Invasive Emerald Ash Borer Detected In Thornton
THORNTON, Colo. (CBS4)- The Emerald Ash Borer has been detected in Thornton. The borer is an invasive, highly destructive tree pest.
The ash trees in the City of Thornton number about 1,600 on public property. City officials believe the number of ash trees on private property in Thornton make that number significantly higher.
"If all the ash trees are lost to the EAB, it will have a significant impact on Thornton's tree canopy and general landscape," says Thornton Parks, Golf and Forestry Superintendent Paul Burkholder in a statement.
The Emerald Ash Borer was first confirmed in Colorado in Boulder in 2013. The Thornton confirmation is the first in a Colorado city located east of I-25.
Thornton Parks and Forestry made the initial find in an ash tree in Park Village Park.
"It's probable that the EAB has already infested other ash trees in Thornton," says Burkholder in a statement. "The larger ash trees in Park Village were treated in 2021, so this recent find tells us EAB has been there for several years prior to treatment."
Unfortunately, nothing can be done to stop the spread of the EAB. The only useful action is pesticide treatments prior to infestation.
According to Colorado State University Extension, since the 1960s, ash trees were often planted in home landscapes, parks and public areas across Colorado because they were in good supply in nurseries and grow quickly compared with other tree species.
