Brookings, SD (8-28-26) — The City of Brookings is updating its ash tree removal guidelines now that emerald ash borer (EAB) is present throughout the community. Effective August 2026, ash trees may be removed any time of the year.
Brookings’ seasonal moratorium on ash tree removal was originally established after EAB was confirmed in the community in 2024. At that time, the infestation was concentrated in the eastern section of the city. The moratorium was intended to slow the spread of the insect into other areas of the community by limiting the movement of ash trees during the EAB’s active period.
The updated ash tree removal guidelines take effect immediately. Property owners are encouraged to address dead, declining, or EAB-infested ash trees in a timely manner, before they become a safety concern.
“The spread of EAB was inevitable,” said Park, Recreation and Forestry Assistant Director Josh Bauman. “Our goal was to slow the spread while the infestation was localized, giving us more time to prepare for the impact on our urban forest. Now that EAB can be found throughout our community, our priority is shifting to removing dead and declining ash trees before they become safety hazards.”
Allowing ash trees to be removed year-round will give property owners and tree-removal services greater flexibility to address trees that are dead or declining from the infestation. This will help prevent removal services from becoming backlogged and allow hazardous trees to be addressed in a more timely manner.
EAB is an invasive boring beetle that feeds on all species of North American ash trees and, without treatment, kills the trees. It was first detected in the United States in 2002 and in South Dakota in 2018.
The City of Brookings Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department has been preparing for the arrival and impact of EAB since 2018 and follows the City’s EAB Management Plan. Before EAB was confirmed in Brookings, the department proactively removed less desirable and weaker canopy ash trees from City-owned property as one strategy to help slow the eventual spread of the insect.
The department is responsible for monitoring and maintaining approximately 25,000 trees on public property, including trees in parks, boulevards and street rights-of-way. Approximately 20 percent of those trees are ash. Over the next 10 years, the department anticipates needing to remove approximately 6,250 ash trees from public property.
“The loss of ash trees will have a significant impact on Brookings’ urban forest, but we have been preparing for this transition for several years,” said Bauman. “As ash trees are removed, we continue working to replace them with a diverse variety of tree species that are less vulnerable to a single pest or disease. Our goal is to maintain a healthy, sustainable, and resilient urban forest for the future.”
Since 2021, the City has invested in the Urban Forest Initiative to encourage residents to plant trees at a discounted cost. City residents can still take advantage of this year’s program. Program details are available at www.cityofbrookings-sd.gov/
For more information about the City’s Forestry Division visit www.cityofbrookings-sd.gov/
For more information about EAB in South Dakota, visit the DANR website at https://
— From the City of Brookings
