Big ash tree removal set in St. Charles

Tree-lined streets are the hallmark of many subdivisions, but two neighborhoods in St. Charles will see a dramatic change in appearance in coming weeks with the removal of 180 trees.

The chain saws will churn in both Harvest Hills and Renaux Manor subdivisions, two areas particularly plagued by the onslaught of the emerald ash borer. Infestation by the insect is tantamount to a death sentence most of the time for ash trees. Newer subdivisions in St. Charles, such as Harvest Hills, were planted with almost nothing but ash trees when they were built. City officials have since written a law that requires more diversity of the tree population in building out such residential areas.

There are 289 ash trees in Harvest Hills and a 290 ash trees in Renaux Manor, and not all are infected. City staff wants to keep it that way. That means chopping down all the infected trees the city has immediate access to - those planted on the parkway between homes and the street.

A total of 111 trees in Harvest Hills will meet the ax before May 1, which is when the emerald ash borer takes flight to find new victims. Eliminating trees already containing the insects will help prevent the spread. Renaux Manor has 69 trees that will be uprooted.

Trees that are removed will be replaced by standard 21/2-inch trees, a variety of which residents can pick from, including more expensive trees if residents chip in. In many cases, the new trees will be smaller than the removed ash trees, literally changing the landscape of the subdivisions for years to come. Homeowners that will have their parkway tree removed should already have received notification from the city. Homeowners concerned that trees on their property might be infested can contact the city for an inspection. There are chemical treatments for infested trees, but city staff says such treatments are costly, require an annual commitment to the treatment and there are no guarantees that an ash tree will survive even with the treatments.

All told, there is the potential for infestation in roughly 19,000 parkway trees in St. Charles.