
  
• Guidelines for EAB Management in Minnesota Communities
  

Emerald Ash Borer: Its Here. Plant a Tree.

Emerald Ash Borer in the Twin Cities. Sooner than expected. Actually likely been here for few years unnoticed. That fact demonstrates how hard it is to detect this non-native pest and how easily its transported. While the state holds its breath for the large expanses of native ash forest up north, there are some practical actions we Twin Citians can do now.

• Absolutely do not transport firewood or any ash wood across county lines. Not only is there a heavy fine, but this is exactly how EAB hitchhikers make their gains.
• Learn which trees your property are ash. Eventually, these will likely be lost to the pest. Harsh, yes. Are any of your trees really valuable to, just can't be missed? That is when to consider a pesticide treatment. Maybe. Pesticides, if chosen, will need to be applied every year for the life of the tree at the cost of$50-200 per tree (depending on the tree's size). A certified arborist can help with evaluation and application. For many of our ash trees, they really do not justify such treatment.
• Lastly, plant a tree this year. Plant a few. You can even plant on the city-owned-boulevard area. In Saint Paul, residents are encouraged to add to and maintain the urban forest, however, a free written permit from the St. Paul Forestry Office is required by ordinance. Call (651) 632-5129 to request a Forestry Tree Permit. In Minneapolis, check through your options at Forestry's replanting pages.
  

More info can be found on these websites, including ID information:

• Gardenminnesota.com
• http://www.extension.umn.edu/issues/eab/
• http://www.stpaul.gov/index.asp?NID=2495
• http://www.mda.state.mn.us/