The way Ottawa is slowly losing the fight against emerald ash borers is a lot more visible to a lot more people now that the bugs have moved into downtown.
Ash borers were detected in this city in 2008 and they typically kill a tree in about five years, starting from the top, as their larvae chew through the wood under the bark. They were first confirmed in trees southeast of downtown and have been emanating in all directions since. Ashes are about a quarter of Ottawa’s trees, so when they go, people notice.