Jodie Ellis, Purdue University Young green ash trees line the streets in West Lafayette, IN

The 2006 U.S. Forest Service statewide urban forest assessment program suggests that in urban areas of Indiana, there are 2 million urban trees worth approximately $2.9 billion in replacement costs.

For decades ash trees, particularly cultivars of green ash such as Marshall's Seedless, have been an indispensable part of urban landscapes where it was heavily planted to replace American elms that had succumbed to Dutch elm disease.

Ash trees are easy for commercial producers to grow, and can flourish in many soil and site conditions. Its ability to endure clay soils, small root zone areas, road salt, drought, and occasional flooding has made it a popular plant for difficult sites. As a result, green and white ash often comprise up to 40% or more of the trees in urban landscapes.

Loss of ash to EAB could result in reduced property values and thinning wildlife habitats, not to mention the huge costs involved in replacement tree planting and maintenance programs.

Back to At Risk: All North American Ash Trees