Emerald ash borer found in River Forest

Emerald ash borer found in River Forest: "The emerald ash borer beetle has been found in River Forest.

Top public works department officials made the announcement to trustees at a meeting the village board's public works committee on Tuesday night.

The news comes a week after the beetle's presence was confirmed in Oak Park by state agriculture department officials. The fast-moving beetle has been confirmed in at least 20 Chicago area municipalities."
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River Forest is an old and very ritzy suburb a couple of miles west of Chicago. This emerald ash borer situation is potentially disastrous, because ash trees are everywhere in this metro area, and the characteristic look of many suburbs and neighborhoods is trees, trees, trees. I have two big ash trees in my back yard. River Forest could end up looking like River Desert.How bad can it get? The ash borer cost 40 million trees in southeast Michigan alone.

This becomes a cost issue. Municipalities typically order removal of trees by landowners, and with HOAs that means...the association, i.e., the owners. That costs hundreds of dollars per tree including chipping or removing the wood. If a development has, say 100 ash trees, this can be a major expense for somebody.