When considering hiring tree removal contractors, homeowners typically think about a number of factors, ranging from the average cost of tree removal to the altered appearance of their property. However, the village of Cary, IL is more focused on another important consideration: the spread of insects, particularly the emerald ash-borer. Over the course of the winter, the town plans to remove its 1,800 remaining ash trees to halt the spread of this invasive species.
Public works officials report that as Cary expanded in the 1980s and 1990s, ash trees became popular with developers. Unfortunately, many of these trees eventually fell prey to the emerald ash borer, a beetle native to Asia and Russia that traveled to the United States in the early 2000s. The insect was discovered in nearby Algonquin in 2008 and has had a devastating impact on the area: the ash-borer’s larvae burrow through trees, cutting off the plant’s vascular system and causing the leaves to die.
The only way to halt the spread of the insect is by removing infected trees and improving the diversity of local plant populations. To do this, the village of Cary has hired a local tree removal company, which will cut down and destroy ash trees in town. Town officials report that they were able to get a favorable rate, less than the average cost of tree removal, due to the project’s importance.
Once the remaining ash trees are removed, the town of Cary plans to replace them with a more diverse mixture of trees. While the village is currently restrained by budgetary limitations, public works crews are currently following the tree removal company, preparing each site that has undergone the tree removal process for future landscaping. Town officials expect to replace the trees over the next six or seven years. The area’s town removal process is expected to be completed by spring.
