Township Services

Emerald Ash Borer Detected In Crooked Lake Township

Good Morning,

I am Jonathan Osthus with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and am the technical assistance coordinator for emerald ash borer (EAB) in Minnesota. We have confirmed emerald ash borer in Crooked Lake Township. Infested ash trees were identifed on the east side of Hwy 6 directly across from the Lake Roosevelt boat launch. If the city or residents have ash trees they would prefer not to lose, beginning insecticide treatments would be wise. Private woodland owners should seek guidance from your area DNR Forester to consult on forest management plans and cost share resources available.

Here are the basic options for dealing with EAB infested ash trees:

If the ash tree still looks healthy enough after leafing out (no more than 30% canopy decline), you can begin having it treated with insecticide to protect it. This is an annual or biennial expense and best to have a certified arborist assess the health of the tree and apply the treatment. If the tree is over 15” in diameter at breast height (4.5 ft above ground) it is recommended to have a licensed pesticide applicator treat the tree. The chemicals available to the average homeowner sometimes aren’t rated for trees that size or larger and it is important to check the product label ensure it is properly suited for your size tree. Homeowner’s Guide to Insecticide Selection

If the tree is past the point of being a good candidate for treatment or would prefer not to go that route, plan to do removals during fall, winter, or early spring. Try to avoid doing any pruning or removals during the summer months when EAB is actively flying around unless the tree poses an immediate hazard. Ash trees become very brittle and hazardous quickly after they die and that can greatly increase removal costs depending on size of the tree and where it happens to be located in the yard. It typically takes about 2-3 years for signs of infestation to become initially visible (i.e., woodpecker feeding damage in branches 2-6 inches in diameter) and a total of 5 years for EAB to kill the tree.
If the ash trees are in a natural area where they don’t pose hazards to persons or property, they can be left to die and fall apart.
As for the wood, it is best if it can be kept as close to where it was cut as possible. You can save it for firewood and burn on-site if you have a fire pit, bring to closest tree waste disposal site, or have a tree care company haul it if you hire one to cut the tree. It is just important that the wood doesn’t get hauled outside of the known infested area and emerald ash borer quarantine restrictions are followed.
More information for homeowners on best management practices, insecticide selection and hiring a tree care professional can be found at https://www.mda.state.mn.us/eab-info-homeowners or by using this decision guide for managing ash trees.

DNR Urban and Community Forestry Program Resources:

Financial assistance available for communities and residents in 2024 (e.g. ash removals and replacements) MN DNR Community Forestry Grant Opportunities are posted at https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/urban/index.html, email udf.dnr@state.mn.us
Area community foresters map https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/woodlands/cfm-map.html

DNR Forest Stewardship Program

Advise private forestland owners on forest management for EAB
Provides access to cost-share for forest management issues and projects
Need assistance or have questions? visit https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/foreststewardship/index.html

Welcome To Crooked Lake, Township

Welcome To Crooked Lake, Township

Welcome To Crooked Lake, Township

Welcome To Crooked Lake, Township

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