Ash borer found at Hobson West Ponds

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Updated: May 16, 2011 10:03AM

Naperville Park District staff found a new outbreak of the emerald ash borer Wednesday at Hobson West Ponds, at 1047 West St. Approximately 30 trees will need to be removed due to the severity of the infestation.

The alert concerning the trees initially came from the city of Naperville Forestry Department after a routine inspection of the Hobson West neighborhood.

With assistance from a $29,150 grant for urban forest restoration, the Naperville Park District will plant trees of a variety of species to replace the ash trees that were removed. The tree removals and replanting will take place not only at Hobson West Ponds, but throughout the district in 2011, according to the Park District’s EAB plan.

The urban forest restoration grant program is administered by the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, with assistance from the Morton Arboretum. Funding for the technical assistance and emerald ash borer restoration program was made available through the U.S. Forest Service, State and Private Forestry, as part of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and a Sen. Dick Durbin-authored provision in the 2008 Farm Bill. More than $1 million is being distributed to 58 communities in Illinois through this grant program, enabling a regional response to the potential loss of ash trees, which comprise up to 20 percent of Chicagoland’s urban forest. The city of Naperville also received a reforestation grant of $40,000.

In addition to replanting, Park District staff will continue to monitor existing ash trees, treating as many as is practicable, and removing those that are infested or of low quality. Residents with questions can visit www.naperville.il.us/ashborer.aspx.