Emerald Ash Borer

Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is an invasive wood-boring beetle that feeds on Ash trees and can kill a healthy tree in 2 to 5 years.  With the first confirmed detection of EAB in Cloquet in April of 2022, it is important that steps are taken to mitigate the spread and destruction that this pest creates. 

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has sponsored a number of grants targeted at addressing EAB and in the fall of 2023, city staff applied for, and were awarded, a grant in the amount of $427,500.  Along with certified contractors, staff are targeting the removal of 200 trees and will replant as many as 240 trees.  This work will primarily address boulevard trees, those that are in the road right-of-way, and some trees in city parks. 

Trees are a resource that offer many benefits to our community, from shade and shelter to providing clean air and absorbing rain runoff.  These are benefits recognized and valued regionally, which is why the city is partnering with staff from the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the Carlton County Soil and Water Conservation District. 

The comprehensive approach that will be taken involves completing an inventory of all public trees by identifying species and evaluating tree health.  A management plan will be developed to target trees for removal and identify new, more diverse and resilient tree species to plant.  This process is beginning in 2024 and the grant funding will provide for removals and plantings through 2026.  

Check out the links below for more information and come back to this page for project updates.
Project updates:
January 19, 2024 - City of Cloquet News 
January 26, 2024 - Pine Knot News article

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has an extensive gathering of resources and information regarding Emerald Ash Borer, visit their website at https://www.mda.state.mn.us/eab. 
View the EAB Quarantine Map

If homeowners want to plan ahead and get trees planted to replace the Ash trees that may be lost, the following link to the University of Minnesota Extension has information on how to select a new tree species.

This brochure from the Carlton Soil and Water Conservation District is also a great resource.