(Sioux Falls, SD) — South Dakota continues to fight the emerald ash borer seven years later since the invasive pest first showed up in the state. City forestry crews say they’re seeing more activity on private property, where about 40-thousand ash trees remain. Last year, 400 condemned trees were removed. But this year, that number has already doubled, and experts expect it to keep climbing. Crews say most city property is now ash-free, but the focus is shifting to unmanaged forest areas near the Big Sioux River. Officials and arborists encourage homeowners to step up with treatment plans and remove trees that are too far gone.
