Morton Arboretum Supports Senate Efforts to Protect Trees

The Morton Arboretum is supporting a request for increased federal funding to fight pests that threaten this country's urban forests.

A bipartisan group of 24 U.S. senators has signed a letter requesting $45 million to fight Emerald ash borer, a highly-destructive beetle that has already killed approximately 20- million trees in the United States and will cause municipalities, private property owners, the nursery industry, and others to lose billions of dollars. Illinois Senator Dick Durbin drafted and championed the letter, which is expected to be presented April 2 to the chairman and ranking member on the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee.

The Arboretum supports the call for increased funding, and urges Congress and The White House to approve the added money.

"The increased funding would provide an important tool in the battle against this devastating invasive," said Clement W. Hamilton, Ph.D., Arboretum Vice President of Programs and Director of Research. "Emerald ash borer has the potential to wreak havoc throughout Illinois, and especially in Chicago, where 20-percent of the street trees are ash," Hamilton said.

Emerald ash borer was first discovered in Illinois by a Kane County homeowner last June. Since then, additional infestations were confirmed in Kane and Cook Counties. 

The letter also requests money to fight other pests and diseases: $30 million for Asian Longhorned Beetle; $10 million for Sudden Oak Death; and $3.6 million for Sirex Woodwasp.  These enhanced funding levels have been endorsed by The Nature Conservancy, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, the Society of American Foresters, and others, the letter said.

Visit www.mortonarb.org or call 630/968-0074 to learn more.