Volunteers make quick work of tree inventory

Char Zimmerman and David Thompson, both volunteers for the Barsness Buckthorn Brigade, stopped for a moment as they worked last Friday documenting Glenwood ash trees’ condition, location, and size. The Buckthorn Brigade provided teams who volunteered to do the inventory, walking the streets of the city starting last Tuesday. By Friday, the inventory was nearly completed. Thompson photographed an ash tree for the app and documented the size and condition of the tree. The inventory will provide a map of all the ash tree on public property within Glenwood.

City residents probably noticed teams of two walking the streets of Glenwood last week and stopping to examine the ash trees on public property.

That was the Barsness Buckthorn Brigade volunteers who conducted an inventory of all the city’s ash trees located on public property.

Because emerald ash borer (EAB) has been confirmed in Pope County, the City of Glenwood decided to do an inventory of all ash trees located within city road Right of Ways (boulevards) and city parks. 

The Buckthorn Brigade volunteers walked the streets and conducted the inventory, according to City Administrator Dave Iverson.

Volunteers used a phone app developed by city staff and Widseth Engineering to document and map the trees and their condition.   Only ash trees located on public property were included in the survey. The survey will provide information that will assist the city in determining an ash tree removal plan, a possible ash tree treatment plan, and an ash tree replacement plan, all of which are necessary for the city to create a budget to deal with the EAB infestation within the city and to apply for grant assistance, Iverson stated last week.

The city also has information about treating private ash trees and more on its website at ci.glenwood.mn.us.  Click on Announcements on the top of the home page.