“Unfortunately, we have had to cut Ash trees at most of our parks. We don’t like to, but we have to for safety purposes,” said Eileen Corson of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. “But at least it’s going to the good use of heating homes this winter.”
Tree removal has been under way in the past month at John Bryan State Park, Germantown Metro Park and Twin Creek Metro Park. Fire wood is available to the public at John Bryan State Park only.
The emerald ash borer is exotic, invasive wood-boring insect that infests and kills native North American ash trees. Ash trees that have become infested are hazardous and pose a public safety concern for park visitors and campers, Corson said.
“An infestation will kill a tree within about three years,” she said. “It makes the tree brittle and large limbs will suddenly fall. They really are a hazard.”
The removal is focused on higher traffic areas of the parks, such as picnic and camping areas.
The Five Rivers Metro Parks district is in its second year of tree removal because of the ash borer, according to director of conservation David Nolin.
Between the six parks in the district, 1,236 Ash trees have been felled since 2012, most recently at the Germantown and Twin Creeks parks. Some of the trees have been milled into lumber at Carriage Hill Farm and others are chipped and left in the park.
The ash borer, a native insect of Asia which first appeared in Ohio in 2003, is a continuing threat to local parks and forests, Nolin said.
“Ash trees are a big component of our forest around here, especially the younger forest,” he said. “We’ve treated about 600 trees and they are doing fine. We’ve also been planting a lot of trees and seeds and trying to get the other trees going.”
Firewood is available for collection at John Bryan State Park between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. ending on Friday, Jan. 9 .Only firewood cut by the ODNR Division of Forestry and located at the designated pick-up areas may be collected and removed. Removal of any standing or fallen trees outside of the designated pick-up area will be prohibited.
Log splitters are prohibited, but chainsaws and hand tools are permitted to further process the firewood. Vehicles must remain in the designated parking areas.
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