Scenes From the Dashboard – The Emerald Ash Borer Consequence

Hi Friends and Readers, There has been some activity in my neighborhood regarding our parkway trees.  I couldn’t figure out why the village was out cutting down trees on our block so early in the year.  It seamed rather odd to me until I figured out that the trees they were cutting down were ASH trees.

So far about 6 trees on our block have been cut down.  It is so sad to see these huge, mature trees just disappear.   The reason these trees are being cut down is because of complete destruction from the Emerald Ash Borer beetle that currently has infested ash trees all across the Midwest.

There is really nothing we can do to save the trees once the beetle has taken hold.  It is just such a shame, the only way to eradicate the beetle (they hope) is to eliminate it’s food source!  At least they are not taking out all of the trees, just the ones that are too far gone.  Eventually though, unless a miraculous cure can be found, the ash trees will most likely be cut down throughout Northern Illinois.  These beetles are THAT destructive.

I was driving through a neighboring community to the East of us and their village forestry department put up pink ribbons around all of their ash trees.  Look.  It is just about EVERY tree!

(Every tree in the above picture has a pink ribbon around the trunk).  Fortunately, the re-planting of trees has been going well and one of the species being used is a fast growing oak tree (if that is at all possible!).  Last summer the village planted a PEAR tree across from our house!  I can’t wait to see if it produces fruit!  How fun!

~Cathy