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Why remove your ash tree?

Nobody should start removing their ash trees because the EAB is in the area. There are several factors to consider and it may not ever be a pressing decision depending on the value of your tree and where you live. The key decision is the long-term cost of treatment versus the value of the tree and cost for removal. In many cases, you might be better served by removing an infected tree and replanting another species. The cost of treatments over the lifetime of the tree will typically far exceed the value, but certainly not in all cases. We generally will not recommend removal and replacement until the insect presence is high in the area or other considerations are involved.

Another reason to remove is if the tree is already infected or declining beyond the normal expectations of successful treatments. If there are multiple symptoms and canopy loss is greater than 20-30%, it’s unlikely to be worth the commitment to save. Only ISA Certified Arborists should perform removals to ensure safe operations as well as proper disposal of the infected wood.