How to Dispose of Dead Trees Caused by the Emerald Ash Borer

The dangers of emerald ash borer (EAB) are well known by now and the government, local municipalities, and homeowners are all doing their bit to curb the spread of this insidious little creature and save as many of the country’s ash trees as possible. Sadly, ash trees that are not treated against the jade green beetle from Northeast Asia die within five to ten years of the emerald ash borer being detected in an area. Part of the problem for municipalities and property owners is what to with all the dead trees that EAB leaves in its wake.

The emerald ash borer feeds on sapwood under the bark of the tree, cutting off the flow of water and nutrients between the roots and the crown causing the tree canopy to slowly die. Dead ash trees in forests can be left to rot and fall over in their own good time but this is not feasible in urban or populated areas. Ash trees that have been killed by EAB are unstable, unpredictable and downright dangerous and they need to be dealt with immediately.

Removing dead ash trees is not a DIY job

As a property owner, it is your responsibility to remove any hazardous trees on your land and the longer you leave a dead ash tree, the more it will become a danger to you and your property. The dead branches can easily break off, the entire top of the tree could snap, or the tree may simply topple over, causing damage to property and injury to people. Many gardeners and homeowners think that they can simply chop down the dead ash tree in their backyard or driveway, but this is not a good idea. The average homeowner will not have the correct equipment to safely remove a dead ash tree and the best way to deal with the problem is to have it removed by a professional tree removal company. Because dead ash trees are brittle and unstable it is often not possible to climb them and cut them down branch by branch. Typically, the entire tree needs to be felled in one piece or removed with the aid of a crane or bucket truck. While this is an expensive exercise, it will most likely save you money in the long run.

What about the pile of ash wood that is left behind?

Once the dead ash tree in your garden has been removed, you will be left with a pile of wood that is most likely infected with emerald ash borer and your next challenge is how to safely dispose of it and not aid the spread of EAB. You have to assume that the EAB is still in the wood and therefore you should not transport it further than 50 miles from your property. Doing so could easily spread EAB to a whole new area.

Fortunately, there are ways to put the wood to good use.

You can safely burn wood that is infested with emerald ash borer and you can use it for your summer barbecues and as winter firewood.
The tree removal service that cut down your tree can remove the wood for you or turn it into mulch for your garden.
You can take the wood to a nearby recycling center but make sure to tell them that it is infested with EAB so that they don’t transport it across the country.
Emerald ash borer does not damage the interior of the tree and if the tree was big enough, you can turn it into planks that you can use or sell.
You can also find out if there is an EAB-compliant site nearby where you can drop off the wood.

But whatever you decide to do remember you don’t want to transport the wood more than 50 miles and inadvertently become part of the problem rather than the solution.

If you suspect that your ash tree is infested with emerald ash borer, contact Martin’s Tree Service to safely remove the tree for you and advise you on what to do with the wood.

Steve Martin

I have a profound interest in trees and their natural beauty. I grew up on a hobby farm ten minutes north of Waterloo and spent many winters in the bush collecting firewood to heat our family home. It was definitely work, so I wasn’t always eager as a young boy to help my father and big brother, but I learned to love the process... READ MORE

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Removing dead ash trees is not a DIY job

What about the pile of ash wood that is left behind?

Steve Martin

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