The county is managing trees on the courthouse lawn. The Howard County Commission recently hired Dakota Wells to treat one tree infected with the emerald ash borer and formulate a management plan for the overall health of trees around the stately courthouse lawn.

Wells, a certified arborist and lifelong Fayette resident, owns Tree Remedies, a company that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and pests in trees. He recently made a presentation before the Fayette City Council regarding the invasive emerald ash borer and has been working with Central Methodist University. The insect destroys ash trees by laying larvae between the bark and trunk, which then cuts through the veins in the tree, leading to a slow death.

County commissioners decided to treat one ash tree on the southwest side of the courthouse square next to the bandstand. Two more ash trees, which are heavily affected, will likely be cut down, along with a catalpa tree on the southeast corner. Another pin oak tree on the east side of the lawn may be taken down as well. Losing those large trees will allow existing trees to flourish. And the commission plans to replace them with smaller, more ornamental trees elsewhere on the lawn.

One of those ash trees that will be cut down sits between the bandstand and the south wall of the courthouse. Because of its infection, there is only about a 40 percent chance of saving the tree as it is, Wells explained. And because of the dead limbs higher up and the direction the tree leans, it would require years of maintenance and will never regain its full canopy if it were to survive. 

“On Dakota’s recommendation, the way that tree is dying, and for liability concerns,” the tree will be cut down, Johnmeyer said.

The tree’s roots have also put pressure on the courthouse wall.

“We’d rather take them down now before they get worse and start breaking apart,” said Western District Commissioner Mat Freese.

It’s safer and less expensive to cut down a tree before it dies and becomes brittle. Also, with the tree removed, the bandstand roof can be more easily replaced, which is expected to take place sometime this fall when the courthouse roof is also replaced.

While the commission has chosen to remove four trees, it expects to plant at least three back. One of those will be on the southeast corner of the courthouse lawn in place of the split-trunk catalpa tree. Presiding Commissioner Jerimiah Johnmeyer said the county has been in discussion with Fayette Main Street, Inc., which has asked to present a “magic tree” during the Christmas season.

“In the future, working with Main Street, we thought if we took the catalpa out, we could redo the concrete and then plant a tree that could handle the foot traffic and the tree lighting,” Johnmeyer explained. “It’s tearing the benches up; it’s tearing the concrete up.”

The funding for tree removal and maintenance comes out of the county’s infrastructure budget. The commission has already spent around $4,800 trimming limbs and removing trees around the courthouse. Treating the ash tree and removing the other three or four trees is expected to cost another $5,000. Planting the three replacement trees will likely cost between $700 and $1,000 each, Johnmeyer said.

It has yet to be decided whether or not a tree will be planted on the southwest corner between the bandstand and the wall, where one of the ash trees will be removed. On one hand it would provide shade, but Johnmeyer said he is concerned about putting further pressure on the wall. Tree roots in several areas around the square are forcing the wall to bulge.

“Dakota’s giving us a lot of options with a lot of different trees,” Johnmeyer said. “He’s the arborist. He knows what height and canopy we need. We have a pretty yard now, and we want to maintain it.”

Working around the base of the ash tree, Wells drilled 17 holes with a special arborist’s bit, then inserted specialized plugs. Using about 70 PSI of pressure, he then administered an insecticide intravenously through those plugs that will kill the emerald ash borer.

“I’ve lived here all my life. These are more than just trees to me,” Wells said.

Wells said he hopes to be working with the City of Fayette and Central Methodist soon to treat ash trees throughout town and on campus. The city is working toward a grant that could help pay for treatments.