Look Out, Emerald Ash Borer: Mokena is Coming for You

“The Emerald Ash Borer is here in Mokena, it's pretty much everywhere on the southside of Chicago,” said Lou Tiberi, Mokena's Public Works Director.

The Emerald Ash Borer has become the latest problem for villages, cities and towns across the Chicagoland area, as the bug burrows in and slowly kills off thousands of Ash trees. In Mokena, Tiberi said that there are to be 22 ash trees removed from Village property in fiscal year 2012, with another 40 trees scheduled for removal in fiscal year 2013.

During a brief presentation before the , Tiberi outlined a plan through 2021 to combat the bug.

The plan calls for a complete inventory of every ash tree in Mokena, and then treatment steps to begin on infected trees. Trees that are 10 to 13 inches in diameter will be treated with a soil application, while trees larger than 13 inches will receive a trunk/root injection.

“Mokena has taken the stance that we're going to take a measured and reasonable response,” he said. “We're not just going to go out and cut down all our ash trees. We're going to struggle our way through this with some different treatment options and maybe save some of our trees.”

Tiberi added that only dead or dangerous trees will be removed from Village property.

The planned treatment of the trees is expected to cost $596,000 through 2021, which includes the removal of 200 trees, the treatment of 200 more and replacement of some trees as well.

Tiberi also pointed out that the plan is for Village trees only and that residents can have an arborist come to their home—free of charge—to inspect their trees.