OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha has committed $250,000 to continue its fight against a tree-killing insect.

The council approved the $250,000 contract Tuesday with an Underwood, Iowa, company, Holland & McKee, to treat the trees menaced by the emerald ash borer.

Parks director Brook Bench says the city will spend $4.67 per inch of tree up to $250,000. Bench estimated that several thousand trees will undergo the treatment. He says parks employees already have taken down about 1,000 other ash trees.

Officials hope to save up to 5,000 of 11,000 ash trees on city property, including parks and golf courses.

Emerald ash borers are native to Asia and were first spotted in the U.S. in 2002. They’ve killed millions of ash trees since.