Simplified: If you've got an ash tree in your yard, it's not a question of if it will be affected by emerald ash borers – it's a question of when, said Urban Forestry Specialist Bryan Peterson, and a dead tree hanging out in your yard is an accident waiting to happen. Here's what homeowners need to know.

Why it matters

  • Emerald ash borers, or EABs, were first spotted in Sioux Falls in 2018, and the city has been working through a 10-year plan to treat or remove all ash trees in public areas and along the public right-of-way.
  • Now, it's time for private property owners to pick up the baton. Peterson told reporters Thursday that it's the responsibility of property owners to know what kind of trees they have, and, if any of those are ash trees, it's a good idea to have them removed.
    • The number of affected trees that are fully dead from EABs doubled year-over-year, Peterson said, and that's only going to increase.
  • On the plus side, the city is one of only a few to receive a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That $3 million grant will support the "CommuniTree" program to plant 2,500 new trees in public right-of-ways at no cost to property owners.
"You'll get a letter on how to select and receive a free tree – one tree per parcel," Park Operations Manager Josh Johnson said. "The city will hire contractors to plant and maintain the trees for one growing season to ensure the survivability of the tree and success of the program."

Tell me more about EABs

EABs are little green beetles whose larvae bore (hence the name) into the ash trees and eat them up. That then affects the tree's ability to transport water and nutrients where it needs those things, and the tree ultimately dies as a result.

Gross. Can you get rid of them?

If your trees aren't too far gone, you can treat them, but you can never get rid of ash borers entirely.

"The emerald ash borer has been in the United States since 2002, and there hasn't been a single community to fully eradicate the pest," Peterson said.

How do I know if I have ash trees?

At the time that EABs first came to town, about 40% of the tree's urban canopy was ash trees. So, there's a decent chance you might have one.

If you're not sure, the city has a comprehensive guide on their website with pictures of ash trees, their leaves, their seeds and contact information for licensed arborists who can help you with removal.

What if I do nothing?

If you have an ash tree in your yard, and you don't do anything about it, it'll die. Then, worst case scenario, you have a big, brittle dead tree in your yard poised to fall into your house, fence, play set, whatever else might be in its wake.

Tell me more about the CommuniTree program

The $3 million USDA grant will fund the planting of 2,500 trees in the right-of way, and property owners don't have to pay a dime.

You can check here to see if you're in a census tract that qualifies for the program.

If you don't qualify, you can still get some support from the city to replace trees in the boulevard/public right-of-way.

  • The city has a voucher program to replace street trees that pays $50 for each approved tree you plant in the boulevard. Learn more and apply here.