Boulder has a massive ash tree population. Ash trees make up a significant portion of Boulder's urban canopy, meaning EAB poses an outsized threat to the local landscape compared to many other communities. Losing these trees would dramatically change neighborhoods and property values.

EAB has been confirmed in Boulder County. This isn't a distant threat — emerald ash borer has been detected in the Front Range area, and Boulder County is squarely in the impact zone. The time to act is now, not after you see symptoms.

Infested trees die within 2–4 years if untreated. EAB larvae feed beneath the bark, cutting off the tree's ability to transport water and nutrients. Once an ash tree is infested and left untreated, decline is rapid and fatal.

Symptoms often don't appear until it's too late. By the time you notice canopy thinning, D-shaped exit holes, bark splitting, or increased woodpecker activity, the infestation may already be advanced. Early, proactive treatment is far more effective than reactive care.

Preventive treatment works — but timing matters. Trunk injections and soil drenches using products like emamectin benzoate can protect healthy ash trees for 1–3 years per application. Treatment is most effective when started before the tree shows significant decline.

Treating your ash tree is a fraction of the cost of replacing it. A mature ash tree can add $10,000–$30,000 or more in property value through shade, curb appeal, and energy savings. Preventive EAB treatment typically runs a few hundred dollars per application — a small investment to protect a tree that took decades to grow and would cost thousands to remove and even more to replace with comparable canopy coverage.