The Pierre City Commission is considering an update to its emerald ash borer ordinance.
The Pierre Arbor Board is requesting a change to limit the time of year infected wood is legal to transport.
“The only substantial change to the ordinance dictates that any infected trees are only allowed to be moved during fall and winter months -between Labor Day and Memorial Day,” said Bryan Tipton, City Parks and Recreation Director.
Tipton went on to explain, to contain the spread of the emerald ash borer, infected wood shouldn’t be transported during warmer months when the insect is active. It should stay at the felling location.
“Transportation of infected wood is how we’re seeing the EAB make its way across the country,” said Tipton.
The EAB is a beetle that feeds on ash trees and is responsible for the destruction of tens of millions of trees in North America. It was first found in South Dakota in 2018. It has not yet been found in Pierre.
When it arrives in Pierre it will kill all unprotected ash trees in the community making them brittle and unsafe. At last count, city staff estimated there are more than 1,200 ash trees in the community.
For more information about EAB and how to protect your trees, visit CityofPierre.org.
The ordinance will be back in front of the commission consideration and action March 18, 2025.
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