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UNO Joins City to Raise Awareness of Deadly Pest

Memorial Park

Memorial Park, located just north of UNO, is home to numerous ash trees, which are in danger of being overtaken by a new parasite

OMAHA - Beginning Tuesday, May 19, and running through Saturday, May 23, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) campus will follow the Omaha Parks Foundation and City of Omaha in its recognition of Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week.

At 11 a.m. members of the UNO community will meet outside of the Eppley Administration Building to tie ribbons on to the numerous ash tress that line campus. The effort is a continuation of efforts launched by the City of Omaha on Saturday, May 16, which included placing ribbons on ash trees at Seymour Smith Park, Memorial Park, Elmwood Park and Ramble Ridge Park as well as along the lengths of Abbot Drive and Regency Parkway.

The nearly 1,000 trees that will be wrapped during the week are a fraction of the more than 42,000 estimated ash trees across Omaha neighborhoods and parks.

The effort is in response to the threat posed by a parasitic insect known as the emerald ash borer, which, since its discoverey in Michigan in 2002, has destroyed billions of ash trees across 24 states.

In addtion to UNO, other campuses around Omaha will be joining the effort, including Creighton University, University of Nebraska Medical Center and Metropolitan Community College.

To learn more about the emerald ash borer, visit www.emeraldashborer.info. To learn more about the Omaha Parks Foundation, visit http://omahaparksfoundation.org.