Winnipeg, MB – Tree Canada, in partnership with BioForest Technologies, has provided a donation that will help the City of Winnipeg combat the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) beetle with a donation of 12 litres of TreeAzin®, a product used by the City to protect ash trees. The donated product, valued at approximately $6,800, is an injectable insecticide that can protect a tree for up to two years. The quantity donated will be used to treat approximately 100 ash trees in a neighborhood with a high density of healthy ash that may otherwise be at risk of EAB attack.
The City was selected based on its leadership in EAB management activities, as well as our ability to raise awareness of the effects of EAB and the value of urban forests.
“The City’s Urban Forestry Branch and Insect Control Branch wishes to thank Tree Canada and BioForest for their donation which will compliment this year’s EAB response activities,” said Ken Nawolsky, Superintendent of Insect Control. “In addition to the trees we have already begun treating, this donation allows for the treatment of approximately 100 more trees and will allow us to start treatments in St. Vital - a neighborhood with a high density of healthy ash trees that may otherwise be at risk of EAB attack.”
“Tree Canada is proud to support the City of Winnipeg in their efforts to treat the trees affected by the Emerald Ash Borer crisis that has devastated Canada’s urban forests," said Tree Canada Board Member, Dorothy Dobbie. "We thank BioForest for their generous donation that will benefit Canadians for generations to come.”
“Winnipeg’s character and identity is largely shaped by our urban forest – it’s a feature that Winnipeg residents are proud of,” said Councillor Mike Pagtakhan, Chair of the Standing Policy Committee on Protection, Community Services and Parks. “The arrival of new invasive species has placed our forest under threat and we’re pleased with the collaborative effort to preserve our trees and grateful for the support of Tree Canada.”
“St. Vital Park has played a huge role in St. Vital’s history, and in my life,” said Councillor Brian Mayes, St. Vital Ward. “I am delighted to see efforts underway to save trees in this great community space”.
EAB is an invasive beetle from Asia that attacks and kills ash trees. The beetle was recently detected in Winnipeg in November 2017. There are over 100,000 ash trees in parks and along city streets. In total, ash trees account for over 30% of Winnipeg’s urban forest canopy and are valued at approximately $437 million. The City’s EAB response plan includes a combination of proactive tree removals of dead or declining ash trees, in concert with preventative ash tree injections to protect healthy trees from being attacked by the beetle.
About Tree Canada: Tree Canada is a nation-wide non-profit charitable organization which promotes the planting and nurturing of trees in Canada's urban and rural areas. It provides tree-related education, technical assistance and resources to communities, corporations, individuals and non-profit organizations. Through their #OperationReLeaf – Emerald Ash Borer Program, Tree Canada, in partnership with Bioforest Technologies Inc., donated a total of 60 litres of the product TreeAzin® to five selected municipalities or indigenous communities in Manitoba, Ontario and Québec, each receiving 12 litres for the protection of ash trees from EAB. For more information, see: Tree Canada.
About BioForest Technologies: Established in 1996, BioForest specializes in innovative product development and consulting strategies for urban and commercial forest protection. In 2015, BioForest became a subsidiary of Lallemand Plant Care to oversee and develop its Forestry division. BioForest is a Canadian company based in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, with a presence in southern Ontario; Quebec; Michigan; Missouri; Massachusetts; and Finland. BioForest’s experienced and knowledgeable staff work with clients to create and implement effective pest management and forest health strategies for urban forests, commercial forests, woodlots, cottage properties, municipalities and more. For more information, see: BioForest Technologies.