Part of the Village’s management plan is to treat Ash trees using soil drenching with a commonly used pesticide, Imidacloprid, which goes by the brand name “Merit” produced by Bayer Advance. This is a widely used multipurpose insecticide that can be purchased at local hardware stores and has been shown in some cases to help prevent the spread of EAB. Even with the treatment, however, it may still be necessary to remove dead, dying or dangerous Ash trees throughout the parkways.

Residents with an Ash tree in their parkway will receive individual notices, and each parkway Ash tree will be tagged. Treatment of the Ash trees will be completed by trained Public Works staff and is scheduled for April and May 2012. The Village currently has about 800 Ash parkway trees.

The Village encourages residents to determine whether they have an Ash tree in their yard and to look for signs of infestation. Trees can be protected through EAB treatment products, though there are no guaranteed methods to prevent EAB infestation. Questions can be directed to the Village's Public Works Department at 630-286-4750.

Imidacloprid Material Safety Data Sheet

More Information on the Emerald Ash Borer

National EAB Hotline: 1-866-EAB-4512
Morton Arboretum: www.mortonarb.org
Illinois Department of Agriculture: www.agr.state.il.us