POUGHKEEPSIE – The emerald ash borer has taken its toll on ash trees in the City of Poughkeepsie to the point where the administration is going to remove 50 of those trees to start with.
The city Shade Tree Commission and the Environmental Cooperative at Vassar Barns have identified those trees that must be removed. There are some 400 ash trees in the city.
The infestation is not the first time trees in Poughkeepsie have been impacted, said City Administrator Marc Nelson.
“We had similar problems with Dutch elm disease in the day, so we are saddened by this and I think that quite frankly, had the city been in a position to act quicker, maybe more ash trees could have been saved. We are going to do what we have to do at this point,” Nelson said. “There is no point at looking back. We are going to work on these 50.”
The removals will begin in the fall. Because the city has only one tree trimming crew, Nelson said they will bring in a private contractor to assist in tree removal at a total cost of $120,000.
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