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A pair of certified arborists tend to an ash tree in Denver's City Park | Be A Smart Ash Denver

Emerald ash borer treatment options for your Denver ash tree

DENVER — The emerald ash borer (EAB), which feeds on ash trees and is now the most destructive forest pest in U.S. history, has arrived in Colorado, and it’s knocking on Denver’s door. That fact is overwhelming in its own right.

But you might find yourself even more overwhelmed by all the treatments options available to protect your ash tree from EAB. That’s where we come in!

For starters, there are four treatment options that have been examined at length as part of a multi-state insecticide study from Colorado State, Ohio State, Michigan State and Purdue universities. Below is a breakdown of each option.

You might also be happy to know that your Friendly Denver City Forester has put together a list of Certified Smart Ash tree professionals, all of whom have the right mix of know-how and tools to safely and effectively protect your tree from EAB.

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Tree climbing arborists help raise EAB awareness

DENVER — Arborists from across Colorado gathered in Denver’s Washington Park for the 2017 International Society of Arboriculture’s Rocky Mountain Chapter Tree Climbing Competition. Here, these talented professionals showed off the skills they utilize day-to-day caring for trees around the state.

From the speed climb competition to much more technical climbs, arborists put a mix of athletics, tree knowledge and math skills on display — and 9NEWS was there to capture it all.

Illustrating their true team spirit, this year’s participants all donned Be A Smart Ash competition shirts, helping raise awareness about an issue they combat every day in their field, the emerald ash borer (EAB). Now the most destructive forest pest in U.S. history, EAB has devoured ash trees in more than 25 states and caused billions of dollars in damage.

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Hey Denver, wondering if you’ve got an ash tree? We can help!

DENVER — Did you know 1 in 6 Denver trees is an ash? And did you know that each and every one of those ash trees is vulnerable to a tiny pest called the emerald ash borer (EAB)?

It’s what makes EAB the most destructive forest pest in U.S. history, and it’s why the Denver City Foresters Office launched the Be A Smart Ash campaign. One big part of that program is educating Denver residents on how to identify ash trees.

First let us draw your attention to our interactive, MyTreeKeeper map. Using data, technology and thousands of man hours from our diligent City Forester employees, the Be A Smart Ash campaign successfully mapped each ash tree in Denver to make identification as easy as possible.

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Apply for a free right-of-way tree, Denver! But first, what’s a right-of-way?

DENVER — The Denver City Forester wants to give you a free tree to plant in the right-of-way adjacent to your property in an effort to bolster and diversify the tree canopy in the Mile High City.

But first, let’s define exactly what we mean when we say “right-of-way” – and how much space you need in the right-of-way adjacent to your property in order to apply for a free tree.

For starters, here’s the official definition of right-of-way:

“The right-of-way is the public land that includes the street, tree lawn and sidewalk – the width of which is established by the City of Denver. The right-of way also defines the boundary line along the street frontage of a property.”

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Denver Botanic Gardens, Flobots collaborate on EAB music video for Be A Smart Ash

DENVER — What happens when you give a bunch of tree nerds access to a camera, Denver’s beautiful Cheesman Park, a metallic emerald ash borer suit and a local hip hop legend? One Smart Ash music video, that’s what!

Be A Smart Ash is proud to present “EAB (Get Ready),” a music video produced by our amazing partners at the Denver Botanic Gardens in collaboration with Open Media Foundation, Johnny 5 of the Flobots and a cast of well-trained volunteer actors from the Denver City Forester’s Office, a division of Denver Parks & Recreation.

The goal of this project is to raise awareness about emerald ash borer (EAB), which feasts on the common ash tree. Having desecrated forests in more than 25 states and parts of Canada, EAB is now the most destructive forest pest in U.S. history.

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‘Tis once again the season for free trees in Denver

DENVER — If you didn’t end up with a free tree from the Denver Digs Trees program, which began accepting wait list applications earlier this month, there’s still good news: You can now apply for a free tree to be planted in your public right-of-way from Denver’s Office of the City Forester!

That’s right. If your property is adjacent to a public right-of-way that fits these parameters, you can apply to receive a tree at no cost to you.

Why are we so interested in giving away trees? Well, we love trees, for one, and we’re always looking for ways to bolster and diversify our urban canopy in Denver. The second big reason has to do with a tiny green pest.

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Stop by the Be A Smart Ash booth at the Colorado Garden & Home Show from Feb. 4-12 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver.

Make your emerald ash borer plan at the Colorado Garden & Home Show

DENVER — Looking to find out if you have an ash tree vulnerable to emerald ash borer? Want to learn how to protect your ash tree from the most destructive forest pest in U.S. history? Would you like to discover a way to cost-effectively turn any urban tree you may need to remove into a functional and beautiful wood product?

Then you need to stop by the Be A Smart Ash booth at the 2017 Colorado Garden & Home Show at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver from Feb. 4-12!

Emerald ash borer (EAB) has already destroyed hundreds of millions of ash trees, causing billions of dollars in damage in more than 25 states. And while it may not have arrived in Denver yet, EAB was discovered in Boulder in 2013 and in Longmont just last year. So in reality, it’s only a matter of time before EAB arrives in the Mile High City and poses a direct threat to the Metro area’s 1.45 million ash trees.

That’s right folks: 1 in 6 Denver trees is an ash, and you may not even realize that you have one in your front yard or a nearby right-of-way.

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Ash tree, removal, be a smart ash, Denver, downtown, replace

Downtown Denver replaces ash trees threatened by emerald ash borer

(DENVER POST) — Emerald ash borer (EAB), now the most destructive forest pest in U.S. history, was discovered in Boulder in 2013. It’s yet to arrive in Denver, but that hasn’t stopped the Downtown Denver Partnership from planning ahead. Working with the City and County of Denver’s “Be A Smart Ash” program, the DPP has removed and replaced many of the ash trees in the downtown corridor.

“We’re tying to get as many trees in public right of ways before losing trees to emerald ash borer,” said Sara Davis, program manager for the city’s forestry office.

Denver fall color | Be A Smart Ash

3 great spots to see the fall colors in Denver

DENVER — You procrastinated that trip to Colorado’s high country to see the fall colors, didn’t you? If so, we’ve got some good news and some bad news for you.

The bad news: As of mid to late October, most of the aspen trees in the mountains have already lost their leaves. The good news: There is still plenty of gorgeous fall color to be viewed right here in Denver!

But do yourself a favor: Don’t put it off this time. This week and upcoming weekend are your last best chances to view some of the splendid autumn foliage in the Mile High City, accentuated by ash trees that turn a whole host of colors from yellow to orange to red to purple.

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