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David Bienemann, the city's arborist, scratches through the bark of one of the trees at Carter Park on the south side of Bowling Green in search of evidence of an emerald ash borer infestation. The city plans to cut down 113 ash trees in the public right of way next month and plant a like number of a different kind of tree in the spring to prevent the beetle's spread.
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Bowling Green has a program to get rid of ash trees

Bowling Green has a program to get rid of ash trees

BOWLING GREEN - City arborist David Bienemann is working under a simple premise: no ash trees, no emerald ash borer.

While the tree-killing pest has not been spotted in Bowling Green, workers plan to cut down 113 ash trees that are in the public right of way next month and then plant a like number of non-ash trees this spring. The ash trees that are cut down will be examined for infestation, which begins at the top of the tree and is not always immediately noticeable.

"Our goal is over an 8-year program to get all the ash out and replace them," Mr. Bienemann said.

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The first round of tree-cutting is being financed in part with a $20,292 grant from the Ohio Division of Forestry, which used money left over from its share of air pollution fines levied by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to help communities in direct line of attack from the deadly pest, said Drew Todd, state urban forestry coordinator.

"The only caveat was that the new trees can't be ash and they have to be shade trees," Mr. Todd said.

Mr. Bienemann said he has a list of about 30 trees that grow

well in the city's soil types, and he will determine what kind are planted this spring based on the site and soil type.

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In addition to Bowling Green, Sylvania received $34,870; Rossford, $11,949; Holland, $4,241, and Waterville, $3,310.

Mr. Bienemann said this is only the start of his plans to eliminate the city's ash trees, a popular landscaping tree planted extensively in new subdivisions until the ash borer became a problem.

A recent inventory of trees on city property west of Main Street showed there were 514 ash trees, he said. The east side has not yet been surveyed, and it's unknown how many ash trees are located on private property.

Mr. Bienemann plans to encourage and help homeowners replace ash trees on their property through the city's adopt-a-tree program. In a program he plans to launch early next year, residents who voluntarily remove ash trees will be eligible for discounts on replacement trees.

Mr. Bienemann said he had heard the complaints of property owners in emerald ash quarantine areas like North Baltimore who were upset that they were receiving no compensation for their lost ash trees. He wants to get ahead of the problem - an effort city officials support.

"Dave's job is to not only address the problems we have now in the city, but also look forward to different programming to make sure our tree population is as healthy as possible," said Lori Tretter, city spokesman.

Mr. Bienemann, a former manager of forestry services with FirstEnergy Corp., was hired in July as the city's first full-time arborist.

"This has really been a great benefit to us," Ms. Tretter said. "We take a lot of pride in our trees."

Mr. Todd said Bowling Green's proactive plans are in line with what the state Division of Forestry wants to accomplish in the coming years.

"We want to try to find existing programs where we can tweak them a little bit to help provide incentives for urban residents and rural landowners to reduce the number of ash on their properties so we can help control and contain the insect," Mr. Todd said.

He added that the Division of Forestry does offer vouchers to property owners in emerald ash zones to help pay for replacement trees, although trees removed from woods and other natural regeneration areas are not eligible.

Contact Jennifer Feehan at:

jfeehan@theblade.com

or 419-353-5972.

First Published December 22, 2004, 11:59 a.m.

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David Bienemann, the city's arborist, scratches through the bark of one of the trees at Carter Park on the south side of Bowling Green in search of evidence of an emerald ash borer infestation. The city plans to cut down 113 ash trees in the public right of way next month and plant a like number of a different kind of tree in the spring to prevent the beetle's spread.
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