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Town launches 2015 Canopy Conservation program during Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week – June 1-7

Gisele Shaw
Treatment launch Barclay, Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week, Town of Oakville, | Town of Oakville
Treatment launch Barclay, Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week, Town of Oakville, | Town of Oakville

The town continues to take action against the invasive Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). Beginning this week, to mark Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week in Oakville, municipal ash trees on streets and in parks which continue to qualify for treatment are being injected with the bio insecticide TreeAzin® to protect them against the insect’s damaging effects. Select treated trees will be adorned with a green ribbon to raise awareness of the treatment program.

“Council is committed to protecting Oakville’s tree canopy from Emerald Ash Borer,” said Mayor Rob Burton. “We are continuing to create a cleaner, greener Oakville thanks to the efforts of the town and residents treating municipal and private ash trees.”

In total, the town is treating 75 per cent of the treatable municipal ash tree canopy on streets and in parks. TreeAzin® is a natural and safe bio-insecticide derived from the seeds of the neem tree, and provides up to two years of protection against EAB before it must be reapplied. Select municipal street trees are temporarily receiving yearly treatments to provide added protection.

“The EAB infestation has now reached extreme levels in parts of Oakville,” John McNeil, manager of Forestry Services said. “Guided by the most up-to-date research results, the town is refining its treatment program to address the build-up of EAB in these areas.”

Ash Tree attacked by EAB | Typically, within six years of an infestation arriving in a woodlot, more than 99 per cent of the ash trees will have been killed.
Ash Tree attacked by EAB | Typically, within six years of an infestation arriving in a woodlot, more than 99 per cent of the ash trees will have been killed.

Municipal street and park ash trees that did not qualify for treatment are being removed for public safety and replaced with trees of different species. Select trees marked for removal will be identified by a red ribbon.

Part of the town’s EAB management program includes a public awareness campaign to educate residents about ash tree treatment and removal and replacement options. Mayor Burton proclaimed the first week in June as Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week to remind residents they too can take action to mitigate the impact of EAB by removing dead ash trees and planting new native trees to contribute to the town’s overall tree canopy.

EAB has now infested large portions of the United States, Ontario and Quebec and is responsible for killing tens of millions of ash trees since its discovery in North America in 2002. To get the latest news about EAB in Oakville visit oakville.ca.

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