Marion Plans For Emerald Ash Borer Infestation

MARION - Cities across Iowa are bracing for an infestation that could strip them of trees.

It's because of the Emerald Ash Borer.

The non-native insect has shown up in far Northeast Iowa.

The borer kills ash trees, and there are a lot of those in Iowa.

So the City of Marion planned ahead to replace many of them.

But that won't be cheap because a fourth of Marion's trees are ash trees.

Each ash tree in Marion that sits along a street has a number

The non-profit group, Trees Forever, accounted for each one and will count the ones in parks next.

They know each one is a target.

"It's going to be a huge cost that the city is going to have to bear,” said Trees Forever Field Coordinator Karen Brook.

For Marion City officials it was not a question of if Emerald Ash Borer is coming, it was a question of when.

"We're just trying to get ahead of the curve because Marion's got a lot of trees,” said Marion City Councilman Craig Adamson.

But to tear down one big ash tree costs about $3,000 and the bill will likely end up on resident's water bills.

"It's proposed at a $1.80 a month and that would be for anyone who has water bill, so it would be businesses, non-profits, even other government agencies,” said Marion City Manager Lon Pluckhahn.

Starting July first, the new urban forest utility could go into effect.

It would pay to tear down some ash trees, replace them, and possibly even hire a forestry expert.

But preserving trees through a fee wasn't popular with everyone. 

"They're wasting a lot of money doing a lot of different things that I think they could find another way to do it,” said Marion Business Owner Rich Foens.

"It seems like anything that's a new tax comes and doesn't go away,” said Marion Resident Tony Weber.

The Marion City Council will make a final decision on the tree fee resolution on Thursday.

City leaders expect it to pass.