be a smart ash

Boulder Creek, EAB, infested, ash tree, emerald ash borer

172 EAB-infested ash trees to be removed along Boulder Creek

BOULDER, Colo. — One of the most iconic paths in Boulder, Colo. is about to lose one of its greatest features: a vast amount of the trees that shade it from the summer sun.

The City of Boulder Forestry Division announced in June that it would be removing 172 trees along the Boulder Creek Path beginning June 18 and continuing through September. The trees slated to be removed are ash trees that are either dead or dying after having been infested by emerald ash borer (EAB), the most destructive forest pest in U.S. history.

The majority of the ash trees scheduled to be removed along the Boulder Creek Path are under seven inches in diameter, and are located between the 9th and 30th streets. The path itself is about five miles long, and the area where the trees will be removed represents nearly a two-mile stretch of it.

The primary reason for the tree removal, according to the City of Boulder Forestry Division, is to mitigate safety issues caused by the potential for falling limbs from dead and dying ash trees affected by EAB. This move comes just a year after 121 trees were removed from the University of Colorado campus in Boulder for the same reason.

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The Smart Ash Explains EAB Treatment Options

Be A Smart Ash has been turning Denver residents into smarter tree owners since 2016. And while emerald ash borer (EAB) hasn’t yet been found in Denver, we know it’s just a matter of time. But even if Denverites know if they have an ash tree in their yard, they still may need more details about treatment options.

While ash tree treatment seems like a straightforward topic, it can be surprisingly complex. In fact, it combines a good bit of chemistry, can depend on how you feel about your tree, involves some budgeting, and the options can be difficult to demonstrate. In short – ash tree treatment is anything but straightforward.

Enter The Smart Ash. Voiced by our very own Denver City Forester Rob Davis, and inspired by the popular PBS Kids show Wild Kratts, The Smart Ash is a character on a quest to defeat EAB and defend the ash trees that make up Denver’s invaluable urban forest. The campaign is designed to be entertaining but informative – especially when it comes to emphasizing safety and the value of working with a tree care professional to treat or remove trees.

So, join The Smart Ash as he breaks down the various ash tree treatment options into a handful of short videos. Whether you’re searching for a specific treatment option or want to peruse the variety that are available, The Smart Ash has you covered.

Emerald ash borer drone research ongoing in Colorado

BOULDER, Colo. — An aerial assault has been launched on emerald ash borer (EAB), beginning where the invasive pest was first found in Colorado.

Arbor Drone, Spectrabotics, and researchers from Colorado College began collecting data this summer using drone flights over southwest Boulder to study trees affected by EAB. Arbor Drone’s Dan Staley told The Denver Channel that the main purpose of the Boulder drone flights was to use a multispectral sensor to study the light reflectance of ash trees attacked by EAB.

The City and County of Denver funded this early drone study to better manage EAB when it arrives in the Mile High City, as part of its Be A Smart Ash campaign.

A man jogs among ash trees in Denver's City Park, all of which are vulnerable to emerald ash borer (EAB).

Help Denver fight EAB by mapping your favorite trees with Curio

DENVER — Your friendly City Forester has mapped each and every one of the public ash trees in Denver as part of its effort to prepare for the inevitable arrival of emerald ash borer (EAB). As the most destructive forest pest in U.S. history, EAB has decimated ash tree populations and caused billions of dollars in damage in more than 25 states and parts of Canada.

But it’s not just ash trees. The city has actually mapped all of Denver’s public trees, giving you the chance to learn more about the trees around you and the benefits they provide. You can give them all a look using the interactive map on this very website.

But that may leave you with intense FOMOOMT — Fear Of Missing Out On Mapping Trees. Not to worry. You can now join the tree mapping party in Denver thanks to an app called Curio.

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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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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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