Trees and Emerald Ash Borer FAQ for Bismarck, ND

Yes. City forestry staff found it the week of August 26, 2026, near Interstate Loop while removing declining ash trees. It was the first find in central North Dakota, and the state added Burleigh County to its EAB quarantine. Our emerald ash borer guide for Bismarck covers the full story.

The adult is a small, metallic green beetle about half an inch long. You’ll rarely see one. The damage comes from the larvae, which tunnel under the bark and cut off the flow of water and nutrients through the tree.

Usually 2 to 5 years once larvae numbers are high, depending on the tree’s size and health, according to NDSU Extension. The North Dakota Department of Agriculture says an infested ash can die in as little as 2 years.

On its own, only about 1 to 2 miles a year, according to NDSU. It moves much farther when people haul infested firewood and ash logs, which is why the quarantine exists.

NDSU says adults fly from mid-June to mid-July, with the peak in mid to late July. Larvae feed under the bark from late June through October. In a cold state like North Dakota, one generation can take two years.

No. Finding EAB in Bismarck doesn’t mean every ash has to come down this year. Bismarck’s city forester told residents in September 2026, “You’ve got time.” A healthy ash can be protected with treatment.

Treat it if it’s healthy, well placed and worth paying to protect every 2 to 3 years. Remove it if more than about 40% of the canopy is dead, it’s in a bad spot, or you don’t want the ongoing cost. Our guide on whether to treat or remove your ash tree walks through five questions that decide it.

Purdue University estimated about $300 per injection every 3 years for a 30-inch ash, compared with $1,800 to $3,600 to remove it plus about $500 to replant. Published Bismarck cost guides put local tree removal around $400 to $1,900, depending on height. These are estimates, not quotes.

It depends on how much of the top is dead. NDSU says trees with more than 40% canopy decline “are not likely to recover” and shouldn’t be treated. If your ash is still mostly full, you haven’t missed anything. The next injection window in North Dakota is spring 2027.

You can’t move ash logs, limbs, branches, roots, wood chips, nursery stock or any hardwood firewood out of Burleigh County without a permit. Civil fines can reach $5,000. Bismarck and Lincoln are both in Burleigh County.

Not without a permit. Mandan is in Morton County, so hauling ash wood from a Bismarck yard across the Missouri River means taking it out of Burleigh County, which the quarantine doesn’t allow.

To the Bismarck Landfill, where clean wood and tree debris cost $40 a ton with a $6 minimum. It’s open 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Branches aren’t allowed at the city’s yard waste sites.

Buy firewood where you’ll burn it, and don’t haul it to the lake or cabin. Heat-treated firewood labeled as meeting the state standard of 140°F for at least 60 minutes is the safe choice. The Bismarck Landfill stopped giving out and selling firewood in September 2026.

Late winter works for most trees, while they’re dormant and you can see the branches clearly. Elms have a firm rule of November through March. Broken or hanging limbs after a storm should come down right away, any time of year.

NDSU advises pruning elms only in that window to lower the risk of Dutch elm disease. Bark beetles spread the disease from tree to tree.

Something different from what’s already on your block. The City of Bismarck’s approved boulevard tree list is a good starting point. NDSU’s recommended tree list limits maples on soil above pH 7.2, and a lot of Bismarck soil runs alkaline.

Plant choices: best trees for Bismarck.

NDSU says to dig the hole twice as wide as the root ball, set the root flare at ground level, backfill with the original soil and mulch 3 to 4 inches deep, kept off the trunk. Stake it for one year only. Water twice a week at first, then weekly, then every 10 to 14 days.

Wrap the trunk with 1/4-inch hardware cloth or a white plastic guard that reaches 18 to 24 inches above the deepest snow you expect and sits 2 to 3 inches into the soil. NDSU’s forester says rabbits and voles kill more trees each winter than cold does. See protecting trees from rabbits and deer in winter.

Usually winter burn. Sun and wind dry out the needles while the ground is frozen, so the roots can’t replace the water. It shows up most on the south, southwest and windward sides. Salt and disease can look similar. See our evergreen winter burn guide.