According to researchers, invasive insects will kill over a million trees in the United States in the next three decades.
The emerald ash borer is the main driver of the destruction. ash trees could be wiped out in more than 6,000 urban areas according to a new study.
On average, the cost of replacing the trees could be as high as US$30 million a year. Billions of dollars could be put into the US before the year 2050 if more invaders were to arrive.
Sam Droege is from the USGS.
The results can hopefully provide a cautionary tale against planting a single species of tree throughout the entire city, as has been done with ash trees in North America.
The data was collected from around 30,000 urban areas in the US. Predicts for the spread of 57 different species were combined with models of tree populations.
New York, Chicago, and Milwaukee were identified in the report as being in the path of the emerald ash borer. A study shows that less than a quarter of US communities will take 95 percent of the invaders.
There is a lack of variety in the tree species in urban areas. The emerald ash borer insect is a threat because of a greater number of species.
The emerald ash borers leave behind a trail of destruction.
Many urban areas are dominated by a single tree species, which means that a newly arrived insect for which those trees are a host can spread easily.
On top of this, there are usually fewer natural predators and warmer temperatures compared to nearby natural forests, which can benefit invasive insect development.
The researchers took into account the potential effect of insect species that haven't yet arrived in the US.
Despite the dire warning, the team behind the study is hopeful it can help urban tree managers plan ahead and prevent the same kind of costly damage from being caused in other countries.
Urban trees are important for keeping cities cool, boosting biodiversity, and even making people happier. It is vital that the nature in our towns and cities are allowed to flourish and stay healthy.
Koch says that preventing further spread of the emerald ash borer in Europe is critically important.
The Journal of Applied Ecology published the research.
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