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Emerald Ash Borer
Deerfield's Experience
In the summer of 2011, EAB (Emerald Ash Borer) was discovered in the Village of Deerfield’s southwest quadrant, near Wilmot and Lake Cook Road. EAB is an invasive insect that destroys Ash trees. Trees infested with EAB will start with a slow decline and then can die very quickly. This causes trees to become brittle and start to lose its limbs.
The Village sees EAB as a “natural disaster” that is going to effect the entire community. It is not a matter of “if” an Ash tree is going to be infested, it is a matter of when. The Village is taking a proactive approach to this situation and has started the process to handle it.
Since this discovery, the Village has worked with an Arborist to complete an Ash tree inventory. During this inventory trees were rated on a scale of 1 - 6, with a 1 being a healthy tree, and 6 being a dead or dying tree. The Village Board has taken a recommendation from Public Works to remove all trees rated a 5 or 6. This totals 33 trees. The trees will be removed at the end of April through the beginning of May. The trees rated a 4 will be slowly removed over the next year. This totals 189 trees. Homeowners will be notified with a letter and the tree to be removed will be marked with a black “X” prior to removal.
At this time the Village is not going to be doing any treatment of Ash trees, but this does not mean that homeowners may not choose to treat an Ash tree in their parkway. If a homeowner is interested in treating a parkway tree they must fill out a permit. The permits are available at Engineering at no cost. The homeowner may treat the tree, but have the understanding that if the tree becomes a hazard, the Village still has the right to remove the tree.
Over the next few years, the Village will be slowly removing trees that decline and become hazardous. All the trees will be monitored for signs of EAB, and will be removed when the health and safety of the tree are in question. Homeowners that have an Ash tree in their parkway and would like to be proactive may call and have the tree removed earlier.
The Village is also intending on replacing all Ash trees with new trees where the parkway and surrounding trees make it available. Homeowners will be given a choice of tree based on parkway size and relation to other trees.
Ash trees on private property are the responsibility of the homeowner to maintain. If your tree is found to have EAB and is starting to decline, the Village may require you to have the tree removed for safety reasons.
If you have any questions regarding EAB, please feel free to contact Engineering at 847-317-2490, or go to this informational website about the tree. This website is a very helpful tool and can answer many questions that you may have.
For more information, please refer to General Information regarding Emerald Ash Borer.
Questions may be directed to the Public Works Department at 847-317-7245, or via email by completing this contact form.
Ash Tree Inventory
Since this discovery, the Village has worked with an Arborist to complete an Ash tree inventory. During this inventory trees were rated on a scale of 1 - 6, with a 1 being a healthy tree, and 6 being a dead or dying tree. The Village Board has taken a recommendation from Public Works to remove all trees rated a 5 or 6. This totals 33 trees. The trees will be removed at the end of April through the beginning of May. The trees rated a 4 will be slowly removed over the next year. This totals 189 trees. Homeowners will be notified with a letter and the tree to be removed will be marked with a black “X” prior to removal.
Homeowner Proactivity
At this time the Village is not going to be doing any treatment of Ash trees, but this does not mean that homeowners may not choose to treat an Ash tree in their parkway. If a homeowner is interested in treating a parkway tree they must fill out a permit. The permits are available at Engineering at no cost. The homeowner may treat the tree, but have the understanding that if the tree becomes a hazard, the Village still has the right to remove the tree.
Over the next few years, the Village will be slowly removing trees that decline and become hazardous. All the trees will be monitored for signs of EAB, and will be removed when the health and safety of the tree are in question. Homeowners that have an Ash tree in their parkway and would like to be proactive may call and have the tree removed earlier.
Planting New Trees
The Village is also intending on replacing all Ash trees with new trees where the parkway and surrounding trees make it available. Homeowners will be given a choice of tree based on parkway size and relation to other trees.
Ash trees on private property are the responsibility of the homeowner to maintain. If your tree is found to have EAB and is starting to decline, the Village may require you to have the tree removed for safety reasons.
Questions & Concerns
If you have any questions regarding EAB, please feel free to contact Engineering at 847-317-2490, or go to this informational website about the tree. This website is a very helpful tool and can answer many questions that you may have.
For more information, please refer to General Information regarding Emerald Ash Borer.
Questions may be directed to the Public Works Department at 847-317-7245, or via email by completing this contact form.