Emerald Ash Borer

The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) kills an ash tree within 3-5 years of infestation. The EAB was first seen in the upper Midwest of the U.S. and has spread throughout the northeast United States.  Its presence in Sharpley has taken a great toll on the lovely tree canopies each street enjoyed. 

We have discussed EAB with the State Forestry department and several other communities to develop a plan to implement upon infestation.  As a result, ash trees have been given priority for removal in our current ongoing street tree work. Sharpley has been awarded several grants from the State Forestry but the grants are not nearly enough to address ash tree removal and replacement.  Annual dues are our only source of income for our tree projects.

A.   Evaluating Street Tree Removals

An inventory of Sharpley street trees is conducted twice a year. These inventories are completed in the spring and summer when the trees have "leafed" and a more accurate assessment of tree health can be determined.  Ash tree work is prioritized.

Trees posing safety concerns will be addressed first. Trees are then graded depending on the severity of the tree’s health.

***Homeowners with unpaid dues will not be eligible to receive tree work.***

B.   Tree Removal

The cost of removal is dependent on the size of the ash tree. The vast majority of Sharpley’s ash trees are very large. The average ash tree removal with replacement is projected to be $2,400.

These factors are taken into consideration when deciding to remove an ash tree:

• available funds

• health of the tree

• aesthetics of the tree

• cost of removal

• location of the tree in the canopy

The emerald ash borer has created a dilemma for our neighborhood. At a cost of $2,400 per tree removal/replacement we will need over $750,000 to remove of all the neighborhood ash trees. As a result, we have currently implemented the above strategies to help manage costs of the emerald ash borer issue.