Ash tree logging operations will commence shortly at Camp Vits Park and Lincoln Park resulting in temporary closures at each park. 

Camp Vits Park (97 S. Parkview Rd.) and Vetter Trailhead (1011 S. Parkview Rd.) will temporarily be closed to the public due to an emerald ash borer (EAB) tree removal project starting Monday, October 10th.  The City has hired a contractor to remove 127 ash trees within the 76-acre Camp Vits Park focusing on areas with designated hiking and biking trails.  The closure is expected to last up to two weeks.

The public should expect closures of areas within Lincoln Park (1215 N. 8^th St.) starting the week of October 17th for an emerald ash borer tree removal project.  The City has hired a contractor to remove ash trees throughout Lincoln Park.  Closures will be limited to the areas adjacent to where logging operations are occurring.

The emerald ash borer is having devastating effects on the City’s ash trees.  Once infected, the emerald ash borer is nearly 100% fatal to untreated ash trees.  The Forestry Division is doing their best to remove the infected trees before they become hazardous, especially in or near areas which are used by the public.  

The focus of the Forestry Division right now is removal of EAB infected trees.  Small trees may die within one to two years of becoming infected, and large trees may die within three to five years.  The emerald ash borer was first detected in Manitowoc in 2017, so many infected ash trees are already nearing the end of their life cycle.  

For more details, contact the Department of Infrastructure – Parks Division between the hours of 7:30 am and 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday at (920) 686-3580.  Additional information about parks can be found by visiting www.manitowoc.org/parks, following the Manitowoc Parks and Recreation Division on Facebook, or by visiting  www.manitowoc.org/notifyme and signing up to receive important information via text message or email.  Download the City of Manitowoc app from the App Store or Google Play and click on the Alert Center to subscribe to emergency alerts.