Wausau Parks officials announced they're planning to remove all ash trees in the city after emerald ash borers were found.
The city plans to do this gradually over a period of about 12 to 15 years. They'll remove a few trees at a time, keeping the rest protected with a treatment.
Officials plan to replace the ash trees with other types of infection-resistant trees.
"A tree that is infested with emerald ash borer larva becomes brittle and very hazardous within about four years," said Andy Sims, city forester. "The scary part of that is, we don't really know how long the borer's been in a tree."
Tree removals will begin in Wausau's upper east side next year.
