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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois comprises part of the
3largest urban landscape market in the country with more than 4
4million ash trees total; our tree canopy now faces a crisis due
5to the emerald ash borer that will lead to a financial crisis
6for the State and its many municipalities; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Mature trees provide homeowners and
8municipalities tremendous environmental and economic benefits;
9trees reduce energy costs in the summer, play a role in
10rainwater management, and filter air; trees represent
11quantifiable value to homeowners; conservatively, five percent
12of a home's value is attributable to the trees on its property;
13and
 
14    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois is now infested with the
15invasive species known as the emerald ash borer (EAB); 100% of
16all ash trees in the State of Illinois will be exposed to the
17EAB in the next five years and every ash tree not treated will
18expire shortly thereafter; and
 
19    WHEREAS, The average cost of tree removal and replacement
20in the State of Illinois is approximately $1,000; this crisis
21will cost the State and its villages, towns, and cities $3
22billion to $4 billion over the next several years; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Trees can be treated for a fraction of the cost of
2removal and replacement; and
 
3    WHEREAS, The State of Illinois needs to update its
4understanding of the science of treating EAB, as integrated
5management of the EAB has evolved and improved greatly in the
6past five years; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Leading academic researchers from The University
8of Illinois, Michigan State University, Purdue University, and
9Ohio State have found insecticide treatment methods to be
10effective, and one treatment method to be more than 95%
11effective at preserving ash trees; and
 
12    WHEREAS, The Society of Municipal Arborists (SMA), the
13prestigious professional organization of practicing arborists,
14published in May 2012 its latest findings and recommendations
15on management of the emerald ash borer; the SMA paper warns
16municipalities of a "financial tsunami" if they are not
17proactive and develop an EAB management paper; and
 
18    WHEREAS, The SMA found that the two extremes of removing
19trees and doing nothing is neither practical nor prudent;
20removing trees is not financially viable for many
21municipalities and does great harm to home values; doing

 

 

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1nothing puts people and property at great risk as dead trees
2will come crashing down in an unpredictable fashion; and
 
3    WHEREAS, The SMA found that an integrated approach that
4utilizes treatment along with the removal of low-grade ash
5trees is the best management option; and
 
6    WHEREAS, The International Society Arboriculture, the
7premier tree care organization in the world, supports the
8findings and recommendations of the SMA that advocates
9conservation of the urban ash canopy as the most prudent and
10practical management option; therefore, be it
 
11    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
12ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge every village,
13town, and city within the State of Illinois to reevaluate its
14EAB management plan in light of the latest facts and
15recommendations presented by the leading experts in Spring of
162012; specifically, municipalities should spend the little
17time required to evaluate EAB management options over a 20-year
18period utilizing readily available and online economic models
19from either The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point or Purdue
20University; and be it further
 
21    RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Agriculture
22should publicly communicate and include on its website,

 

 

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1http://www.agr.state.il.us, the 2012 EAB Management approach
2and explain the financial and environmental benefits to
3municipalities, citizens, and homeowners of that same
4approach.