BUFFALO, NY — New trees now line a large stretch of Delaware Avenue in Buffalo.
"It took two days to get all the trees down, it took two and a half days to get all the trees in the ground," said Ed Dore, with the Professional Landscape and Nursery Trades of WNY (PLANT WNY). "The new thinking is never plant more than 10 percent of one tree. So, in this stretch of road there were 70 trees that died... so we put in out of 70 trees we have no more than three of the same type of tree."
PLANT WNY is working with the Buffalo Green Fund and the City of Buffalo on this tree replacement project, which is part of the Leaf A Legacy Project.
"Everybody wants the city to look beautiful," said Cindy Kincaide, chair of Buffalo Green Fund. "We just thought it would make a great project. Delaware Avenue is so significant to the city."
The Ash trees died from infestation of Emerald Ash Borer, which experts such as Sharon Bachman with the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Erie County say is something that is becoming devastating to our local Ash trees.
"This is what's killing our trees, the little larva going back and forth making the serpentine patterns," Bachman said.
Bachman says the only chance in saving some of the Ash trees still left is by quickly recognizing an infested tree and treating it.
"We are slated to lose almost all of our Ash trees that aren't treated...chemical injection at the base of the tree, it's kind of like a vaccine... it gives about 3 years of control based on research... but I always encourage people if you have a tree that you think is infested consult somebody who is an arborist to get the best advice, is that tree healthy enough to treat," Bachman said.
For more information contact the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Erie County 716.652.5400.