Powell takes pride in its trees. For nearly 25 years, Powell has been named a “Tree City USA” by the National Arbor Foundation for demonstrating a commitment to caring for its public trees.

As Mayor Don Hillman’s Arbor Day proclamation has declared in the past: “Trees in our city increase property values, enhance the economic vitality of business areas and beautify our community ... trees are a source of joy.”

Trees are assets to our community, which is why it’s distressing to hear Powell could lose the majority of its urban forest.

An invasive insect called the emerald ash borer has already destroyed millions of ash trees in eastern North America and now threatens to wreak havoc on trees in the West.

“Once it hits, all the trees have to be treated or cut down,” said City Councilman Floyd Young, a member of the city’s tree board, last week.

Powell’s Parks Superintendent and City Arborist, Del Barton, estimates ash trees make up 60 to 70 percent of Powell’s trees, so an invasion of emerald ash borer would be especially devastating here.

Unfortunately, we’re all too familiar with what harmful insects can do to our trees. Just look at how the mountain pine beetle epidemic has wiped out millions of acres of forest throughout the West.

It’s good to see Powell’s city leaders taking a proactive approach and talking about it now, before the insect creates serious problems here.

However, it’s not going to be an easy or inexpensive fix. Treating or removing city-owned trees would cost thousands of dollars, and of course, that number only climbs when looking at also treating the thousands of trees on private property.

The community needs to decide whether to remove and replace trees now or wait until the insect has killed trees here.

We know budgets are tight, but also hope local leaders can find ways to fund treatment for trees in Powell. Since the beetle poses a threat to ash trees statewide, we also encourage state lawmakers to work with local governments to help fund treatment options for communities.

City leaders are working to increase awareness in Powell by posting signs on ash trees in the downtown area. The poster identifies the ash tree and also advises against moving firewood. It’s likely the invasive insects move from state to state through infested ash firewood.

Residents can help by watching for signs of the insect in their trees. Signs include sparse leaves/branches, D-shaped exit holes roughly the size of a pencil eraser, prolific branch sprouting on the lower trunk or branches, serpentine tunnels underneath the bark often packed with sawdust and vertical bark splitting.

If you find a suspect ash tree, contact the Wyoming State Forestry Division at 307-777-5495 or email Les Koch, the state’s forest health program leader, at les.koch@wyo.gov.

Without thriving local trees, we know Powell wouldn’t look quite the same — images of the town’s early days and its barren landscape come to mind. We hope that’s not a reality here again.