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The emerald ash borer was first found in Ohio in February 2003, near Whitehouse in Lucas County, right here in Northwest Ohio. It went on to kill most untreated ash trees across the state. If you still have an ash tree near your home, it’s worth a close look.
How to spot an infested ash
- Thinning leaves at the top of the crown
- D-shaped exit holes about 1/8 inch wide in the bark
- Bark splitting or woodpeckers stripping the bark
- New sprouts at the base of the trunk
Why dead ash trees are dangerous
Dead ash wood becomes brittle quickly. Limbs and whole trees can fail without warning, especially in Ohio wind and ice storms. Removing a dead ash also gets harder and more expensive the longer you wait, because climbers can’t safely work in brittle trees.
Treat or remove?
- Treatment can save healthy, high-value ash trees that still have most of their canopy. It must be repeated every one to three years.
- Removal is usually the safer choice once a tree has lost more than about a third of its canopy.
Typical Ohio costs
- Tree removal: about $400–$2,000 per tree, more for large trees near houses or power lines
- Stump grinding: about $100–$400 per stump
Estimate your job with the free Ohio tree removal cost calculator, take the Hazardous Tree Assessment, and compare local tree services.
