Property Owner’s Permission Sought for Ash Tree Removal

Sep 21, 2020

AKWESASNE — The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe’s (SRMT) Environment Division urges community members to allow crew members from National Grid’s forestry company Asplundh Tree Service, LLC; to remove deteriorating ash trees from their property that have the potential to impact power lines. In order to safely remove the trees, National Grid must first obtain permission from the property owner.

Over the next few weeks, the Environment Division will be working together with National Grid in reviewing a list of locations where the utility company was unsuccessful in obtaining permission, and attempting to make contact with the property owner. This will be the last opportunity for individuals to have dead or decaying ash trees removed at no cost, as future removal will be at owner's expense.

It is critical for community members to be aware of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) and their devastating effects. The EAB is an invasive beetle native to Asia that was accidentally brought to the United States. Since its discovery in 2002, the beetles are responsible for the death of millions of trees. Once dead, ash trees typically deteriorate very quickly and become extremely unstable and unsafe within a year or two, potentially risking lives, damaging property, and risking service disruption.

The mortality of the ash tree is quickly spreading, with potential to devastate the Adirondacks. Because ash trees are used for many traditional practices, including basketry and herbal remedies, the presence of the EAB has already had a great economic, ecological, social and cultural impact on the Akwesasne community.

Asplundh Tree Service began canvassing Akwesasne to inform customers of the EAB Tree Mitigation Project in the winter of 2019. The SRMT Forestry Resources Program also issued a call out for property owners who were interested in having ash trees safely removed and replaced with another tree type.

Removal of Ash trees can be costly, and will be the responsibility of the community member if they do not participate in National Grid’s outreach efforts. National Grid will not return to Akwesasne for forestry work for at least another 5 years.

If you have an ash tree on your property that needs to be removed, please contact Asplundh Tree Service at (607) 692-2909; or contact Normand Genier at (518) 358-5937.

####