11 trees are scheduled to be removed at the Dutch Bros Coffee on West Elizabeth Street on Monday, June 2. The trees are infested with Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), an invasive pest that targets ash trees, and are no longer viable. Once trees are impacted by EAB, they become dead and fall apart, creating a public hazard.

Dutch Bros Coffee will be closed for the duration of the tree removal on June 2. Community members are asked to adhere to all signage and direction from contractors during the tree removals. Dutch Bros Coffee plans to replace the removed trees with guidance from the City of Fort Collins.

“The removal of these mature ash trees will leave a significant gap in this area’s canopy, which is sad to see,” explained Kendra Boot, City Forester. “I’m grateful that the Dutch Bros Team is leaning in and replacing these trees with more diverse tree species, which will encourage a more resilient canopy at this site for the future.”

MORE DETAILS ON EAB IN FORT COLLINS

As of May 2025, EAB has been found well within Fort Collins city limits. EAB has the potential to decimate all untreated North American Ash species of the genus, Fraxinus. The City of Fort Collins Forestry Division has been preparing for EAB since its detection in the United States in 2003. Ash species comprise a third (33%) of Fort Collins’ canopy cover.

The Forestry Division has been treating desirable trees on City-owned land on a three-year cycle since 2021, in alignment with the City’s EAB Response Plan. Many Fort Collins residents and Homeowner’s Associations (HOA’s) have also been proactively treating desirable trees on their properties since 2020, or earlier.

Ash trees become extremely brittle in a short period of time once they die from EAB. At that point, trees are beyond the opportunity for chemical treatment and need to be removed in a timely manner for the safety of the community.

Community members are encouraged to develop their own treatment plan as EAB is expected to continue its spread throughout the region. Local arborists can help determine if your property has ash trees, evaluate tree health conditions and assess the costs of treatment, removal, and replacement. A list of licensed arborists can be found on the Forestry Division’s arborist website.

For more information on managing EAB, please visit the Forestry website.