Kings Island, in the city of Anoka, has a floodplain forest with a canopy mix of silver maple, ash, and elm. Unfortunately, signs of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) were discovered in 2021, and some trees started falling on the trail along the Mississippi River. ACD received funding from the Outdoor Heritage Fund in 2023 to conduct ecological management at Kings Island. A total of 426 Ash trees were removed in January 2024.
Ash trees infected by EAB will continue to die off, opening up the forest canopy throughout the island. Tree planting is planned for the fall of 2025 to promote diversity and forest habitat regeneration. Climate-resilient and transition tree species will be planted to enhance the ecosystem in Kings Island. Some of these tree species already exist and some were chosen because they are growing well at the Adaptive Silviculture for Climate Change study at Crosby Farm along the Mississippi River.
Join ACD's efforts to diversify and steward King's Island floodplain forest. Sign up to plant trees at Kings Island on Saturday, October 25th, from 10 am to 12 pm.