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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-02-03 PACKET 08.B.REQUEST OF CITY COUNCIL ACTION COUNCIL AGENDA MEETING ITEM # DATE 02/03/2010 1 1 1 0 :1 99 Public Works Les Burshten ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT STAFF AUTHOR * * ** W W W * ** W W * * * ** W W W W* W* W W ** W W W* W W W W k* W W W * W W W W W W COUNCIL ACTION REQUEST Recommend approval of the City of Cottage Grove Emerald Ash Borer Management Plan. STAFF RECOMMENDATION It is recommended the Council approve the City of Cottage Grove Emerald Ash Borer Management Plan. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ® MEMO /LETTER: Brian Voelker, January 28, 2010. ❑ RESOLUTION: ❑ ORDINANCE: ❑ ENGINEERING RECOMMENDATION: ❑ LEGAL RECOMMENDATION: ❑ OTHER: Emerald Ash Borer Management Plan and Draft Ordinance Amending Title 4 -4 ADMINISTRATORS COMMENTS City Administrator r Date * W * * * * * W * * * * * W W W W W W * W W W * * * * * W * W * W W W W W W * * * W W * * * * * COUNCIL ACTION TAKEN: APPROVED ❑ DENIED ❑ OTHER Date: Friday, January 29, 2010 Subject: City of Cottage Grove Emerald Ash Borer Management Plan Background The fiscal year 2010 Forestry budget approved $162,000 for the implementation of an Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Management Plan. The purpose of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) Management Plan is to mitigate the disruption of the city's urban forest caused by the infestation of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). Since the discovery of EAB in St. Paul on May 14, 2009, the City of Cottage Grove is taking a proactive approach to this infestation to address public and private needs in an efficient and effective manner. The City of Cottage Grove will attempt to distribute costs associated with certain and massive tree deaths, based on the history of EAB elsewhere in North America, over a manageable time period, and lessen the social and economic impact that an extensive loss would have on the quality of life in our community. The intent of this management plan is to be applicable to all public properties where ash trees are currently growing in the City, and on private properties where such trees may negatively impact public right - of -way. Cottage Grove has approximately 16,000 trees on street right -of -way boulevards that are maintained by the parks maintenance division, and removed by the streets maintenance division. Funding for replacement is paid for out of the forestry budget. The maintenance of publicly owned open space and park trees is by general fund (forestry). The replacement of these trees and planting of additional trees are funded by the general fund (forestry), and in some cases or by the Public Landscape Initiative. Discussion Ash Population It is estimated that about 25 percent of all public trees are a variety of ash species meaning 4,000 right -of -way trees. These figures do not include trees on private properties which are ultimately the responsibility of the property owners. However, in the case of diseased and dangerous trees, the City is also responsible for monitoring, inspecting, and abating nuisance private trees. This means that approximately 10,000 additional ash trees could be affected by EAB and become a source of added responsibility of possible inspection and notifying of the residents of potential EAB risks for the city's forestry operations. It is for that reason a EAB Plan is necessary. The enclosed EAB Management Plan addresses the next 12 years. CITY OF COTTAGE GROVE MINNESOTA The EAB Management Plan consists of the following areas of management: ® Mitigation and Monitoring EAB Tree Age® Direct injection Treatment Ash Tree Removal and Replacement Wood Disposal EAB Management Plan Budget EAB Cost Benefit Analysis The City of Cottage Grove's long term plan is to maintain the existing healthy and diverse urban forest by implementing the EAB Management Plan. Then the plan will be evaluated annually and proper adjustment made in management strategies as necessary. This is the biggest project the Public Works Forestry Division has undertaken in the past 30 years. EAB Tree Age® Direct Injection Treatment Analysis After the first cycle of treatment of ash trees in 2010, the forester will re- evaluate the treatment process in 2012 before the 2013 treatment process. The 2012 evaluation process will examine the progress of treatment using the following criteria: Increased overall health of the treated ash trees. Increased growth in the form of diameter. Reduction in exotic and native pests. If the ash trees are showing significant progress from the treatment, the Public Works Department will to recommend continuing the treatment of EAB in the boulevard and legacy trees. But if the treatment shows little progress by 2012, or if EAB is not discovered in Cottage Grove or neighboring cities, Public Works staff will recommend the possibility of postponing future treatments but continue to remove and replace boulevard ash trees. If the evaluations after the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th treatments show significant progress in stopping or eliminating EAB, the treatment process may continue, but at this time the Public Works staff will not know that. Since 2002, scientists have been doing research on the effects of EAB on North American ash trees and will continue with this research. They have found some practical applications to prevent EAB but at this time have not found a 100% guaranteed method of elimination of EAB treatment. City staff can make a reasonable assumption that research will make significant progress on possible treatment improvements, technology, chemical treatment, or the discovery of the natural enemy of EAB insect. It may be possible that Tree -Age® treatment may be effective to 5 or more years, but this will not be known until more scientific research is done. At this time the Public Works staff does not know if this treatment process is going to have to continue after twelve (12) years. It mayor may not be necessary to treat after the 4 treatments in 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019. Currently, the 12 year plan is a work in progress, the progress of EAB is unknown and the potential treatment process of ash trees for the rest of the ash tree life will be most likely eminent. By the end of the 12 2 Ordinances and Related Policies The City has ordinances and policies that affect and outline what actions can and cannot be done. These ordinances and policies are in the process of being reviewed and updated with EAB in mind: The Public Works Department and City Clerk are currently in the final stages of updating ordinances related to diseased trees to include EAB, such as the ability to enter private property for inspection, the ability to order removal of diseased trees, and the ability to abate the nuisance upon non - compliance of property owner: o These changes will include regulations prohibiting stockpiling and /or nuisance Emerald Ash Borer wood during April 15 to October 15. The updated Chapter 4 -4 will also allow the City Forester or designated person the right to enter upon private property to inspect any trees that may or may not be infected by the emerald ash borer (see attached draft of Ordinance Title 4 -4). Ultimately, North American communities haven't successfully eradicated EAB once found (with one possible exception, a small town in Michigan still under study). EAB typically builds in population and eventually infests and kills all varieties of true ash trees. Symptoms are slow to appear and once EAB is found it is estimated that it has already been present 3 -5 years. Unless a tree is chemically treated with EAB insecticides (see Insecticides above), infected ash trees typically succumb to the insect and are subsequently removed and disposed of (some natural area trees are left to die standing unless it is determined to be a safety hazard). The cities that were largely affected by the Emerald Ash Borer in Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois were infested at very high levels and the discovery of the ash borer was too late to implement a management program. However, the City of Bowling Green, OH and a local University have been testing a number of insecticides that have had some success. At this time we are not aware of any other suburban city that has implemented an emerald ash borer program in Minnesota. Minneapolis, St. Paul, Oakdale, and Richfield are working on similar management plans such as this one along with minor city ordinance changes and updates. Management Plan. 101 • :• r •I Emerald Borer Management c • &M-FIN EAB Management Plan Goals The goals and objectives of the City's EAB Management Plan outline a twelve year plan that will encompass: public outreach and education, monitoring ash trees for infestation, aggressive treatment of 10" to 20" boulevard, park, and legacy ash trees, and implementing a plan to remove and replace ash trees that are not included in the EAB treatment program and researching the cost benefit analysis of the treatment of ash trees. Public Emerald Ash Tree and Urban Forestry Outreach and Education Public outreach and education will start in January 2010 and continue throughout the twelve years of this plan. The following media communication networks will be used to communicate with the residents and businesses of Cottage Grove: • Various presentations to the City Council and Public Works Commission Direct mailing in the Cottage Grove utility bills Neighborhood mailings • Cottage Grove newsletters • City of Cottage Grove website • City of Cottage Grove's Facebook page • Local cable shows • Various city events such as: Annual Volunteer Tree Planting, Arbor Day Event, and etc. • Public articles in the local newspapers • Public meetings and outreach events The outreach and education plan is to educate both residents and businesses in general about EAB, the tree treatment process, and the removal and replacement process that is going to be implemented. The education will be in as many media outlets as possible to make sure everyone is abreast of what is going to occur in their neighborhoods, parks, open space, and the community. The city's intent is to encourage residents and businesses to take an active role in this plan with volunteer opportunities, while encouraging them to monitor and report any changes to their private trees that may or may not have signs of EAB. The city is also going to provide information on what residents and businesses could use to treat EAB in their private trees. The city is also hoping that the relationship with the residents and businesses throughout the city will help with community based involvement and future private tree inventories in the next five to ten years. Ongoing communication, resident education and outreach will be the key components of the initial response and those efforts will continue and be expanded upon as more information becomes available. Continued coordinated public information dissemination to residents and the media from both the state and local levels will ensure that key information reaches the public as quickly as possible. Key updates have been and will continue to be transmitted via the City and Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) website. Public meetings will be held for experts to engage City residents with their questions and concerns throughout the duration of this plan. `a The City has produced a public service announcement that aired on the local government channel in August 2009. Before, during and after ash borer trees are treated and EAB is discovered in Cottage Grove, there will be additional public service announcements on the local government channel. The public service announcements will aid in the "What can I do ?" questions and be updated as any new key information develops. Additionally, the City will work with the MDA to reach and educate commercial tree services in best management practices, as they play a key role especially in controlling the spread of infestation. As EAB activity occurs in neighborhoods, door -to -door contact using fliers will advise residents of specific activity for their boulevard trees and activity on their block. MITIGATION AND MONITORING The City of Cottage Grove will start treating ash trees that the forester believes are worth saving during May- October of 2010 before EAB is discovered in Cottage Grove. The City's treatment of ash trees will prolong the survival of public ash trees in the city. If EAB continues to spread uncontrollably as it has elsewhere in North America, Cottage Grove will be largely independent in dealing with the infestation. Keeping in mind that the largest populations of ash trees by far are in northern Minnesota, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and MDA will likely be stretched to assist other cities and communities throughout the state in the future. Thus, Cottage Grove will need to have its own plan for mitigating EAB. For the purposes of this plan, mitigation is made up of Monitoring, EAB Tree Age® direct injection treatment, removal and replacement plan, wood utilization and disposal, and reforestation. Monitoring the infestation is the first step to managing it. In 2010, the forester will be surveying for EAB, including the sample stripping of bark from any ash tree that is removed for non -EAB reasons. The forester will also respond to calls for inspections from residents. In addition, the forester will be assisting the MDA with installing and monitoring both "purple" EAB cardboard traps and girdled trees, which are designed to attract adult beetles. EAB TREE AGE® DIRECT INJECTION TREATMENT The number one goal of this plan is to protect the City of Cottage Grove's urban forests by identifying, preventing, and rapidly and effectively responding to the threat or presence of invasive forest pests. The City of Cottage Grove has decided to prevent or slow the spread of EAB in Cottage Grove's ash tree population by starting to treat approximately 3,000 boulevard, park, and legacy ash trees in May 2010 with Tree -Age® direct injection insecticide. The Tree -Age® treatment is injected in the trunk of ash trees and has produced success in other parts of the country to prevent and slow EAB. The long term plan is to treat approximately 3,000 boulevard and park legacy ash trees in 2010 and continue treating those trees in 2013, 2016, 2019, and in 2022. According to the manufacturer (Tree -Age®) and a recent study "Insecticide Options for Protecting 3 Ash Trees from EAB" by several university researchers at Ohio State, Michigan State, Purdue, and Illinois, the insecticide kills and prevents 99% of the larvae from growing within the tree and deters adults from feeding on the tree's foliage. The City Forester will have main discretion in determining which trees will be treated and which trees will not be treated based on the condition of the tree. The selection of the treatment will be based on the following criteria for each tree: • Size of the tree must be between 10" and 20" DBH (diameter at breast height). • Individual tree condition considerations: • Health of the tree. • Location of the tree in relation to the sidewalk, driveway, street, etc. • Hazardous to the public. • Good form. • No external wounds. • No structural damage to roots. • No construction damage. • No significant utility impairment (such as underground or overhead utilities). Legacy trees. • Greater than 20" DBH. • Provide significant benefit to the community, neighborhood and homeowner. • Located in good growing conditions. The City of Cottage Grove will be set up in four tiers for the treatment and removal and replacement of ash trees (see Appendix A). The first tier will be in the urban forest along Minnesota State Highway 61 and the two sets of railroad track corridors where research has shown that EAB has been patterned to travel via major transportation corridors. The second tier is in the adjacent area in the urban forest. The third and fourth tiers will be the rural urban forest in Cottage Grove. The intent is to hopefully slow the spread of EAB by reducing host trees, thus, spreading out management costs over twelve years by avoiding a "spike" in diseased and dangerous trees. The City's intent is to make management of the urban forest more financially manageable to the community, while implementing the aggressive treatment every three years. Public Removal The city is anticipating removing and replacing approximately 50 to 150 ash trees per year depending on the number of EAB infested trees, the amount of hazardous trees, and the financial costs of removal and replacement. The goal during treatment years is removal and replacement of approximately 50 ash trees. In non - treatment years the city's goal is to remove approximately 150 ash trees. Along with the removal of 50 to 150 ash trees, the city is planning on replacing these trees each year with a more diverse population from its master tree list. 9 The City of Cottage Grove's goal and objective is to remove and replace approximately 1,000 of the 4,000 boulevard ash trees in the twelve years EAB Management Plan. During the treatment and non treatment years the City of Cottage Grove is also taking a proactive approach for the structured removal and replacement of ash trees in the city's urban forest. The City Forester will have the main discretion of determining which trees will be removed and replaced. The selection of the removal and replacement will be based on the following criteria for each tree: • Size of the ash tree being less than 10" DBH and greater than 20 ". • Individual ash tree condition considerations: • Poor health of the tree. • Trees located in a close proximity to a sidewalk, driveway, street, etc. • Pose a potential or immediate hazardous condition to the public safety. • Ash trees with greater than 30% decline. • Show bad growth form. • Show external wounds. • Show structural damage to roots. • Show construction damage. • Show significant utility impairment (such as: underground or overhead utilities). The removal and replacement plan will follow the same as the treatment plan (see Appendix A), with the first few years concentrating on the first tier that is adjacent to Minnesota State Highway 61 and the two different sets of railroad tracks that go through Cottage Grove. The second tier of removals will be located in the adjacent urban forest. The third and fourth tier removal and replacement area will be in the rural areas of Cottage Grove. The removal and replacement plan for the park and open space areas will depend on the location and safety of the affected tree. The ash trees that are affected by EAB and are located in the mowed areas of the park and open space will be removed and replaced. But the ash trees that are located within the wooded areas of the parks and open area will not be removed until it possesses a hazard. Private Property Removal For removal of nuisance diseased EAB tree(s) on private property, the city will follow the procedures of an updated Chapter 4 on Diseased Trees. In short, once a property owner is ordered to remove a diseased tree and fails to comply within 15 working days, the city may abate the nuisance by having it removed and disposed of in the proper way. All associated costs for the abatement will be assessed against the property owner, which can be appealed at a hearing with the City Council. 5 For removal of nuisance dangerous tree(s), such as a dying or dead EAB tree(s) on private property, the city will follow the procedures of Chapter 7 on the Removal of Dangerous Trees. In short, once a property owner is ordered to remove a dangerous tree and fails to comply within 15 working days, the city may abate the nuisance by having it removed and disposed of in the proper way. All associated costs for the abatement will be assessed against the property owner, which can be appealed at a hearing with the City Council. Public Replacement Plan In the past few years, tree planting has been accomplished using the Forestry budget and other smaller project funds to plant about 200 trees per year, most of them 2 inch DBH (diameter at breast height), in balled- and - burlapped form. Ideally, a re- planting program should be designed for the replacement of every tree that is removed the previous year. Thus, if Cottage Grove annually loses an additional 100 or more ash trees to EAB on top of the normal loss of 100 other trees, it will need to increase its planting accordingly. One strategy to increase the number of new trees planted is to choose less expensive 1 '/2 to 1 % inch, bare root stock. This is becoming common practice in many communities. Doing so might allow for 100 to 200 new trees with the same budget. The City plants trees in accordance with the Street Tree Master Plan. Thus, with the impending loss of thousands of trees, consideration should be given to whether these guidelines should be reviewed and retained or altered. Currently, the plan calls for planting a diverse population of tree species. Also, using the city's GIS inventory system, the City Forester is going to develop a city wide planting design that will incorporate a more diverse planting, trimming and maintenance program for boulevard and park trees in the next five to ten years. The proactive approach that was adopted was for structured removal of ash trees, including those in decline and in poor health and condition, (minus any ash chosen for possible chemical treatment). The chemical treatment will be based on individual tree conditions. The intent is to hopefully slow the spread of EAB by reducing host trees, thus, spreading out management costs over twelve years by avoiding a "spike" in diseased and dangerous trees. Public Ash Tree Removal and Replacement Notification Process The City is anticipating that residents may have some concerns or issues with the removal and replacement of boulevard ash trees on the City's boulevard. The city is planning on using a notification process along with the public outreach and education process that is talked about earlier in the EAB Management Plan. The process will consist of the following steps: 1. Residents will be sent a notification of the removal of boulevard ash trees that may or may not be infected with EAB. The letter will explain the current condition of the boulevard tree and the procedures of the EAB Management Plan, and N indicate when the boulevard tree will be removed and replaced. The letter will also give residents an opportunity to contact the City Forester and Public Works staff about concerns they may have. 2. Residents will also receive a letter two weeks before the boulevard tree is scheduled for removal. This will give the resident a second opportunity to contact the City Forester and Public Works staff about concerns they may have regarding the removal and replacement of the boulevard tree. 3. Included with the second letter will be a schedule for replacement of the boulevard tree. The letter will explain the options for selecting a replacement tree from the master list of acceptable boulevard trees. Residents will have the option of replacing their boulevard tree — they will not be required to do so. The letter will also include watering and maintenance instructions. 4. After the Public Works staff plants the boulevard tree, they will place a door hanger on the front door which will give additional watering and maintenance instructions. WOOD DISPOSAL The probable loss of ash trees creates several challenges for the City in regards to public trees, as well as to residents and commercial tree services dealing with private property trees. In the early stages of infestation, care to slow down the spread of EAB is paramount, not only for Cottage Grove, but other communities as well. The longer it can be contained to this relatively small area, the more time to successfully manage EAB infestation overall. The most critical period for movement of confirmed EAB ash trees are the months of June thru August. This is the period where adult beetles emerge from trees, begin feeding on foliage, move to even more trees, and lay their eggs. During this period, it is best to leave these trees standing and not chance the possible spread of EAB by transporting beetle infested wood to other areas. After this period, from about August to May each year, EAB trees can be removed and transported as long as they are promptly chipped to the required dimensions, less than 1 "x1 "x1" in any one dimension, effectively killing any EAB larvae. Regarding disposal, Cottage Grove is fortunate to have a lease arrangement with a disposal service that processes all public trees for energy incineration. The disposal service is located in Cottage Grove and the processed chips are trucked to the District Energy plant in downtown Saint Paul. The disposal service is available to residents for disposal of their private yard trees as well as to commercial tree services working in the area. 7 One troublesome issue is the potential of handling ash tree clean up from a wind storm damaging EAB confirmed trees during the active period of June thru August. Again, in order to avoid further spread of the infestation, all storm damaged trees in a known confirmed area should be chipped within the area before transporting to the disposal service. This includes, inevitably, the wood cleaned up by home owners or commercial tree services working in the area and looking for a disposal site. Finally, when the EAB infestation spreads city -wide, chipping of confirmed EAB trees in a particular area to prevent further spread may no longer be required. All ash trees could be removed and transported to the Cottage Grove compost site where they can be chipped. EAB MANAGEMENT PLAN BUDGET At the August 19, 2009 City Council meeting, the City Forester proposed an Emerald Ash Borer budget of $162,000 for the 2010 budget year. The Public Works Department has forecasted that the annual EAB Plan budget will cost approximately $162,000 per year until additional analysis is done on the benefits of treatment in 2013 -2014 (see chart below). The 2010 Forestry /EAB Budget will not increase. However, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture Planning and Preparedness grant would allocate additional funds for a summer forester intern ($4,800) to assist the City Forester in the treatment of ash trees and the inventorying of park trees and $30,000 to fund 100% the inventory of all trees in the rural right -of -ways of Cottage Grove that were not included in the original 2010 budget. Public outreach and education would be funded by the 2010 budget $2,300 and grant $7,700 for educational materials to keep residents informed about EAB. The removal and replacement of approximately 50 ash trees would be funded by the 2010 budget $17,500 and the grant $32,500, The Public Works Department has estimated that tree and stump disposal and replacement of an ash tree will cost approximately $1,000 per tree. The EAB treatment and materials and equipment for the injections of approximately 3,000 of the 4,000 boulevard ash trees is estimated to be $102,000. At the end of 2010, there will be a budget balance of $40,200 from the MDA Grant; Public Works staff is suggesting that this money be carried to future years. Since the Tree Age® treatment is done approximately every 3 years, the proposed $162,000 for budget year 2011 would be used for increasing the removal and replacement of approximately 156 ash trees. The budget would also include $5,500 for additional public outreach and education. The Public Works Department is also budgeting $500 per year for employee EAB Management training for 2011 -2014. In 2012, the city would remove and replace approximately an additional 130 ash trees. The continued public outreach and education would occur in 2012 for $5,500. The 2012 budget would also include the purchase of a vehicle that would cost approximately $12,000. The utility vehicle will be similar to the Polaris Mule that the Parks Department currently uses to stripe baseball fields and soccer fields. This utility vehicle will be more fuel efficient than a pickup truck and they are also more maneuverable for access to I . park and boulevard trees. The utility vehicle can to be parked on the boulevard so that the treatment supplies will be more accessible for the treatment of the ash trees. There may also be an opportunity to purchase the Tree Age® chemicals and /or treatment equipment at a discounted cost in 2012, so the Public Works Department has forecasted approximately $15,000 in the budget. In 2011 and 2012, the forester will complete a cost benefit analysis of the 3,000 trees that were treated with Tree Age® direct injection to determine the costs of treatment in 2013. In 2013, the treatment process would start again and continue until approximately 2022. A forester intern would be hired to assist the City Forester in the treatment of ash trees and the inventorying of park trees at a cost of approximately $4,800. The EAB treatment and materials for the injections of approximately 3,000 of the 4,000 boulevard ash trees is estimated to be $99,440. During 2013, approximately 51 ash trees would be removed and replaced, while $5,500 would be used for public education and outreach. In 2014, the city would remove and replace approximately an additional 160 ash trees, while $2,000 of the budget will be used for public education and outreach. The spreadsheet below shows a forecasted budget to implement the EAB Management Plan from 2010 to 2014. 1#1 CITY OF COTTAGE GROVE, MINNESOTA Forester /Emerald Ash Borer Budget Forcasted Budget 2010 -2014 Budget: Budget- General Fund MDA Grant Expenditures: Operating and maintenance: Personnel Salaries 2 FAB Treatment Materials /Equipmem 'Educational Materials 'Rural Inventory 6 Removal and Replacement Training Total expenditures Net increase (decrease) in fund balance Budget balance - January I Budget balance - December 31 Forecasted/Budget 5 Year 12 Year 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Total Cost Total Cost $162,000 $162,000 $]62,000 $162,000 $162,000 $810,000 1,944,000 $75,000 $ - $ - $ - $ - $75,000 75,000 237,000 162.000 162.000 162,000 162.000 885,000 2.019,000 4,800 4,800 9,600 19,200 90,400 - 99,440 189,840 419,546 11,600 27,000 - - 38,600 62,600 10,000 5,500 5,500 5,500 2,000 28,500 53,000 30,000 30,000 30,000 50,000 156 129 51,760 159,500 546,260 1,388 500 500 500 500 2,000 5.500 $196,800 $162,000 $162 $162,000 $162,000 844,800 1 40,210 0 0 0 0 40,200 40.200 0 40,200 40,200 40,200 40,200 $40.200 $40200 $40200 $40,200 540 Public Works and Project Expenses Personnel Salaries consists of hiring a summer Forester Intern ('Jew position 100% funding from MDA Grant for 2010). EAB Treatment consists of purchasing all of the chemicals to treat approximately 3,000 ash trees per year. 3 Materials /Equipmentare the operating supplies used for the preventative treatment of ash trees, removal and replacement of ash trees. Educational materials are community outreach ($7,700 funded by MDA Grant in 2010). 5 Rural Inventory expenses are for the inventorying of rural boulevard trees (100% of the MDA Grant will cover this cost in 2010). e Removal and Replacement are the expenses ($32,500 will be paid thin the MDA Grant in 2010). ' Personnel EAB training M COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS The University of Minnesota Urban Forestry program will work in conjunction with the city to analyze the success rates of the treatment process. The research will compare ash trees in the control group that have not been treated with Tree -Age® using Arborjet injection system. As part of the study with the University of Minnesota Urban Forestry, a cost benefit analysis of treatment of ash trees and research design to study the progress of the treatment will be conducted. Since the City of Cottage Grove is taking this aggressive stand on EAB, the city believes that the research the city and the University of Minnesota Forestry program will be completing in the next several years is going to be beneficial to other cities, counties, and states. The city's hopes are that with the benefits of the aggressive treatment, removal and replacement of ash trees, public education and outreach, along with community based involvement programs, a successful outcome will be reached against this deadly invader. 11