By Cecilia Nasmith

Northumberland County’s Emerald Ash Borer Replacement Tree Program is back, and is now open for applications for spring 2022.

This marks the fourth year of the five-year program, which has resulted in the planting of some 36,000 trees across the county so far.

Residents are invited to apply to obtain between 25 and 100 tree saplings at no charge for placement on private property in Northumberland County. All order requests will be taken on a first-come-first-served basis while supplies last. Successful applicants will be notified, and can pick up their saplings at Lower Trent Conservation in the spring.

This program was developed to replace trees that are being lost as part of the county’s 10-year plan to remove and replace hazardous trees infected by the Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive boring insect that attacks and kills ash trees. For every one ash tree removed along county roads as part of the 10-year plan, the county will subsidize approximately 10 native trees for residents to plant on private property.

For more information about the program and to apply to receive free saplings, visit the Lower Trent Conservation website at ltc.on.ca/stewardship/is/.

For more information about the Emerald Ash Borer and the county's EAB Management Plan, please visit Northumberland.ca/EABplan.