Politics & Government

Elusive Beetle Threatens Northbrook Trees

Beginning this fall, the village plans to cut down 19 trees infested with emerald ash borer.

Juliana White's block is a lot brighter now, and on a hot day in late August, the sun is fierce.

"My street lost four trees," White said. "The side of my house looks totally different."

The four to come down were all ash trees, the first victims to fall to a villagewide infestation by a non-native beetle, the emerald ash borer.

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After surveying the nearly 3,000 ash trees on public land in Northbrook, the Department of Public Works identified 23 trees that were infected by the pest. Four were cut down at Walters Avenue and Wessling Drive last spring, and another 19 are slated for removal beginning this fall, pending approval by the Village board.

Additional sites include the intersection of Violet Lane and Landwehr Road, Castilian Circle and Brian Drive, Sycamore Lane and Walters Avenue, Coventry Lane and Walters, as well as Dunsten Circle and Pfingsten Road.

Find out what's happening in Northbrookwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Village Forester Terry Cichocki discovered the first infested tree near White's house last spring. Though Cichocki was there to plant a tree, she kept looking at the tall ash nearby, thinking there was something wrong with it. So she sent a crew out for an inspection.

"We had a sense of dread as we found it," she said.    

First discovered in Michigan in 2002, the emerald ash borer is a beetle that bores holes in ash trees to lay its eggs. When the larvae hatch, they feed on the inside of the tree and eventually kill it.

The beetle was first found in Illinois in 2006, and has since been discovered in other nearby towns, including Glenview, Wilmette, Morton Grove, Skokie, Evanston and Park Ridge.

The primary indication of an infested ash, Cichocki said, is leaves, twigs and branches in the canopy dying from their tips inward. Other signs include trunk and branch damage as well as marks from woodpeckers, which feed on the beetles.

The insects themselves are tough to see, Cichocki noted. "They're so little that they're hard to recognize unless a tree's got hundreds and hundreds of them crawling all over.

"They're elusive," she added. "And that's part of their power; they're able to spread without people knowing that they have the problem until the tree starts showing symptoms."

In addition to the 19 trees scheduled for removal, Public Works has identified more than 400 other trees that are in excellent condition but will be treated for emerald ash borer. Treatments last two years and are injected around the roots.

The village doesn't have the funds to treat the remaining 2,600 ash trees in town, Cichocki said, but workers will  closely monitor them for signs of the pest. 

Though White lost four ash trees on her street, she is grateful that the two huge parkway trees in front of her house were spared. Already treated by the village, the two trees cast shade all the way across her front lawn.

"There aren't many places with tree-lined streets, with trees that have been there for more than a few years," White said. "I think it really makes things prettier and healthier."

In this tough housing market, aesthetic value is more than just a visual perk for homeowners.

"Having a nice, big tree would enhance curb appeal," said local property appraiser Michael Borre. "You may not get the dollars back directly, but you might sell your house faster than someone who doesn't have that."

Big shade trees, like ash, have a slew of positive environmental affects, Cichocki said.

A big shade tree can cut down on the need to run air conditioning by sheltering the house—meaning less pollution as well as lower energy bills, she said. Trees also play a significant role in storm water management by slowing the fall of rain so it doesn't overwhelm sewers.

Walking around her neighborhood, White notes the smaller-scale effects of the missing trees—both good and bad. Across the street, a bus stop is now in full sun where a tall ash tree once stood. Just past the bus stop, a neighbor has taken the now missing tree as an opportunity to redesign his garden for sun.

Back on her side of the street, White points out the empty spot by her mailbox and her neighbor's garden where the first infested ash tree was found.

"The positive is, they've got a lot more sunshine for their roses," she said.

The Village Board will review Public Works' plan to cut trees at its next meeting, Sept. 14.

Residents concerned that they may have an infested ash tree can obtain a village guide at www.northbrook.il.us/Government/Departments/PW/documents/EABFAQ.pdf. Other resources include www.illinoiseab.com, a project of the Illinois Department of Agriculture, and www.emeraldashborer.info, a website created by the U.S. Forest Service, Michigan State University, Purdue University and Ohio State University. 


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