If the entire population of Ash will be wiped out anyway; clear cutting trees to stop the spread of the beetle that will not effect any other tree seems unnecessary. Cut them down as they die or become safety hazards, in a gradual process that will be cost effective for all involved. Replanting is a must; but amazing towns seem to have no funds(?)- Oak Lawn needed a grant for this? Homewood clear cut blocks of trees; and replaced most. Tinley Park has not replaced any trees cut lately; not just ashes, but big old trees on Oak Park Avenue have not been replaced. Tinley seems to have budget surpluses.

Mike: I had a Dutch Elm on my property in 1993 that had become infested like many others in the area. The village cut it down, and I replaced it with (unfortunately)
an ash. It's at a point where it's grown to be a great shade tree. Now Oak Lawn wants me to pay to cut this down and replace THIS one? What am I paying taxes for?

For the government property- (Unless there may be a federal law that requires clear cutting; or on a regional basis they still feel they can keep it contained) Otherwise, leaving the trees until they die, a slower process that would spread the costs out might work- It seems a forgone conclusion all the ashes will be lost; however. And yes, I suppose; it will need to be included in the budgets; and in towns that have no usable slush funds,or surplus, it will be difficult.

In the interests if full disclosure, I'm one of the staff horticulturists for Fasel and Sons Garden Center. Although professional injections are available and rather expensive, there are alternative treatments. I'm aware of 2 products available to homeowners that can be poured around the base of the tree to give protection for 1 year per treatment. One bottle of the good stuff is enough to treat a single tree for several years and costs $50 per bottle.

Mrs. Green is correct though, unless you want to treat the tree every year for the rest of it's life, start planning for it's removal and replacement.

Basel drenches have failed miserably over the last few years. Even with commercial grade products. I would recommend to inject. Be awear that even when injecting there is no guarantee. Many trees that are treated, even by injection, still have a chance of dying. Really weigh your options and cost before investing money.

Also if Basel drench is to be considered it should only be done on small diameter trees. No larger that 6" DBH. Larger trees should only be injected. Tree age or imicide

CAN NOT BELIEVE ALL THIS BAD INFO STILL GIVEN, FROM "PROFESSIONALS" IN 2012, AFTER WE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM MICHIGAN'S LOSSES!
EAB infestation will be gone in four years because there won't be enough Ash to sustain them for another build up, EVER. Our Chicago parkway Tree-age treated trees are totally 100% alive(1/2 of one out of 1000 trees has EAB), while right across street, Oak park's historic Ash are all dead or cut down. Chicago area's Native Green Ash has lifespan of over 300 years. 6OO for White Ash, which you can still find around any house over 100 yrs old. Our first settlers had seen what old growth Ash looked like, before they cut them down to use for hardwood building. Thats why they replanted Ash next to house. Maple only lives well for 50 years, and lucky if one makes it to 100. Get 2 yr injection first to let your tree heal with no EAB in it(plus it kills eggs from other trees EAB bugs), then in 2 yrs use 75% Imidacloprid, pour ASAP in spring, because this stuff only kills eating/laying adults, not larvae inside tree. Bayer tree & shrub ii only has 2.75% in it. Our Injected trees have healed well from injection points, but if use more than two times can not be good for any tree. As far as Oak parks Ash trees, Homer says DOH!, look at Chicago's.

D Greg: Sorry to hear about the situation on your block. Are the trees in your yard? Or on village property? Have you thought about replacement trees yet?

The village would be responsible for parkway trees. You might want to call and talk with an official to see what plans are in place.

I searched on how to ID them and am confused as ever. Seems to be too many variations and close relatives to ID any I may see.
http://www.emeraldashborer.info/files/eab_id_guide.pdf

Ozzy: My suggestion is this: Call a local arborist and/or village official and ask for help. Or perhaps a garden center expert.

Ryan is correct. My husband and I own Precise Tree Care in Frankfort and we are no longer using Xytect except for on the smaller diameter trees. We recommend TreeAge and have actually seen VERY good results. We also agree with Scott as far as how long you'll have to treat the trees for. At some point, the bugs are going to go in search of trees they CAN feed on, and will move out of the area. Sure it's a gamble, but I'd rather try and treat my tree and save it then cut it down and start all over.

Thanks Christina. Yes, it will be five or six years till no EAB, but with the class of 2012 borers being so exponentially large compared to last years population, by 2014 the bug will be finishing up it's only food source, untreated Ash trees. Arborist Heather Green reminds me of when I wanted to be a music DJ. Found out that I could not choose songs to play, only follow prepared list. Ms. Green's trade of desire was to help our urban forest, but then learned that saving parkway trees would be only up to themselves to survive without her help. She is not even allowed to "Girdle" a dying Elm to keep DED from "Root grafting" into still good tree next to it. A caring person has to let trees die, and her love was to be there to save them. Or again like me fixing electronics, it's all throw away now when I want to save them from the garbage. Her most dangerous (to people saving their Ash trees) mistake was saying EAB bugs survive in trees root system, even if tree dead or cut down. Also that bugs can continue to stick around(like DED) on young sprouts. Very true that stressed Ash trees "Masted" or mass seeded in forest, and native local DNA will reforest our woods. But a few surviving EAB won't let trees get old enough to infest with enough numbers to kill saved trees because Ash can handle a few bugs and heal over each year, and borer larvae never anywhere near "roots". People want to save the rain forest, but don't even help an American tree native to Chicagoland.

http://www.arborjet.com/index.php/arborjet_for_you/homeowner/EAB_treatment_for_Homeowners/?gclid=CJXivrGosbICFYs7MgodJmIA7g

I agree with treatment. Did any city foresters attend conference with the release of the Hazel Crest treatment trial. From talking to someone involved in that trial, it appears to offer real world numbers of treatment vs removal for the whole life of the trees.

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=c3NtbWEuaW5mb3xtYWlufGd4OjY1YmU1OGQ5MDNlMGE3ODk

This is a PowerPoint of the findings of the trial. Time to change your plans foresters.

Oh and please don't mislead people on your personal gut feelings about what is going to happen. Base your recommendations in reality with current studies. I keep hearing city foresters quote removal/containment strategies that the dept of agriculture renounced years ago. This is all going to come to light sometime.

Thanks Tim for pointing people to "Real World" trials that were done 4 all Ash tree owners sakes. I spent money & time delivering info to every Ash owner in ten mile area. Most don't know they even have Ash till too late. That is why trees don't get treated till already heavily damaged. People need to know that once a tree is bug free it does not decline further like a disease, but sometimes does not show improvement first or second year, and might be misshapen once dead stuff is cut off. BEST NEWS is owners put off by Arborists high charge for treatment(costs them $4 per & they charge $10) can "Pour it" themselves and only pay $35 for Enuff Imidacloprid supply to last 2 years for most size trees. My trial during heavy Infestation of small public parkway trees, 98-120 yr old historic Jens Jensen park trees and two of Chicagolands oldest/largest 200+ yr old Green Ash has officially(Me) been successful so far using the cheapest "Double Dose" option of 75WSP. If Tim and I are wrong...Wait never mind, some of our most important statements about EAB are proven, and only poor uptake or improper application of right insecticides will kill your tree. "I told you so" does not bring back trees that could have been easily saved. And those incorrect town Arborists who replant with Maple while Verticillium Wilt spreads into newest parkway tree disaster. Then they wonder why uncaring residents don't water new trees against 2012 drought all because family wanted to choose different species.

Validation so good. EAB leaves in spring 2 mate, don't let back into tree early summer only to kill in late fall. Simple as that! Treated tree IS trap tree for Mother EAB. Savior is how Borer kills every tree, even very young. No EAB will be left but treated trees will be. Then your Ash will spread seeds. That is why arboretums sell Prairie plants now, to spread GOOD NATIVE seeds back into everybodies back yards. Euphoria is EVERY public tree I treated for last two years Full and alive with leaves till fall 4 $15 small 2 $35-4-200 yr olds. Another pride moment when Chicago proved that Tree-Age can kill EAB for a Three year stint = Cost $60. Next biggest result when untreated Ash in middle of treated City Ash still alive and well during heavy infestation. Now I dare an uninterested TOWN Arborist to tell me otherwise. After viewing over 1000 of Chicago's tree-age treated trees(First used against farm fish lice), and almost 100 privately treated trees, plus my own mix of small to largest Green, white, and one Black Ash(Blue still OK on it's own), this is not your Grandma's Elm disease. Treated trees are living accomplishments from SMARTER people than fools who transport firewood. And smarter than Japanese Auto wire harness suppliers that build products in China & pack assembled products into fresh Asian Ash wood containing live EAB to Detroit. Even smarter than towns who use Ash mulch cut under inch spread around other Ash trees in town! Obamalamadingdong I TOLD YOU SO, NOW GO!

Well I do have to say that there are no fixed costs for treating Emerald Ash Borer. Every treatment is carefully metered and applied based on the diameter of the trunk of the tree at 4.5 ft from soil level. Bigger trees require more insecticide so they will cost more. Also the most current research says not to use Imidacloprid (-the soil drench or soil injections) for trees larger than 25" in diameter because of poor distribution. Trunk injecting the same chemical only provided one season of effective control. The same studies say that only one season of coverage can be obtained from those treatments. TreeAge lasts effectively for two full seasons. The third year the test trees did receive damage even when using higher rates. There have been many articles about how Chicago is under treating their parkway Ash trees by spreading out the time between treatments. Blue Ash trees will also be infested along with our other Ash trees. They will probably last longer than the others, but WILL like all Ash be killed eventually if not treated. Every thing I said is based on university and government research.

Yes Tim, the protocol for trees over 25" are to have a professional Arborist apply compared to owner "Pouring it" themselves. It used to be 15” before approved double dose. Arborist soil injects it with better equipment or trunk inject, and still last one year, but has better uptake. Biggest problem was as tree size got bigger, dose rate would have to also rise, and this was not being done, thus poor results. Tim, I know you Ignored all field tests from 04 because of outdated dose rates. Also, it takes 2 good uptake years to finally fill whole tree with Imidacloprid. 75% active ingredient sticks to organic matter(weeds or grass) much more than 22% stuff. Guidelines I have told large tree owners to follow 1st year is treat with tree-age if EAB damaged, otherwise soil inject Imidacloprid 4" or less @2.80 grams per DBH, once in Fall, then again in April, or once in April & again in May. Treating more than one tree per acre may go over total label amount allowed. Restriction for 1 Acre= 128”DBH total treatable tree inches or 8.5 oz total applied Imidacloprid 75%WSB-WP. It's 25.6 oz total applied for 2F or 22% stuff, and again 128”DBH total treatable inches per acre or 4-32"DBH trees. Telling people to use more insecticide than instructed will not kill tree, but EAB certainly will if nothing is done! I do not want people poisoning their communities drinking water either. It is each of our responsibility to read the label and not abuse insecticide. Thanks for the update Tim.