They can only hope to contain the ash borer

Bryon Doerr has been peeling away bark all winter with one mission in mind -- to find signs of emerald ash borer beetles.

The surveyor with Morton Arboretum's trap tree program inspects dozens of trees searching for larvae galleries created by the small, metallic green bugs.

"This is actually how we found them in Hazel Crest," Doerr said. "It is time consuming."

The borer's larvae feast on the trunks of ash trees, cutting off their ability to transport nutrients and causing the trees to die. So far, the borer is blamed for the loss of about 25 million ash trees in North America.

With recent beetle discoveries in Geneva and Hazel Crest, the ash borer risk appears to be on the rise.

Previously, the bugs have been found in Batavia and unincorporated Kane County; Evanston, Winnetka and Wilmette in Cook County; Carol Stream and Glendale Heights in DuPage County and Peru in LaSalle County.

Illinois Department of Agriculture spokesman Jeff Squibb said most infestations are about five years old. Therefore, the beetle has had time to establish itself and perhaps even spread.

"I think the ash borer is here to stay," Squibb said. "The emerald ash borer is in all likelihood going to be a pest that we have to manage, as opposed to eradicate."

So where does this put Illiois in the battle against the little beetles?

"We're still in pretty good shape as a state," said Edith Makra, community trees advocate for Morton Arboretum in Lisle.

"I think we're on top of it," she added. "And I certainly think we can manage this at this point."

But Dan Dinges, Geneva's public works director, said department of agriculture officials informed him that every ash tree in Geneva could be infested within five to seven years.

"It might be the entire city," he said. "We just haven't found it yet. We're hoping it's just that area."

Squibb said there might be more discoveries in the coming months.

"Given the experience of other states that have had emerald ash borer findings, we would anticipate additional finds as we get closer to the spring," he said.

Now part of the challenge is to contain the beetle as best as possible until science learns more about it and perhaps develops a remedy, Squibb said.

So far, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin has secured $1.5 million in federal funding to combat the spread of the beetle in Illinois. He also requested $2.6 million from the Department of Interior for research and technology to battle the pest.

In the meantime, state workers are surveying ash trees throughout northeastern Illinois in an effort to locate and quarantine more emerald ash borers. Tactics include inspections and creating trap trees, which have bark stripped away to make them more vulnerable to the bugs.

Municipalities also are taking action.

After the borer was found in Glendale Heights last summer, the village has updated its tree ordinance and prohibited the planting of ash trees.

Carol Stream has increased the removal of ash trees that appear to be sickly and contracted with a nursery to plant replacement trees.

"We've actually set aside money for tree planting and replacements," Carol Stream Village Manager Joe Breinig said. "We feel like we've positioned ourselves well to address the problem."

Even though the bugs haven't yet been found in St. Charles and Glen Ellyn, both towns are taking precautions.

St. Charles Public Works Director Mark Koenen said city officials are concerned, especially now that the beetles have been found west of St. Charles and in Geneva.

"We have a restricted budget that begins to deal with emerald ash borers," Koenen said. "If it becomes a reality, we have restricted funds for the removal."

Glen Ellyn's public works department is finalizing plans to remove some ash trees in town that are in poor or fair condition, officials said.

"We will take a systematic approach, a slow approach," Public Works Director Joe Caracci said. "We're trying not to panic too much right now, but be a little proactive."

Meanwhile, many communities have been informing residents via newsletters, Web sites and cable access channels about ways to identify emerald ash borers.

Illinois Department of Agriculture officials say the most important thing is for people to be informed about the beetle, as well as camping rules.

"They should always remember to buy firewood locally, consume it on site and not bring it home with them," Squibb said. "That would reduce the accidental spread of the emerald ash borer."

Beetle battle lines

Emerald ash borer infestations have been found in the following areas:

Cook County: Evanston, Hazel Crest, Winnetka, Wilmette

DuPage County: Carol Stream, Glendale Heights

Kane County: Batavia, Geneva and in unincorporated areas west of St. Charles

La Salle County: Peru