The Minnesota Department of Agriculture on Friday awarded $1.9 million in grants to cities and organizations to prepare for and fight the destructive emerald ash borer.
So far, the beetle has been found in three places: St. Paul, Falcon Heights and on the University of Minnesota's St. Paul campus.
St. Paul will get the largest chunk of money, about $723,000 out of a pool of $1 million, to help manage infestation in the city. The University of Minnesota will get $200,000, and Falcon Heights will get $77,400 to fight the pest.
The Agriculture Department also awarded $875,000 in grants to 15 cities and agencies to prepare for infestation. Recipients include the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, Minnetonka, Roseville and St. Louis Park. The grants are part of an appropriation from the Outdoor Heritage Fund, established when the Clean Water, Land and Legacy amendment to the state Constitution was approved.
Officials seem resigned to the notion that all ash trees will be affected, given experiences in other states.
The bug was discovered in the United States in southeastern Michigan in 2002 -- possibly a decade after its arrival from China -- and it has destroyed tens of millions of trees in the Midwest. The beetle's larvae kill ash trees by burrowing into wood and feeding on nutrients.
The ash tree was the preferred replacement for elms after they were ravaged by a beetle-borne fungus a generation ago. Minnesota has about 900 million ash trees.
"We acted quickly and responsibly to help slow the spread of this infestation to our neighboring communities throughout the state and region," said Mike Hahm, St. Paul Parks and Recreation director. "This will be a long, hard battle with this beetle, and the MDA recognizes that, and has acted accordingly by delivering this funding promptly."