Boulder County would spend $185,414 next year to manage the emerald ash borer’s potential threat to ash trees on county-owned properties and county roads’ rights of way, under a trio of budget proposals.
Most of that money would be spent on pre-emptively removing ash trees and replacing some of them with other species, although Boulder County would try to protect at least a few, temporarily, with insecticide injections intended to deter the tree-killing pest.
The 2016 work would be part of what’s expected to be a multiple-year effort, following guidelines set in an emerald ash borer management plan the county commissioners adopted in August for dealing with the estimated 1,500 ash trees on county properties.
The county Parks and Open Space Department is seeking $58,358 to cover projected expenses of felling trees, buying and planting replacement trees and disposing of the trees that are removed.
The Administrative Services Department is asking for $20,000 to remove, dispose of and replace 200 ash trees on the grounds of Boulder County buildings. The Transportation Department would get $77,056 to contract for the removal of a yet undetermined number of the 698 ash trees on the rights of way in the county roads network.
