KEPO to Treat Local Ash Trees

07/25/2018

The Kahnaw�:ke Environment Protection Office (KEPO) would like to inform the community that field work will be occurring in various parks in the community, as well as in forests in the Big Fence area and on the North Wall on Thursday, July 26, and Friday, July 27. KEPO will be treating some ash trees to save them from the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), which threatens the species.

The ash trees will be injected with TreeAzin, a safe insecticide produced primarily from seed extracts of the Neem tree. Neem is a tree that grows in semi-tropical regions such as India and has been used for centuries as natural insect control. All treated ash trees will be identified by a small sign. Please do not disturb these trees during or after treatment.

The trees were selected based on their current health, their value to the parks for shade, for habitat in the forests, and for enabling the future revitalization of culturally important activities such as basket making. The treated ash trees will also be used for seed stock and future replanting efforts.

Weather permitting; the fieldwork should be completed by Friday, July 27. The work will only be taking place on common lands.

Trees treated with TreeAzin require treatment every year during the EAB infestation. If you would like more information, or if you need help identifying a tree, please contact KEPO at 450-635-0600.