Borers in GTA boring a hole in our wallets!

This is the approach taken by the City of Toronto in an effort to minimize the affects of the Emerald Ash Borer and the Asian Lon-Horned Beetle and over time to eradicate it. There are identified "Areas of Infestation" where affected trees cannot leave. Trees affected within this area must be removed and dumped at a designated dumping site within this "Area of Infestation." This approach is correct and the best that can be done given the situation.

The problem with this system of control lies within the dumping of the debris itself. Costs to dump this affected debris cost $75.00 / ton for wood chips and $100.00 / ton for solid wood waste. Given that this infested wood cannot leave the "Area of Infestation", there is nowhere else to dump this debris and contractors are forced to pay extremely expensive dumping fees. One load of wood or chips costs hundreds of dollars. For some companies, this may work for a while as they attempt to pass the cost down to the source. For smaller companies, this will spell the demise for some while others look to surviving best they can.

It would be the logical assumption that this dumping fee must be borne by the owner of the tree who is paying for the removal. The problem with this, is that in an already competitive market, the door is open for some ne’er do wells to come along and undercut the preceding companies, using the dumping fees as leverage. Some will not pay much heed to the "Area of Infestation" and avoid the high dumping fees by leaving the regulated zone in a clandestine manner and dump the debris in an area peripheral to the city thus spreading the infestation. It could be argued that there are units on the look out for this kind of activity and that the fines are harsh, however there would be no way to catch ALL the "bandit-dumpers" and the infestation would still get spread.

It would seem the most logical solution to this problem would the readjustment of the dumping fees so that they are affordable for the contractors forced to dump there. To ask for the cooperation of all tree-related companies in the control of these pests is necessary, however much better served with affordable dumping rates. After all, the City of Toronto should realize that it is the active participation of the urban forestry companies in this endeavor that will provide the greatest aid in the eradication of Asian Long-Horned

Beetle and the Emerald Ash Borer. To charge astronomical dumping fees will only serve to further the problem over time. The relationship between the City of Toronto and the Urban Forestry contractors has to be symbiotic. Contractors require the assistance of the City of Toronto as much as the City requires the cooperation of the contractors. It is high time that the City looked at this matter before the spread of these pests gets too out of control.