By Cecilia Nasmith

The new year has marked the beginning of work on Northumberland County's 10-year hazard-removal, -replacement and tree-diversification plan in response to the presence of the Emerald Ash Borer in the county.

Its first step is the removal of trees from county roads, and the initial work will see removal in Hamilton Township and the Town of Cobourg between now and Feb. 28.

The county press release specifies where this will take place:

• County Road 2, from Hamilton Road to County Road 18 and from the east boundary of the Town of Cobourg to Carruthers Road.

• County Road 9, between County Road 28 and County Road 45.

• All of County Road 15.

• County Road 19, from Elgin Street to Corkery Road.

• All of County Road 20.

• County Road 28, from the 5th Line to the Peterborough boundary.

• County Road 45, from the Cobourg boundary to Pioneer Road.

Tree removal is planned for all seven county municipalities over the next 10 years.

The press release explained that the Emerald Ash Borer is an invasive species of beetle that kills ash trees by feeding on the inner bark and disrupting the flow of water and nutrients throughout the tree. With ash trees throughout Northumberland left dead or dying as a result, the county is working with a contractor to remove these hazards before they can fall and cause any damage or injury.

For more information about the county's Emerald Ash Borere management plan, visit www.NorthumberlandCountyca/EABPlan.