Emerald Ash Borer Management Plan
Emerald Ash Borer Update - 50/50 Cost Share Program - 2/11/2013
In May 2012, the Village Board approved a cost-sharing program for residents who wished to treat their parkway ash trees against the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). The Cost Share Program which runs through October 31, 2013 allows residents to be reimbursed 50% of the treatment costs, up to $50 per parkway ash tree, if they treat the tree with the Village’s preferred method, a trunk injection of TREE-age.
As of January 1, 2013 the Village has reimbursed over $88,000 to residents who treated nearly 1,800 parkway ash trees.
The Forestry Unit is planning a large public information campaign again in 2013. Please continue to check the Village’s website for updates and upcoming events.
The 50/50 EAB Cost Share Program runs through October 31, 2013. In order to be reimbursed, please complete and submit the two attached forms and the contractor’s invoice marked “PAID”. The documents may be submitted online or mailed to 222 N. Ridge Ave Arlington Heights, IL 60005 - Attention Forestry.
If you have questions about EAB or reimbursements, please call 847/368-5800 or email
eab@vah.com.
Emerald Ash Borer Update - Parkway Tree Watering Recommendations - 6/28/2012
Due to the current drought conditions, the Village recommends residents water their parkway trees, especially newly planted ones! Fill the green “Gator” bags every other day or when they empty. Additionally if you have had your ash tree treated for Emerald Ash Borer, watering it will help the tree transport the insecticide throughout it. Watering once a week with a garden hose or sprinkler can make a considerable difference in soil moisture and tree uptake. In extreme drought conditions, additional watering may be needed.
Sprinkling hours are as follows: Monday – Friday 7am-12pm and 7pm-9pm. Sunday only handheld watering.
Remember slow, deep watering is better than quick, shallow watering! Questions can be directed to the Forestry Unit at 847-368-5800.
Emerald Ash Borer Update -Village To Share In Cost of Residents Treating Parkway Ash Trees - 5/30/2012
A cost-sharing program for residents who wish to treat their parkway ash trees has recently been approved by the Village Board. Residents will be reimbursed 50% of the treatment costs up to $50 per parkway ash tree if they agree to treat the tree with the Village’s preferred method, a trunk injection of TREE-age.
If a resident treated their parkway ash tree with some other treatment method prior to April 16th, those expenses will be reimbursed with the same limits and documentation requirements. After April 16, only trunk injection treatments with TREE-age will be reimbursed.
The Village’s cost-sharing program, which will end on October 31, 2013, is an incentive for residents to help extend the lives of some of the 13,000 parkway ash trees throughout the Village.
The Village’s program will provide a one-time 50% reimbursement up to $50 per parkway ash tree treated with the TREE-age trunk injection method only if administered by a
commercially licensed pesticide applicator. Residents will need to continue treating the tree every two years to ensure it has the best chance for survival.
All parkway ash trees will have been identified within the next several weeks with a green ribbon wrapped around the trunk. If a resident would like to treat their parkway tree instead of having it removed in the future, please fill out the quick online form.
Treatment Notification Form
Treatments must be applied by a certified pesticide applicator and completed between now and October 31, 2013 to be eligible for reimbursement. Treatment Notification and Reimbursement Forms will be available online and at the Public Works Department, 222 N. Ridge, by Friday, April 27. To be reimbursed for your treatment, please fill out the online
Reimbursement Form
The willingness of residents to help preserve Arlington Heights’ urban forest canopy by treating their parkway ash trees is greatly appreciated. Due to staggering costs the Village is unable to treat its 13,000 parkway ash trees. Residents should understand that despite their treatment efforts, their parkway ash tree may still need to be removed if it becomes greater than 50% dead or is otherwise deemed hazardous.
Background
Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, is an invasive beetle native to Asia that was first discovered in southeastern Michigan near Detroit in the summer of 2002. The adult beetles feed on ash foliage but cause little damage. The larvae (the immature stage) feed on the inner bark of ash trees, disrupting the tree’s ability to transport water and nutrients. EAB probably arrived in the United States on solid wood crating material carried in cargo ships originating in its native Asia. EAB has been reported as established in Ohio (2003), Indiana (2004), Maryland (2006), Illinois (2006), Pennsylvania (2007), West Virginia (2007), Wisconsin (2008), Missouri (2008), Virginia (2008), Minnesota (2009), and New York (2009). Since its discovery, EAB has: 1) Killed tens of thousands of ash trees in southeastern Michigan, with tens of millions more lost in the other states mentioned above. 2) Caused regulatory agencies and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to enforce quarantines and fines to prevent potentially infested ash trees, logs or hardwood firewood from moving out of areas where EAB has been reported. 3) Cost municipalities, property owners, nursery operators and forest products industries tens of millions of dollars. On October 1, 2009 the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) confirmed the presence of EAB in Arlington Heights.
Impacts on Arlington Heights
The Village of Arlington Heights has approximately 36,000 parkway trees of which approximately 13,000 are ash trees (36% of our total parkway tree population). We do not know the inventory of private property ash trees but we can only guess it will make a significant negative impact on the urban forest in Arlington Heights if all ash trees become infested and need to be removed. While this impact on the environment is obvious we cannot asses the overall impact tree loss will have on areas like storm water runoff and the increase in local temperatures. The loss of shade, wildlife habitat and overall tree benefits to the Village of Arlington Heights will be devastating. The Village of Arlington Heights is proud of its urban forest and takes its management quite seriously. A Tree City USA since 1984, Arlington Heights strives to maintain a diverse parkway tree population. It is important that this EAB Management Plan is a recommendation that should be flexible, taking economic times, new circumstances and the most current research into consideration. Research on EAB and how to manage this insect is in a constant state of change. By being diligent yet open minded about managing this insect we hope that this management plan helps to create a more healthy urban forest that provides the greatest benefit to all those that live in and visit the Village of Arlington Heights.
Management Recommendations
Public Property Trees Our management plan will consist of a number of procedures that will focus on maintaining a healthy urban forest and diversifying our overall tree inventory. Due to the rapid spread of EAB in other states before us, early and quick action will be vital to the operation of a successful program. Our goal will be to act as soon as possible and as budgetary constraints allow. Public property ash trees will be assessed during our inventory updates and fit into three categories: “Infested Tree – Removal Necessary”, “No Action at This Time”, and “People’s Choice” tree as described below.
EAB Removal Program
The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) has established guidelines for recognizing EAB infested tree. There are eight identifiable signs and symptoms that a tree may be infested with EAB (crown dieback, epicormic sprouting or suckers, bark splits, D-shaped exit holes in the bark, S-shaped larval galleries under the bark, presence of larvae, woodpecker damage to the outer bark, and presence of adult beetles). If two or more of these signs and symptoms are present or the tree is at least 50% dead, we will consider the tree infested and it will be removed. In addition if the tree is determined to be in decline (by our certified Forestry staff), and/or the tree is exhibiting splitting or decay/hollowness the tree will be removed. No treatment will be allowed to be done on these trees. The tree will be removed by the Village as time and budget allows.
“No Action Necessary” Trees
These trees do not show two or more signs or symptoms of infestation or greater than 50% canopy decline. These trees appear to be healthy and do not need any action at this time. Removal of these trees will be put off until EAB infestation or any other causes of decline are present.
“People’s Choice” Trees
These trees do not fall within category A or B. A resident may choose to fund a treatment application on a “People’s Choice” tree; they will be required to obtain permission from the Village Forester with the understanding that the Village has the right to remove the tree for any justifiable reason. Payment for treatment will be the responsibility of the homeowner. Homeowners must realize that treatments are anticipated to be required for approximately the next twenty years.
Management Recommendations - Private Property Trees
Focusing only on the removal of public property infested ash trees will not help to prevent the further spread of EAB. The Village of Arlington Heights Municipal code (Article I, section 20-615 thru section 20-621) was updated in 2006 to reflect the need for the control of EAB on private property. The ordinance requires the removal of Public Nuisances such as dead/diseased elm trees and dead/infested with EAB ash trees on private property.
If a resident thinks that a private property tree may be infested with EAB, they should contact a certified arborist to inspect the tree in question. If the tree is confirmed to exhibit signs or symptoms of EAB, it should be reported immediately to the Village of Arlington Heights Public Works – Forestry Unit at 847-368-5848.
Residents who are concerned that trees on others’ private property may pose health or safety concerns to their own property, may request an inspection by Village staff. Due to manpower limitations, these trees will be inspected on an “as time permits” basis.
Private property trees that are identified to have two or more signs or symptoms of EAB as defined in this management plan will be required to be removed within 30 Days of notification. If the tree is not removed at that time the Village of Arlington Heights may proceed to remove the tree in accordance with Article I – section 20-619 of the Arlington Heights Village Code.
Material Handling
In order to minimize the spread of EAB through infested material the IDOA began asking any company or municipality handling ash debris to sign an official IDOA Compliance Agreement. This agreement requires that the company or municipality properly dispose of any ash wood in compliance with the IDOA requirements. Arlington Heights first signed this agreement in 2006 and then signed an updated/revised agreement on January 6, 2010.
Reforestation
It is critical that we continue to pursue diversified species tree planting on public property and provide proper species planting information to residents so as to mitigate the impact of extensive tree loss. Not every tree removed can be replaced due to several factors including underground and overhead utilities and location of other private property and public property trees. The Village of Arlington Heights will continue to pursue diverse tree planting throughout the village where possible.
Public Education
The Village of Arlington Heights will continue to update our residents with all of the latest information regarding EAB. It is very important to provide our residents with the latest information to help residents make educated decisions regarding their private property trees. We will continue to use the following methods of communication:
1) Village Newsletter Articles
2) The Village website: www.vah.com
3) The Village public access television channel
4) Provide current EAB brochures at Village public access buildings
5) Provide speakers when requested
Program Future
This management plan will be a flexible document that is amendable due to new research and technology that will best help combat this insect.
Signs and Symptoms
Crown Dieback
Dieback of the upper and outer crown begins to occur after multiple years of EAB larval feeding. Trees begin to show dead branches throughout the canopy, thus resulting in leaf loss. Foliage in the top of the tree may be thin and discolored.
Epicormic Sprouting
Stressed trees will attempt to grow new branches and leaves where they still can. Trees may sucker excessively both at the base of the tree and on the trunk, often just below where the larvae are feeding.
Bark Splits
Vertical splits in the bark are caused due to callus tissue that develops around larval galleries. Larval galleries can be seen beneath bark splits. Signs
D-Shaped Emergence Holes
As adults emerge from under the bark they create an emergence hole – 1/8 inch in diameter and D-shaped.
S-Shaped Larval Galleries
As larvae feed under the bark they wind back and forth, thus creating galleries that are packed with frass sawdust and follow a serpentine pattern.
Larvae
Larvae are cream colored, slightly flattened, and have pincher-like appendages at the end of their abdomen. Mature larvae reach 1 ½ inches in length and all larvae are found feeding beneath the bark.
Adults
Adult beetles are metallic green in color and are 3/8 – 1/2 inch in length and 1/16 inch in width. Adult’s area flat on the back and rounded on their underside.
Woodpecker Damage
Damage occurs from woodpeckers drilling through the bark of trees to forage for larvae located under the bark. White patches of bark are observed on trunks and branches and feeding is typically evident higher in the tree where EAB prefers to initially infest.
Decline
Refers to progressive loss of vigor and health, not to any specific disease or disorder. Trees decline for many reasons, sometimes as the result or a single disease or damaging environmental factor but often as a result of several environmental and biotic factors acting in concert or in sequence. Decline results from the action of stressing factors over periods of years.