South Elgin reports Ash Borer infestation

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SOUTH ELGIN – The emerald ash borer has entered South Elgin.

Thursday, South Elgin officials announced that the Illinois Department of Agriculture had confirmed the presence of the tree killing beetles in the village.

According to a statement issued by South Elgin Public Works Director Chuck Behm, the beetle was discovered in the 800 block of James Street by the village’s certified arborist Kevin Summers during an inspection Friday, July 11.

Behm said the insects were also found about two miles south of the James Street area on Castlebar Court and Cornell Court, which are located in a neighborhood west of South McLean Boulevard and south of West Spring Street.

The village plans to remove the affected trees and any other trees in the public right-of-way determined to be infested, Behm said.

“This is not a surprise,” Behm said. “These bugs have been in the area for quite a while, and it was just a matter of time before they showed up here.”

Behm said the village has estimated as many as 3,000 trees – or about 20 percent of the village’s tree canopy – is made up of ash trees.

But he said that estimate is not precise, as the village does not know for sure how many ash trees are on private property.

Behm said the village has budgeted money to pay for the removal of trees on public property.

Should the insect infest trees on private property, Behm said the landowners will be responsible for the bill.

However, he said how the village will go about dealing with infestations on private property will also be a matter of discussion at upcoming South Elgin village board meetings.

The South Elgin infestation is just the latest location for the small, metallic green insect.

Emerald ash borer infestations have been reported in portions of Kane County, including the Tri-Cities, as well as Cook, DuPage, Will and LaSalle counties.

Also today, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, announced that more funding to combat the ash borer could be forthcoming.

Durbin said the U.S. Senate’s Appropriations Committee Thursday approved $32.5 million for nationwide efforts to combat the spread of the emerald ash borer.

The funding marks an increase from last year’s $30.7 million appropriation to pay for efforts to fight the insect.

“With more than 131 million ash trees in Illinois and comprising about 20 percent of the trees in the Chicago area, providing funding to tackle this infestation has never been more important,” Durbin said.