The City of Billings Parks, Recreation and Public Lands Department and CM Tree Service are excited to offer an educational conference concerning an invasive beetle from Asia, the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). EAB have quickly become one of the most destructive and costly insects in forestry. Conference sessions for tree care professionals will be at the Northern Hotel on April 2nd from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Registration is required for this event. CEUs for ISA Certified Arborists and Montana Pesticide applicators are available.
Following the conference events, the public is invited to an educational event in the South Ballroom at the Northern Hotel from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 2nd. This event is free to the public and all are encouraged to attend. Community members will gain essential knowledge on preparation efforts to safeguard our trees, and what our city is doing to protect the urban tree canopy.
EAB was first discovered in the United States during the summer of 2002 near Detroit, Michigan, and has spread throughout the Midwest and Atlantic Coast. EAB larvae feed on the inner bark of ash trees. Once an ash tree is infested, it has almost zero chance of survival. The only way to protect your tree is with treatment. EAB populations grow exponentially each year because the beetle has few natural predators and our ash trees have limited natural defenses.
This is a particular concern for tree care professionals and homeowners. When EAB is not managed, annual ash tree deaths can quickly overwhelm the resources required to remove dead and dying trees. Billings has an urban canopy that consists of over 40% ash trees.
Conference topics will include Managing EAB, Taking Samples in the Field, Economic Ramifications of EAB, and more. Speakers include Gary Adams – Montana State Plant Health Director, Rich Hauer – Director of Urban Forestry (Des Moines, IA), Steve McConnell – City Forester (Billings, MT), and more.
Interested tree care professionals can register for the conference through the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture: www.isarmc.org. Registration is not required for the EAB informational event that evening; this event is open to all local residents.