The removal of dying ash trees in Hamilton is moving ahead as scheduled.
The city is currently in year five of a 10-year plan to cut down more than 23,000 of the trees, because of an invasive pest called the Emerald Ash Borer.
Steve Robinson, Hamilton’s Project Manager of Forest Health, says that 14,000 or about 60 per cent of removals have been completed.
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He adds that each will eventually be replaced with one of about 40 different species.
Robinson stresses that the idea is to create a biodiverse urban canopy so that if another invasive pest comes through, “it’s not going to have as great of an impact.”
In September, about 80 dead or dying Ash trees are being removed along the Escarpment Rail Trail within Mohawk Sports Park.
During the removal, and in the interest of public safety, there will be intermittent closures along the trail near Limeridge Road through September 15.
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