WASHINGTON — D.C.’s Theodore Roosevelt Island has reopened after a temporary closure to remove diseased trees.
The island was closed June 23. The trees were affected by the emerald ash borer, a pest that can kill ash trees within two to three years of infection.
Surveys reveal many of Roosevelt Island’s trees are being damaged by the pest. Once a tree is infected, there is no cure.
The pest infects white ash trees, which used to be the tenth most common species in the D.C. area. According to a release by the National Park Service, white ash trees in the area have decreased significantly between 2009 and 2016.
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