By Illinois Radio Network

Emerald ash borers are decimating ash trees in Illinois, and one expert in Decatur said current prevention methods might not be enough to save the state’s remaining trees.

Josh McGrath, horticulture supervisor with the Decatur Park District, said every ash tree will eventually be impacted by the small green beetles that are believed to have come from Asia.

The half-inch-long beetle has been in Illinois since 2006, according to McGrath. He said it’s not clear exactly when the ash borers took hold, but the plague has passed the early stages, and tree farmers in Illinois have taken an economic hit.

“Nobody buys ash trees anymore because of the ash borer, so they got stuck with a lot of trees that they couldn’t sell,” McGrath said.

Tree care companies have been trying to keep up with the public demand of removing all the ash trees. This summer alone, McGrath said he’s cut down up to 60 ash trees in the Decatur area that were affected.

The local government in Decatur has a tree-replanting program to introduce a diverse selection of trees into the environment to prevent future mass die-offs, according to McGrath, adding that there are few ways to protect ash trees in Illinois at this point.

“There is some treatments that you can give them,” he said. “Injections. But you would have to do that for 10 or 20 years until the emerald ash borer is out of our area, which won’t be for a very long time.”

McGrath said homeowners can tell if their ash trees are infected by the beetles by looking for markings on the trees.

“If you look at the trunk of your tree, you can look for v-shaped holes, and if they are on there, then you have the ash borer already,” McGrath said.

McGrath said homeowners can contact an arborist to get their ash trees treated, but it will be expensive.