You may see trees coming down at two parks in Ozark soon.
The city was awarded a Community Forestry Cost-Share Grant through the Missouri Department of Conservation to remove green ash trees under threat from the invasive emerald ash borer.
In a press release, Ozark stated a total of 24 trees are set to be removed. This includes 17 from Finley River Park and seven from Neal Grubaugh Park. Removal is scheduled to begin at Finley River Park on Monday, Dec. 11.
This will not impact the Festival of Lights, but otherwise the parks will be closed to the public during tree removal.
Assistant Director of Public Works & Environmental Resources, John McCart introduced the grant at a Nov. 6 Ozark Aldermen meeting. McCart said the city is pursuing grants to fund replacing the trees, ideally with relatively mature native species, but he had no additional details at that time.
The trees being removed have been assessed by a Department of Conservation Forester and are considered dead or infested and at risk of collapsing, all due to the emerald ash borer beetle.
The project will cost $35,739 total. The Cost-Share Grant will cover $29,760 of that with the City responsible for the remaining $5,979.