Madison residents alarmed at yellow dots signifying ‘death sentence’ for ash trees
Isthmus, April 24, 2014 by Joe Tarr
Christina Newton fears what her neighborhood on the near west side will look like after Madison deals with the dreaded emerald ash borer pest
“Our whole neighborhood is highly concentrated with ash trees,” says Newton, who lives on Rugby Row near Forest Hill Cemetery. “It’s going to change the quality of life.” Newton and others say the city’s plan to remove thousands of ash trees from the terraces — the strip of grass in-between streets and sidewalks — is too extreme. Especially when many residents are willing to pay to treat trees in front of their homes.
“If the tree is in great shape and the public is willing to pay, it’d be nice for the city,” says Newton. “It’s not a good idea to cut down all your trees. Part of the reason these trees were planted in the first place was that people don’t want sun shining in their living room all summer long. Utility bills go up.”