Goodbye, ash trees. Hello, Kentucky coffeetrees.

Take a look around and you’ll see that St. Paul’s treescape is changing. The city plans to remove 1,350 ash trees from boulevards this year as a result of the invasive emerald ash borer taking root, and a separate program will mean 1,800 new trees in select neighborhoods.

The city has a 5-year rotating cycle that determines which neighborhoods get new boulevard trees. This year, spring planting takes place in the West Seventh, North End and Greater East Side neighborhoods.

Those blocks getting new trees may see a caravan of workers putting them in. On Thursday, crews were traveling up and down a section of the North End, with one vehicle dropping off the trees, followed by a crew that dug a hole and dropped in the tree, another that moved soil and watered the tree, and one more that added mulch.

“It’s like an assembly line,” said Lauren Stufft, an urban forester for St. Paul.

Stufft had picked the locations and types of trees that were being installed along the route. She notifies residents with a door hanger that tells them how to care for the tree and the variety that will be planted.

And residents can expect to see a wide variety going up this spring. The city is selecting no more than 30 percent of one family, 20 percent of one genus, or 10 percent of one species of tree in an effort to protect against invasive pests and improve climate resiliency, according to Clare Cloyd, spokeswoman for the city’s Parks and Recreation department.

So, what exactly will the city be planting? This year, expect to see fewer maple trees and more Kentucky coffeetree, river birch, hackberry and non-fruiting ginko trees than in years past, Cloyd said.

At 15 percent, oaks will take up the largest segment of new trees, and honey locust, Japanese tree lilac, apple, linden, Dutch Elm Disease-resistant elms and some other varieties will be lining St. Paul streets, too.

The city wasn’t always planting so many species.

Elms were the predominant tree planted in boulevards until Dutch Elm disease, which was first spotted in St. Paul in the early 1960s and peaked in the mid-70s, began decimating the population. At the time, about 70 percent or more of the city’s boulevard trees were elms, said Karl Mueller, urban forester for St. Paul.

“It was what you call a mono-culture,” Mueller said, adding that the tree was popular due to its shade, strength, cost effectiveness and ability to grow well in narrow boulevards.

By the late 1970s, the city lost had about 100,000 elm trees on public and private land, and more losses followed through the years, Mueller said.

St. Paul began planting a wider variety of trees in response to the destruction of elms, choosing trees like linden, honey locust, hackberry, Norway maple and ash.

Ash was popular for its fast growth, good shade and reasonable cost, but in 2009, Emerald ash borer — an invasive, destructive beetle — was discovered in St. Paul, and many of the trees began going the way of the elm.

In the past decade, the city has made an increased focus on tree diversity in an effort to create a more sustainable urban forest that is resistant to pests and diseases — including those that might come in the future, Mueller said.

But only certain trees do well in an urban environment, he added. They must be able to contend with sidewalks, streets, construction and pollution, and be the right size and shape for a boulevard.

Here’s a glance at some of the tree species St. Paul has selected this year: Related Articles Minneapolis and St. Paul to add 70 electric car charging stations

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Hackberry: A hardy tree that is widely distributed in the U.S. It grows berry-like dark red drupes that are attractive to wildlife.

Kentucky coffeetree: This tree was named for its seeds, which early settlers used as a coffee substitute (without roasting, however, they can be toxic). Pulp from its wood was also used by American Indians to treat insanity.

River birch: As the name suggests, this tree does well in wet areas and is often found growing by rivers and streams. Once mature, it develops cinnamon-colored bark that peels.

This map shows where the city of St. Paul will be planting boulevard trees through 2024: