The Emerald Ash Borer was first discovered in the southwest portion of Schaumburg in the summer of 2008 on Syracuse Lane west of Springinsguth Road. This area is the first “hot zone” detected in Schaumburg and where the first infested trees were removed and replaced.
Schaumburg is working to combat and control the EAB infestation in the following areas:
About the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB)
Discovered in 2002 in Michigan, the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) probably arrived in the United States on solid wood packing material carried in cargo ships or airplanes originating in its native Asia. In the larvae stage, EABs feed on the inner bark of ash trees, disrupting the tree's ability to transport water and nutrients.
The canopy of infested trees thin above infested portions of the trunk and major branches because the borer destroys the water and nutrient conducting tissues under the bark. An infested ash tree will usually die after a few years of noticeable decline. In fact, in less than 10 years, the EAB has killed millions of ash trees throughout the Midwest. Through research efforts by major universities and experience in heavily infested communities, much has been learned about the Emerald Ash Borer since 2002.
Ash Trees on Private Property
Village inspectors will make every effort to notify private property owners, including single family homeowners, if there is an ash tree on their property. If you have an ash tree on your property, you will need to plan for its treatment, or in some cases its removal. Once an ash tree is declining the tree should be removed. When hiring a tree removal contractor, it is recommended that you obtain several quotes to ensure that you get the best price. Contractors should be bonded and insured and have a Schaumburg contractor’s license. Please call 311 with any questions about ash trees on your property.
Dead or Infested Tree Removal
The highest priority is to address dead or infested trees to remove hazardous or potentially hazardous trees from the urban forest. Dead trees will be scheduled according to the order in which they are found, with the most hazardous trees receiving priority and being removed at the earliest possible time. Trees which have a 50% canopy loss will also be scheduled for removal. Due to budget constraints and the enormous task of removing the massive number of predicted dead trees, it may be necessary to defer removals for several months. Privately owned dead trees will need to be removed by the resident. Please refer to the arborist web site to find qualified tree removal contractors.
The Ash Tree Treatment Map provides residents with information on the Ash Tree treatment plan within Schaumburg. Residents can look up their address or any area within Schaumburg to see the most recent updates and find out which trees have received insecticide treatment, were marked for removal, were removed, and areas where new trees were planted.
How do I Find My Address?
Launch the Ash Tree Map and click the Search button then type in your street address or any address to see results (see instructions below). Once the map displays you can drag the Zoom controls to increase or decrease the size of the map.
Ash Tree Treatment Map
Slowing the spread of Emerald Ash Borer
Insecticide treatments are being used by the village to slow the spread of EAB and to save high value ash parkway trees in Schaumburg. Slowing the spread of Emerald Ash Borer to control the mortality rate of parkway ash trees is a very important management tool. Schaumburg is using an insecticide to control the spread of Emerald Ash Borer. The insecticide is injected into the soil at various locations around the base of the tree annually in spring or fall. For larger trees, the insecticide is injected directly into the tree. Managing the Emerald Ash Borer does not mean total elimination of all ash species.
Saving a percentage of parkway ash trees preserves tree value and canopy, as well as all of the other benefits that trees provide the community. The number of trees saved will depend on funding and the health of the trees. Due to the unpredictable nature of the impact on any specific tree, removal may be necessary if treatment is not effective. In other cases, the tree may already be too infested to warrant treatment.
Engineering and Public Works staff evaluated options for a fall Xytect treatment of White Ash and Green Ash that are below 10 DBH”. The fall Xytect treatment includes 1,877 White Ash that are located throughout the village and 500 Green Ash under 10” in the zones that were previously treated this past spring. The spring Xytect treatment only include trees that were greater than 10” in diameter.
After the completion of the fall treatment, a total of 8,500 of the village’s parkway Ash trees will have received one of three treatments currently being used in the EAB Management Plan. The additional treatments will more than likely save more trees, but it is not possible to determine the exact number of trees that will be saved at this time.
With the removal of parkway trees, the village has developed a long-term Reforestation Plan to address the removal of infested and dead ash trees to protect the future of our urban forest. The Reforestation Plan consists of 25 tree species that will allow for no single species to be more than 7% of the village’s total tree inventory. By limiting the planting of single species to 7% the urban forest will not be as impacted by invasive species or diseases in the future.
Forestry staff has reviewed each area of the village and determined the species and number of each species for each area that will result in a more vibrant, healthy urban forest. In some areas of the village the choices may be limited in order to prevent overplanting of a single species in each area. Tree planting will be subject to available space.
Reforestation will not occur in the beginning years of the EAB Management Program because funding must be directed to removal of hazardous trees. Residents will have the option to participate in a 50/50 cost share for replanting their parkway tree during those years in which reforestation is suspended.
The 50/50 cost share program requires residents to pay half of the cost for a 2.5” diameter parkway tree with the option to pay the up charge for a 4” diameter tree during those years in which reforestation is suspended. Pricing schedules are posted on the village website.