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Bloomington to survey 700 city ash trees for signs of beetle

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) – An invasive beetle could force Bloomington to remove hundreds of ash trees.

The city has already lost about 200 trees to the emerald ash borer, and Parks and Recreation Department Director Mick Renneisen tells The Herald-Times the department is trying to determine how to proceed with another 700 trees.

Urban forester Lee Huss is surveying all of the city’s ash trees this month to check for signs of infestation. He’ll also look for trees that might need to be cut down for other reasons.

The city can treat trees with insecticide, leave them untreated or remove them.

Renneisen says more than half the ash trees could be removed, but city officials hope to reduce that total. Trees that are removed will be replaced with another type of tree.