Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is a highly destructive, tree-killing insect that has been identified in the Village of Buffalo Grove’s urban forest. The unfortunate arrival of EAB will have a serious impact to Buffalo Grove’s environment and budget for many years to come. Over one third of the trees in Buffalo Grove’s urban forest are in jeopardy.

The Village of Buffalo Grove EAB Management Plan is available here as a pdf document for review and download.

Information on the control of the pest can be found on-line at www.IllinoisEAB.com, an Illinois Department of Agriculture maintained web page.

If you suspect you may have found an adult or larval form of this insect, or trees that are showing symptoms of the insect, please contact the Village of Buffalo Grove Public Works Department.

How do I know that the tree has Emerald Ash Borer (EAB)?
The tree will start to decline from the top and will start to produce unsightly sucker growth lower in the tree.  Wood pecker holes can also be an indicator of an infestation.

If my parkway tree has EAB, do the trees on my property have EAB as well?
If there is an Ash on your property, chances are very high that the Ash is infested with EAB.  EAB does not infest trees other than Ash.

Why did you trim the tree last month then take it down today?  Why didn’t you take it down then?
Public Works (PW) staff trims all parkway trees on a standard cycle.  Tree trimming in general gives PW the opportunity to evaluate every tree.  If a hazardous tree is found while tree trimming crews move through a neighborhood it will be scheduled for removal.

Why is there a white painted dot on my tree?
This means that the tree has EAB and will be scheduled for removal in near future.  However, as it is believed that all Ash trees in the Village are currently infested, the lack of a paint dot is not an indicator of the lack of EAB infestation.

Why is the Village not treating their Ash trees?
Due to the number of Village owned Ash trees, the cost to treat infected trees, and the lack of scientific evidence to support the efficacy of treatment, the Village will not be treating parkway trees for EAB. 

Can I treat my tree?
Residents can treat their parkway tree if they notify Public Works and submit the proper paper work.  PW will require the resident’s name, location and address of the treated trees, the name/address/phone number of the company treating the tree, the name of the chemical used, and the date treated.

The Village of Buffalo Grove reserves the right to remove a treated tree if it becomes hazardous.  Trees could also be removed for many reasons such as lightning strike, storm damage, auto accident, water main and sewer repairs, etc.

Is it worth it for me to treat my own tree on private property?
That depends.  It depends how much you enjoy that tree or trees.  The beetle presence is still on the rise, and treatment may not be effective.  Treatments can be very expensive over time, so residents are urged to get multiple quotes and work with companies with certified arborists.

Why are you taking my parkway tree down, when my neighbor’s tree looks worse?
Some confirmed EAB trees do not look as bad as others.  Before the Ash trees started to die at a faster rate than we could remove them, we were removing trees that were confirmed with EAB.  Trees are confirmed with EAB in different ways.  PW confirms trees while cycle trimming, through resident request work orders, and while removing broken/hazardous branches after storms come through.  In some cases, there may not have been a reason to inspect the neighbor’s tree before.   

Why are you taking my Ash tree down, but you haven’t taken Ash trees on Village properties yet?
We have removed many Ash trees from Village owned or maintained properties.  At this time we have removed Ash from all our fire stations and well houses.  EAB has been detected at all these locations. 

Why can’t you wait until the trees die to remove them?
Leaving a tree in a declining condition is very dangerous to the surrounding area.  Removal of a dead tree is also more dangerous to us and it is more time consuming to remove.  Removing trees before they die completely, makes a safer environment for everyone.

Do I have to pay the Village of Buffalo Grove to remove my parkway tree?
The Village will remove and replace parkway trees that are infested, diseased, dead, dyeing, or hazardous at no additional cost to the resident.

Will you grind the stump when you take the tree down?
Not at same time as removal.  It might take several months before PW is able to complete stump grinding.  After grinding the hole will be cleaned up and parkway will be restored.

When will the stump be removed?
Stumps are ground when there are enough stumps in an area to grind.  PW tries to grind stumps before a tree is replaced, but in some cases, stumps may be ground after the tree has been replaced.

Where happens to the wood of a removed tree?
The chipped up wood is brought to a company that processes the chips into a desirable product.  Larger wood is given to a local sawyer to be repurposed into usable product.  Some chip is available for resident pick-up in the public works parking lot.  The Village does not profit from the wood of removed trees.  These avenues help us keep our debris related costs to a minimum.

When will my tree be replaced?
Your location goes on a list according to the date of removal.  Tree replacement takes place in the spring and the fall.  The Village will attempt to replace trees within one year of removal.
 
What type of tree will be replanted?
Over the last few years, the Village of Buffalo Grove has made many efforts to diversify the urban forest.  We have been using the Illinois Department of Agriculture’s recommended tree planting list for the northern Illinois area to help us diversify the parkway trees.  It has been recommended that there should be no more than 20% of any one family of trees in the urban forest.  With that in mind, we have almost halted the planting of Maple’s or Honey Locust trees.

Can I have a certain kind of tree replanted?
No, all trees to be replanted are selected by the Village of Buffalo Grove staff.

Can I replace the parkway tree myself?
The Village does replace parkway trees at no cost to resident.  If you want to purchase your own parkway tree, please contact Public Works and they can provide a list of trees to choose from that are appropriate to your location.  The Village will have final say on the species of tree and once installed the tree will be owned and maintained by the Village as is the case for all parkway trees.

What if I do not want a tree replaced in my parkway?
Contact Public Works and we will mark it as a no replacement in our tree inventory.

Why are the replacement trees so small?
Smaller trees establish and acclimate to the environment much better.  Smaller trees are also more cost effective to plant.

You removed my parkway tree, ground the stump, and restored the parkway, why is there no replacement tree?
Trees are replaced as the budget allows.  It may take more than one season to receive a parkway tree depending on how many trees were removed throughout the Village during a particular year.  In some cases trees are not replaced due to site conditions.  We consider underground utilities, overhead power lines, street lights, traffic lights, sewers, street signs, size of parkways, and distance from corner of intersections before selecting tree species or determining tree necessity at each location.  Forcing trees into undesirable locations can create more work than necessary in the future.

After parkway is restored from stump grinding, why do I get grass seed instead of sod?
Grass seed is a much more cost effective way of establishing grass.  It also takes much less water to establish than sod does.

Do I have to water the replacement tree?
Watering will help establish the tree.  Caution goes to residents with irrigation systems: over-watering can be as bad as under-watering.  If the tree has a Treegator bag around it, feel free to fill it up once or twice a week.