LEXINGTON — Lexington has removed ash trees from its list of approved species to plant because of a small insect.
The emerald ash borer has now been found in seven Kentucky counties, including Fayette County, which contains Lexington.
The Lexington Herald-Leader reported the Lexington Tree Board approved a resolution on Wednesday removing ashes from the list of approved trees that can be planted in the city.
About 10 percent of the street trees in Lexington are ashes.
Arborists estimate Kentucky has 131 million white ashes, 92 million green ashes and an unknown number of blue ashes, most of them in a triangle including Lexington, Louisville and Cincinnati.
The Asian insect that kills them was found this spring in Fayette County.
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