SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Illinois Department of Agriculture has expanded its emerald ash borer (EAB) quarantine to include all or portions of the 18 northeastern-most counties of Illinois. Additionally, adjustments were made to the quarantine to further restrict movement of potentially-infested wood products during the EAB flight season.

The most recent detections of the tree-killing beetle in LaSalle and DuPage counties, each a considerable distance outside the present quarantine boundaries, prompted the expansion. The detections were made in the cloverleaf encircling Interstate 80 and Illinois Rt. 251 in Peru and at Concord Green Shopping Center in Glendale Heights.

"These latest EAB finds necessitate a considerable adjustment of the EAB quarantine boundaries as well as some additional requirements for movement of wood products within the quarantined area," Agriculture Director Chuck Hartke said. "We must do all we can to limit the artificial spread of this devastating pest. These new boundaries reflect the regional nature of landscape waste management in the greater Chicago metropolitan area that has been in place for over a decade, and acknowledges the fact that the EAB has probably been present here for five or more years."

The other adjustment to the quarantine helps prevent the artificial spread of the pest during the transport of yard waste and landscape debris within the quarantined area.

"When potentially-infested wood products are being hauled to and from waste management facilities during the EAB flight season, there is a potential for contamination of ‘healthy areas’ within the quarantine zone," Warren Goetsch, bureau chief of Environmental Programs, said. "The adjustment requires waste haulers to cover the products from an infested area during transport through EAB flight season, which is from June through August, to curb this threat."

Additionally, the quarantine prohibits the removal of the following items from regulated areas:

• The emerald ash borer in any living stage of development.
• Ash trees of any size.
• Ash limbs and branches.
• Any cut, non-coniferous firewood.
• Bark from ash trees and wood chips larger than one inch from ash trees.
• Ash logs and lumber with either the bark or the outer one-inch of sapwood, or both, attached.
• Any item made from or containing the wood of the ash tree that is capable of spreading the emerald ash borer.
• Any other article, product or means of conveyance determined by the Illinois Department of Agriculture to present a risk of spreading the beetle infestation.

Anyone convicted of moving prohibited items from the quarantine area without prior certification by an Illinois Department of Agriculture nursery inspector may be fined up to $500.

How the emerald ash borer arrived in Illinois is unknown, but the department suspects it may have been transported here in contaminated firewood. To avoid the accidental introduction of the beetle to new areas, the department encourages Illinoisans to purchase only locally-grown nursery stock and locally-cut firewood. Anyone who suspects a tree has been infested is urged to contact their county Extension office or their village forester for a consultation.

ILLINOIS EAB QUARANTINE AREA

Effective July 19, 2007

1. The entire Counties of Boone, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, McHenry, Putnam, Will and Winnebago;
2. The eastern portion of Ogle County described as follows:
1. bounded on the north by the northern Ogle County line from Meridian Road to the eastern Ogle County line;
2. bounded on the east by the eastern Ogle County line;
3. bounded on the south by the southern Ogle County line from the eastern Ogle County line to Meridian Road; and
4. bounded on the west by Meridian Road or its northern projection from the southern Ogle County line to the northern Ogle County line;
3. The eastern portion of Lee County described as follows:
1. bounded on the north by the northern Lee County line from Meridian Road to the eastern Lee County line;
2. bounded on the east by the eastern Lee County line;
3. bounded on the south by the southern Lee County line from the eastern Lee County line to the southerly projection of Meridian Road; and
4. bounded on the west by Meridian Road or its southerly projection from the northern Lee County line to the southern Lee County line;
4. The eastern portion of Bureau County described as follows:
1. bounded on the north by the northern Bureau County line from Illinois Route 40 to the eastern Bureau County line;
2. bounded on the east by the eastern Bureau County line;
3. bounded on the south by the southern Bureau County line from the eastern Bureau County line to Illinois Route 40; and
4. bounded on the west by Illinois Route 40; and
5. The northwestern portion of Livingston County described as follows:
1. bounded on the north by the northern Livingston County line;
2. bounded on the east by Interstate 55 from the northern Livingston County line to the intersection of Interstate 55 and Illinois Route 116;
3. bounded on the south by Illinois Route 116 from the intersection of Interstate 55 and Illinois Route 116 to the western Livingston County line; and
4. bounded on the west by the western Livingston County line.

###