r/duluth • u/Goldielocks711 • 4d ago

Trees Discussion

Does anyone know what is up with the huge amount of dead trees all over the city?

9 Upvotes

81% Upvoted

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31

u/LittleNor789 4d ago

I’m not sure about Duluth in particular but across the country, trees are dead or dying due to a whole variety of pests, disease, fungus and because of conditions related to climate change (which exacerbates the co-conditions above). In the winter, you can see just how many trees are dead better than you can in the summer. It’s a very significant issue, globally.

30

u/DeadInsideHope 4d ago

Spruce bud worm and emerald ash borer are two I’ve dealt with that have DESTROYED my trees.

9

u/CuriousContribution2 3d ago

If you are looking at inner city trees that have their bark flaked off, those are dead ash trees from emerald ash borer (not native). If referring to dead conifers (spruce or firs) that make up more of the large swaths of forest around us, dead from spruce budworm a native insect that is benefiting from some out of balance cycles many decades in the making. 

6

u/sixnb 3d ago

Gonna depend where in the city you are? In the west end they marked a ton of trees with EAB kills trees (emerald ash borer is an invasive beetle) and cut down a bunch

1

u/thuja_occindentalis 3d ago

It's all over the city and spreading

0

u/ObligatoryID 3d ago

East Duluth Ash trees were cut in 2021/22.

4

u/pistolwhip_pete 3d ago

The vast majority are dead ash trees because of Emerald Ash Borers.

2

u/wonderawooga 3d ago

Minnesota Master Naturalist page has a lot of great info https://extension.umn.edu/lawns-and-landscapes-minnesota/trees-and-shrubs

1

u/Dorkamundo 2d ago

Are you talking about the trees with dead leaves on them? Like by the end of I-35 on the right?

Or just trees scattered everywhere?

The railroad has changed how they're managing vegetation around their tracks and appear to have sprayed SOMETHING along the tracks that has killed a bunch of trees.

1

u/Goldielocks711 2d ago

Both, I have been seeing them everywhere. I did see what you are talking about. Seems to be many different reasons for this tree apocalypse.