A majority of Tyler Arboretum trails where trees were destroyed by the Emerald Ash Borer are reopening, writes Frank Kummer for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The Arboretum in Middletown had to close 17 miles of popular trails last year after 1,500 trees were killed or sickened by the invasive beetle.

Now officials are opening 11.5 miles of those trails, about 70 percent, to the public on April 7. The rest should open by the end of 2024.

Visitors will find a much different forest in many areas than they are used to seeing, warned. Mike Skuja, Tyler’s executive director.

Tyler Arboretum’s ash trees, dogwoods, ginkgo and maples, some more than 120 years old, were on the tail end of an attack started in 2010 that has seen millions of ash trees in Pennsylvania sickened or killed.

The situation was a “substantial challenge” to the arboretum, said Mike Karkowski, the arboretum’s director of horticulture.

“The ash tree removal has been a huge expense, costing about $450,000 to date,” he said.

A $103,000 grant from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources was put toward the effort.

Another million dollars is needed for a full restoration, he said.

Read more details about the damage and restoration efforts for Tyler Arboretum trails in The Philadelphia Inquirer.