Emerald Ash Borer to blame

**A crew from Hipnar Lawn & Tree cuts up some of the ash trees that were taken down at Majestic Hills Golf Course last week.** Photos by Dan Mundt

The Emerald ash borer beetle (EAB), an invasive insect that has spread through most of Iowa’s counties, was responsible for the removal of trees that took place at Majestic Hills Golf Course last week.

The insect, which is native to Asia, has been discovered in 36 states and the District of Columbia, according to the USDA.

Ash trees generally die within one to three years of infestation by EAB.

Tim Kinsey, Majestic Hills course superintendent, said the action to remove the trees had been planned for a while.

“We realized during the summer that the trees were pretty much completely dead and we were going to have to remove them,” he said. “Andy (Hipnar) has taken down 56 of them, mainly on the back 9, the older part of the golf course.”

Many people responded to an announcement from the golf course that individuals could come out and cut up the remains of the trees for firewood or other uses.

“We’ve had some volunteers from the golf course come in with equipment and help clean up, too,” Kinsey said.

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He said the golf course will continue with a program to replace the trees.

“We started that process a few years ago when we knew the ash borer was going to be a problem and more than likely take out all of our trees that we had,” he said. “We had been doing some planting in the last five years and we’ll probably continue to do more planting.”

He does not expect that the tree removal process will impact play at the course when warmer weather returns.

“It will change the course a little bit, but we are hoping to be able to play right away in the spring,” Kinsey said. “It’s just an unfortunate thing that has happened, and it’s happened everywhere. There was not much we could do to stop it, so this is the consequence and we’re just dealing with it.”

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