The City of Grand Junction is expanding efforts to identify, treat, and protect Ash trees from Lilac Ash Borers and Ash Bark Beetles on private property through the “Root For Our Trees” program. Ash trees on city property are also treated to protect them from these pests. The city will pay 50 percent of the total cost of residential treatment. Registration for the program is now open.
Residents can learn more about the program in-person at Southwest Arbor Fest on Saturday, April 22, 2023, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Lincoln Park 910 N. 12th Street. Additional information about the Root For Our Trees program.
To qualify for treatment with the Root for Our Trees programs, trees must be:
- on residentially-zoned lots
- growing within Grand Junction city limits
- a minimum of 8" in diameter. (Trees under this size do not respond well to trunk injection)
Ash trees are being damaged and killed by the Lilac Ash Borer and Ash Bark Beetles at an alarming rate. Ash Trees are the most common tree in the city’s tree canopy, comprising more than 20 percent. The city’s selected contractor, T4 Tree Services, will provide trunk injections for Ash Trees on private property. This treatment can protect Ash trees for up to three years.
In order to combat these pests, trunks are injected with a special chemical called emamectin benzoate. The chemical goes directly into the cambium layer and sapwood of the tree. The cambium layer is the growth area of the trunk. Within that layer is the sapwood that acts as the tree’s pipeline to move water up to the leaves. The ideal timing for treatment is between mid-April and mid-October when the trees have all their leaves. Injections are the preferred treatment method because it absorbs faster than through other processes like soil drench or spray application.
Register for the program Since launching the Root for Our Trees program in the spring of 2022, more than 600 trees have been treated. Additional information about the Root For Our Trees program.