Has the dreaded Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) affected your property’s tree canopy? It is a sad fact that the destructive pest will be responsible for the desecration of millions of Ash trees in Southern Ontario, and Toronto and surrounding GTA communities will not be immune to this threat. When infestation of the EAB occurs, there is a 100% mortality rate, and your Ash tree will succumb within 2-6 months of the EAB making it its home. Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to prevent the infestation, but we can be prepared to deal with the removal of our beloved trees once they have become infested.
Removal of City Owned Ash Trees
Infested Ash trees located on the portion of your property close to the street are known as “street trees” and are attributed to being a part of municipal property. These trees will be removed and replaced by the municipality at no cost to you. Urban Forestry plans to remove the dead trees in areas of high EAB mortality and will replace them, where space permits, as soon as possible. Homeowners will be notified of tree removal and replacement planting by receiving a “Notice of Tree Removal and Replacement Planting” card. There are many streets within the infestation area that have Ash trees not yet showing signs of advanced decline. These trees are prioritized for removal next year.
Removal of Private Property Ash Trees
If you suspect you may have an Ash tree infested with the EAB, first determine if the tree is a City-owned or privately owned tree. Backyard trees are private, as are trees on front lawns outside the street right-of-way. If you are unsure of ownership, call 3-1-1. Trees that are on the boundary between City and private land are referred to as boundary line trees. If your infested tree is privately owned, you are 100% responsible for the removal costs of that tree since there are no city subsidies set in place to cover the cost of removal.
There’s help!
If you are in need of a GTA tree removal company, Rooted Tree Services will be more than happy to inspect your suspected infested tree and provide you with a removal quote free of charge. Rooted Tree Services will also obtain all the necessary municipality by-law permits to ensure that you are in compliance with all tree removal regulations and laws within your community. We can’t stop the EAB, but we can provide an excellent and expedient service to remove the dead or dying ash trees that have succumbed to the destructive pest.
