Emerald Ash Borer found in Libertyville

The inevitable spread of the destructive emerald ash borer has reached Libertyville.

Evidence of the beetle has been confirmed on two trees and is suspected in three more on Mayfair Drive in the far southwest portion of the village.

Staff is formulating recommendations on how to deal with the metallic green invader. The village board will consider the measures July 27.

How the look of village streets will be impacted is unknown at this point. About 2,300, or a little over one of every four parkway trees owned by the village, are ash but concentrations vary.

"Once it's here, it's here," Public Works Director John Heinz reported Tuesday to the village board. "Just take it as it comes and deal with it as you have to."

Action is expected to be on an individual basis for parkway trees, which are owned by the village. When an infestation is found, property owners will receive a packet of information to include why the village thinks that is the case.

If a parkway tree is removed, the village will grind the stump and restore the area and may replace trees with a different species as funds become available, according to the recommendations,

The village no longer has a 50-50 cost sharing program for parkway trees. But property owners could get a break on the cost of a tree if the village decides to share its discount buying power.

The village would inspect privately owned trees, according to the proposed action plan, and provide tree service contacts. But it would be up to the homeowner to decide what to do.

The larvae of the beetle burrow into the bark of ash trees causing them to starve and eventually die, although it can take years before evidence of their presence is known.

There are treatment options but the only guaranteed way to control the pest is to cut down the host tree. Massive clear cutting of trees miles from an infestation has been ineffective in stopping the spread of the emerald ash borer, however.

"That hasn't worked. We're looking at it on a case-by-case basis," said Jim Barlow, superintendent of parks.

Libertyville becomes the fifth community in Lake County to have infested locations confirmed by the Illinois Department of Agriculture.

The Lake County Forest Preserve District has removed about 30 ash trees from a grove near 33rd Street and Green Bay Road at its Thunderhawk Golf Course, but has not reported infestations in any of its other properties.

Emerald ash borers also have been confirmed in Lake Forest, Buffalo Grove and Round Lake.

Lake is among 14 counties with confirmed infestations. The first was four years ago in Kane County and the most recent was last month in Winnebago County.

The emerald ash borer has killed more than 25 million ash trees since it was first confirmed in the Midwest in the summer of 2002. according to the department of agriculture.