Pittsburgh may be less of a green city, literally, if we don't work to save our trees from the double threat of insects and disease.
Happily, multiple groups, including the
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and
Tree Pittsburgh are lending their expertise and fundraising abilities to the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, Pittsburgh Shade Tree Commission and other city offices that are planning for protection and recovery.
This year is crucial, says the Parks Conservancy's Director of Marketing and Membership Development Michael Sexauer, because the Emerald Ash Borer beetle is about to add its destructive powers to the oak wilt disease and other insects already attacking.
The public is invited to contribute to the plan on Feb. 17 at 6:30 p.m. in the Frick Fine Arts Building auditorium at Pitt. "
Saving our Trees: Action and Recovery" will feature presentations by local experts about the threat to park, street and residential trees. (Reserve your spot by contacting Kendall Ayers at 412.682.7275, ext. 227, or visiting the
Parks Conservancy website.
Although planning has been underway since November, Sexauer says the groups are still considering whether to use insecticides and whether to remove affected trees or let nature take its course. They are also debating whether and where to collect seeds from unaffected ash trees, with the hope of replanting in the future, after the threat is gone or after cross-breeding local ash with borer-resistant varieties.
Luckily, ash trees make up only 15 percent of our park foliage and 1.5 percent of our street trees -- but an unknown amount of our residential greenery. And most of the land in Pittsburgh is private property.
"No matter what the treatment is," Sexauer concludes, "we know we're going to have to replace a lot of trees."
Writer:
Marty LevineSource: Michael Sexauer, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
Image courtesy of Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy