Austin to host public meeting on Emerald Ash Borer

(ABC 6 News) – The Austin Parks & Rec Dept. is hosting a public meeting about Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) on Tuesday evening.

The city of Austin has been confirmed to be infested with EAB as of May 2022.

Emerald Ash Borer is an invasive beetle that has the potential to kill every single ash tree in MN. Austin’s public canopy is 20% ash. Thousands of trees in Austin are at risk. This means an unexpected but unavoidable cost of removal or treatment for homeowners with Ash trees.

The city is holding monthly public meetings about EAB to raise awareness and educate residents about their options.

The meeting is a short presentation by the Director of Parks & Rec, Dave Merrill, and the city’s two community forestry members, Kris Hahn and Jenna Baumgartner followed by Q&A. Local tree-care industry professionals and city officials will also attend to help answer questions and facilitate informed conversations.

The public meeting will be held at the Austin City Hall Council Chambers at at 5:30 p.m.