Oak Trees Replace Infested Ash Trees In Kane County
KANE COUNTY (WBBM) -- A handful of volunteers armed with shovels descended on a forest preserve in Kane County Tuesday to replace what was taken by the tree eating Emerald Ash Borer.
About 100 of the 500 infected trees in the Campton Hills Forest Preserve in western Kane County have already been cut down. This has altered the once lush landscape to a treeless meadow.
Drew Ullberg, Director of Natural Resources for the Kane County Forest Preserve, says all of the Ash trees in the Campton Hills preserve will have to come down at some point. Planting Oak trees in their place will help to restore the look of the area over time, he says.
About 75 volunteers spent the morning planting the five-foot-tall Oak trees and will be out in the same area again after the other Ash trees are cut down.
Kane County is the first place the Emerald Ash Borer was detected in 2006. There is now a quarantine on the transport of Ash trees in 22 counties.
However Ullberg says there is no cost effective way to slow down the destruction caused by the Emerald Ash Borer. He urges people to be vigilant around their Ash trees and if they notice changes or distress to the trees to notify authorities.
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Drew Ullberg, Director of Natural Resources for the Kane County Forest Preserve, says all of the Ash trees in the Campton Hills preserve will have to come down at some point. Planting Oak trees in their place will help to restore the look of the area over time, he says.
