 Figure 1. Ash trees in a Hendricks, MN park As of 2007, over 20 million ash trees had been killed in Michigan by the emerald ash borer. As the emerald ash borer moves through Minnesota, there will be significant challenges in dealing with the number of dead trees and the resulting quantities of wood. So, what can be done to ease the difficulty of dealing with a large amount of dead trees and the resulting wood? As a start, you might consider creating a community group to inventory (count) your neighborhood trees. Figure 2. Hendricks, MN inventory volunteers Community groups can be a great way to exchange ideas and broaden the involvement to your entire neighborhood. Once you have an idea of the number of ash in your area, you can pool available resources to deal with potential issues. Understanding of the number of trees to be dealt with will help to inform the choices you make. There are the standard options:
What about other options? How about purchasing a sawmill to mill removed trees into usable lumber? While this might sound unreasonable, there are some products that are very affordable and practical for small groups or companies to purchase and operate. Figure 3. Granberg Chain Saw Mill, Model# G777 | Larger, yet still affordable, sawmills can be purchased by community groups, forestry or parks departments. These sawmills start around $1000. Companies such as Northern Tool or Forestry Suppliers are good resources for these products.  Figure 4. Norwood PortaMill Chainsaw Sawmill Whether you decide to purchase one of these tools or work with a company that already has a way to mill logs, your options for utilizing wood is limited only by the number of trees and your imagination. Here is a short list of possibilities:
How about a wildlife tree? A wildlife tree is dead tree that is kept standing for the benefit of birds, small mammals, and other animals that wildlife in the area. So, instead of cutting down your trees, consider working with a reputable tree care company to turn your tree into wildlife habitat. Usually the major branches, top, and bark are removed from the tree, leaving the main trunk for wildlife to utilize. Don't forget about treatments! If there are ash trees that you highly value, options exist to treat with chemicals in order to reduce the likelihood of infestation by the emerald ash borer. While no treatment is 100% effective, treatments can still be a good option for beautiful, healthy, or large trees. Treatments DO need to be continually re-applied. Work with a reputable tree care company for assistance in evaluating treatment options and costs associated with long term treatments. Click here for a directory of tree care companies. General things to keep in mind.
 Photo Credit: Figures 1& 2 by Professor Gary Johnson Figure 3 & 4 from www.northerntool.com written by Eric North, April 2011 Undergraduate in Urban Forestry University of Minnesota |
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Wood Utilization: Options for your ash treesSo, you have ash trees and the emerald ash borer wants them. |