Cedar Rapids arborist recommends removing 520 ash trees

The city arborist is recommending that 520 ash trees in the city's right of way be removed because of their hazardous or potentially hazardous condition.

Of those trees, 170 are high-priority removals because of the hazards or potential hazards they represent.

The city has an estimated 9,000 to 12,000 ash trees on its right of way (generally the area between a sidewalk and the street). More ash trees are found in city parks.

The review of the ash trees was undertaken at the encouragement of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, given that the destructive emerald ash borer has been found in Allamakee County in northeast Iowa.

The borers have devastated trees in the East, much as Dutch elm disease did earlier with elm trees.

The city plans to remove ash trees that are dying or in poor condition - the ones the borer would first attack - and begin replacing them with other species to increase the diversity of the city's trees.

The 520 at-risk trees in Cedar Rapids are in 440 locations throughout the city.

In August, Public Works staffers will send letters of explanation to property owners. Removal is scheduled to begin this winter.

Residents with questions regarding the health or the potentially hazardous condition of any public tree can call Public Works at (319) 286-5802 or e-mail street@cedar-rapids.org to have it inspected.