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Operations Department
Report
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Report To: General Government Committee
Date of Meeting: January 4, 2016
Report Number: OPD-002-16 ��5���� - ��_U _ S0
File Number: By-law Number:
Report Subject: Emerald Ash Borer Update
Recommendations:
1. That Report OPD-002-16 be received for information;
2. That Council acknowledge an over-budget expenditure of $99,141.20 in the 2015
Operations Department brush/tree - contract account, that has been offset by the
Operations Department 2015 gravel patch/resurfacing account, to provide for the removal
and replacement of approximately two hundred and forty Ash trees affected by the Emerald
Ash Borer beetle;
3. That Council provide pre-budget approval for the 2016 brush/tree — contract account, in the
amount of$123,521.21, net HST, to proceed with the award of an existing tender for the
removal of another eight hundred and thirty infected Ash trees throughout the municipality;
4. That Council provide direction on the approval of a $125,000 budget in the brush/tree —
contract account, from 2017 to 2019, inclusive, to continue with the removal of the
remaining Ash trees in the municipality;
5. That Council consider during the 2016 budget process an additional budget of$188,000 in
the 2016 brush/tree — contract account to replant an estimated six hundred Ash trees that
will be removed from boulevards;
6. That Council consider during the 2017 to 2019 budget process an additional budget of
$188,000, in the brush/tree — contract account, until all of the twenty-five hundred
boulevard Ash trees have been replaced.
Municipality of Clarington
Report OPD-002-16 Page 2
Report Overview
The purpose of this report is to provide Council with an update on the emerald ash borer
beetle infestation. The report will outline the number of Ash trees that have been
removed to date, the annual operating expenditures that will be required to complete the
removal of all diseased trees and the additional costs that will be incurred to replant any
trees that have removed from the municipal boulevards.
1 . Background
1.1. In previous Operations Department Reports, OPD-012-12 and OPD-006-15, it
was identified that the Emerald Ash Borer Beetle would become a major problem
for Clarington's urban forest canopy within 5-10 years and that during this time it
would kill most, if not all, of the Ash trees within the municipality.
1.2. Part of the strategy that was recommended to deal with the impending Emerald
Ash Borer Beetle infestation was the completion of a basic inventory of all
species and locations of trees within the municipality. The tree inventory that
was created in 2012 would assist with managing the threat of the Emerald Ash
Borer Beetle by determining how many Ash trees exist within the municipality
and what treatment approach would best be taken.
1.3. Based on the 2012 inventory that was completed, it was confirmed that
Clarington has approximately twenty-five hundred Ash trees on Municipal
boulevards and conservatively another five hundred to one-thousand Ash trees in
Clarington's Parks, Green Space and on Rural Roads. It is expected that within
the next few years all of the thirty-five hundred Ash trees will become infected,
die, and eventually need to be removed before they become a serious risk to
persons and property.
2. Analysis
2.1. Beginning in 2013, a total of two hundred and fifty-five Ash trees were removed.
Five of these trees were confirmed dead and a further two hundred and fifty trees
had become structurally weakened and were brought down by the effects of the
Ice Storm. Operations removed another seventy five trees in 2014 and two
hundred and forty trees in 2015. To date, approximately five hundred and
seventy Ash trees have been taken down and properly disposed of.
2.2. Based on the Emerald Ash Borer infestations in other Ontario Municipalities it is
known that populations of the beetle will exponentially increase after the third
Municipality of Clarington
Report OPD-002-16 Page 3
year of initial sighting. Evidence was clearly visible throughout Clarington in
2015 that large numbers of Ash trees that inhabit the municipalities green spaces
have now become infected and are dying thereby raising safety and property
damage concerns from adjacent landowners.
2.3. In order to take a pro-active approach to the impending effects of the Emerald
Ash Borer Beetle and minimize risk to the municipality, staff are recommending
that all Ash trees be removed and replaced over the next four years prior to any
serious failures occurring. As a result, appropriate funding will be required to
deal with the estimated twenty-five hundred to three-thousand Ash trees that still
remain on urban municipal boulevards, in parks, green spaces and on rural
roads.
2.4. The proposed Ash tree removal plan will require that staff continue to respond to
known areas of Emerald Ash Borer infestations or in locations where the
municipality has been alerted by concerns from residents about failing Ash trees.
These areas include such locations as Cole Avenue in Bowmanville and
Circlefield Court, Found Court and Brownstone Court in Courtice.
2.5. Confirmed areas of Ash tree decline will be scheduled for removal. For those
Ash trees that are located on a municipal boulevard residents will be provided
with a choice of recommended species for replacement. In greenspaces, Ash
trees will be marked for removal if their failure has the potential to cause damage
to private property or if they represent a safety concern for trail users or
pedestrians. Trees that are located in greenspaces will be cut down and left in a
safe manner on-site to decay as naturally as possible.
3. Financial Implications
3.1. In 2015, two-hundred and forty infested Ash trees were required to be removed
and replanted at a total contracted cost of$108,775.98. The incurred cost for
this work will be covered by the 2015 Operations Department brush/tree —
contract budget allocation of$15,000 for this specific work, account#100-36-
380-10231-7163, and an offset from the 2015 Operations Department gravel
patch/resurfacing account #100-36-382-10280-7112.
3.2. The estimated three thousand Ash trees that are still located on boulevards,
within parks, green spaces and on rural roads will cost approximately $500,000
to remove and properly dispose. As a result of this significant budget impact and
the fact that the remaining Ash trees are expected to rapidly decline over the next
2 to 7 years, it is recommended that the work and required budget amount be
phased over a number of years. An existing tender is waiting award for the
Municipality of Clarington
Report OPD-002-16 Page 4
contracted removal of an additional eight hundred and thirty trees in 2016 at a
total unbudgeted cost of $123,521.21, net HST in the brush/tree — contract
account #100-36-380-10231-7163. A budget amount of$125,000 will also be
required in the brush/tree — contract account#100-36-380-10231-7163 each
subsequent year from 2017 to 2019, inclusive, to remove all remaining Ash trees.
3.3. The estimated twenty-five hundred Ash trees that are required to be removed
from the municipal boulevards will also need to be replanted. It is estimated that
the contracted re-planting costs associated with trees of other species will total
approximately $750,000. The re-planting exercise will be scheduled following the
removal of the Ash trees from the municipal boulevards. In order for the new tree
plantings to keep pace with the Ash tree removals it is recommended that an
additional budget amount of approximately $188,000 will be required in the
brush/tree — contract account#100-36-380-10231-7163, each year from 2016 to
2019, inclusive.
4. Concurrence
4.1. This report has been reviewed by Nancy Taylor, Director of Finance who concurs
with the information provided.
5. Conclusion
5.1. Resource constraints invariably restrict the ability of the municipality of Clarington
to ensure the complete safety of all trees in the forest canopy, however, the
development and implementation of a realistic Emerald Ash Borer risk
management strategy is recognized as an important and required element.
5.2. It is know for certain that service requests will continue to rise as the mortality
rate of the Ash Trees in the municipality increase due to the Emerald Ash Borer
infestation.
5.3. Research has confirmed that Ash trees which die as a result of the Emerald Ash
Borer infestation are extremely brittle and require quick removal after death to
avoid the risk of failure.
6. Strategic Plan Application
6.1 Clarington's 2015-2018 Strategic Plan outlines specific goals and new actions
that are intended to achieve the critical organizational goals of the Corporation.
The recommendations contained in this report conform to Priority 6, Enhance
Access to our Unique Natural Environment.
Municipality of Clarington
Report OPD-002-16 Page 5
Submitted by: Reviewed by(L) �a �
Fredericorvath, Franklin Wu
B.A., R.TDR., R.R.F.A. Chief Administrative Officer
Director of Operations
Staff Contact:
Robert Genosko, Operations Supervisor, 905-263-2291 ext. 531 or
BGenosko(cDclarinciton.net
Stephen Brake, Manager of Operations, 905-263-2291, ext. 541 or
Sbrake(@clarinciton.net
There are no interested parties to be notified of Council's decision.
FJH/RG/SB