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Emerald Ash Borer
Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has led to the death of more than 20 million ash trees in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. In 2007, it was discovered in DuPage County. In 2011, it was confirmed in Clarendon Hills.
Pesticide Use
Part of the Village’s management plan is to treat Ash trees using soil drenching with a commonly used pesticide, Imidacloprid, which goes by the brand name “Merit” produced by Bayer Advance. This is a widely used multipurpose insecticide that can be purchased at local hardware stores and has been shown in some cases to help prevent the spread of EAB. Even with the treatment, however, it may still be necessary to remove dead, dying or dangerous Ash trees throughout the parkways.
Pesticide Use
Part of the Village’s management plan is to treat Ash trees using soil drenching with a commonly used pesticide, Imidacloprid, which goes by the brand name “Merit” produced by Bayer Advance. This is a widely used multipurpose insecticide that can be purchased at local hardware stores and has been shown in some cases to help prevent the spread of EAB. Even with the treatment, however, it may still be necessary to remove dead, dying or dangerous Ash trees throughout the parkways.
Village Approach
The Village started with approximately 836 public right of way Ash trees out of the 5,500 total trees in 2010. Treatment of 725 of these trees was started in the spring of 2012 with certified applicators within Public Works staff. The other infected trees were removed in hopes to slow down the infestation and allow the Village to reforest the parkways over the next 7-10 years. Since the start of treatment, the Public Works department has performed approximately 2,500 treatments, each tree being treated in the spring. The Village has also removed 628 Ash trees in 7 years. We currently have 208 Ash trees in the inventory for 2017.During the same span of time, the Village has planted over 425 trees in right of ways with proper spacing and tree diversification. The Village has replaced the three types of Ash trees with 36 different species of trees in the past seven years to help promote a healthy and sustainable canopy.
Residents Encouraged to Help the Village
The Village encourages residents to determine whether they have an Ash tree in their yard and to look for signs of infestation. Trees can be protected through EAB treatment products, though there are no guaranteed methods to prevent EAB infestation. Questions can be directed to the Village's Public Works Department at 630-286-4750.
More Information on Emerald Ash Borer
- National EAB Hotline: 866-EAB-4512
- Morton Arboretum
- Illinois Department of Agriculture