City of Lincoln voluntarily enters quarantine on ash trees

Planting ash trees banned on city properties

New ordinance includes other banned and recommended tree species

[February 04, 2009]  This week Lincoln aldermen passed an ordinance banning ash trees from being planted on city property. The measure has been taken because the U.S. Department of Agriculture has placed ash trees under quarantine because of concerns that the emerald ash borer, which has been rapidly spreading to ash trees, could also spread to all tree species.

While the specific quarantine region wasn't given, Tracy Jackson, who is in charge of the city's forestry department, said that the quarantine buffer zone is only eight miles from the city of Lincoln.

The emerald ash borer is a highly invasive pest that generally results in the infested tree having to be eradicated.

Below you will find links to resources to learn more about this harmful pest.

Farther down you can see a copy of the ordinance, which also includes a list of other banned trees and a list of recommended trees to be considered for planting on city rights of way and properties. Citizens could also consider these recommendations for their property or consult the local University of Illinois Extension office when planning to plant new trees. See contact information and other resources below.

[By NILA SMITH and JAN YOUNGQUIST]

___

A multistate effort in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin helps to provide the latest information about emerald ash borer:
http://www.emeraldashborer.info/index.cfm

"How to Identify Emerald Ash Borer":
http://www.emeraldashborer.info/identifyeab.cfm

Poster identification for ash trees and insect:
http://www.emeraldashborer.info/files/Poster_2.pdf

University of Illinois Extension, Logan County
County Extension Director John Fulton
980 N. Postville Drive
Lincoln, IL 62656
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]
Web: http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/logan/ 

University of Illinois Extension in urban Illinois:
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/

Illinois tree selection by size:
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/treeselect/

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AN ORDINANCE AMENDING TITLE 8, CHAPTER 8
OF THE CITY CODE OF THE CITY OF LINCOLN, ILLINOIS

WHEREAS, the CITY OF LINCOLN is a municipal corporation located in Logan County, Illinois; and,

WHEREAS, Chapter 8 of Title 8 of the City Code of the City of Lincoln sets forth the regulations for planting trees along the public ways; and

WHEREAS, the ash tree is under quarantine by the USDA due to the fact that it is infested, or could become infested, with Emerald Ash Borer; and,

WHEREAS, the Emerald Ash Borer is contagious and harmful to Ash trees, along with all other trees; and

WHEREAS, forbidding citizens to plant ash trees along the public ways while the tree is under quarantine is necessary to provide protection to other trees throughout the City of Lincoln; and,

WHEREAS, the City Council of the CITY OF LINCOLN, LOGAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS, believes it is in the best interest of the citizens of the CITY OF LINCOLN, LOGAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS, that the ash tree not be planted along the public ways throughout the City of Lincoln.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the CITY OF LINCOLN, LOGAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS, as follows:

1. That Title 8, Chapter 8, Sections 6 and 7 of the City Code of the CITY OF LINCOLN, LOGAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS are hereby repealed and replaced by the following:

"8-8-6: SPECIES APPROVED FOR PLANTING:

The species of trees, and the intervals between them, approved for planting in the streets of the city are: ginkgo, thirty feet (30'); Norway maple, Schwedleri maple, red maple, tulip, red oak, white oak, willow oak, scarlet oak, American linden and European linden, forty feet (40'); pin oak and oriental plane, forty five feet (45'); honey locust, fifty feet (50'); and sycamore, sixty feet (60').

In addition to the species of trees above permitted, other species of trees may be approved for planting along the streets of the city as may be specified by the appropriate committee of the city council. (Ord. 502, 3-20-2000)

8-8-7: FORBIDDEN SPECIES:

No person shall plant any of the following named trees in the streets of the city: evergreens, fruit and nut trees (except oak), box elder, silver maple, ailanthus, poplar, cottonwood, willow, catalpa, hackberry, dogwood, white fring, or elm (including Chinese elm), sweet gum, and any species of ash tree.

In addition, any owner of property that has a sweet gum tree, Chinese elm tree, or ash tree may petition the city council to remove said tree at the owner's expense. Said removal must include grinding the stump and must be performed by an insured contractor naming the city of Lincoln as an additional insured on the certificate of insurance. The approval of the petition may be conditioned upon the agreement of the owner to replace the removed tree by planting a tree listed in section 8-8-6 of this chapter. (Ord. 502, 3-20-2000)"

[to top of second column in this ordinance]

2. That should any clause, sentence, or paragraph of this Ordinance be declared invalid by any Court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidity shall not affect any other clause, sentence, or paragraph of said Ordinance.

3. That this Ordinance shall be full force and effect from and after its passage and publication in pamphlet form as provided by law.

The vote on the adoption of this Ordinance was as follows:

Alderwoman Anderson _____

Alderman Henrichsmeyer _____

Alderwoman Tibbs _____

Alderman Prather _____

Alderman Busby _____

Alderman Armbrust _____

Alderman Hoinacki _____

Alderwoman Rohlfs _____

Alderwoman Horn _____

Alderman Neitzel _____

Ayes: _____
Nays:_____
Absent:_____
Abstentions:_____

Passed and approved this _____ day of ___________, 2009.

CITY OF LINCOLN

BY:_________________________
Elizabeth A. Davis-Kavelman, Mayor
City of Lincoln, Logan County, Illinois

ATTEST:

_________________________ (SEAL)
City Clerk, City of Lincoln,
Logan County, Illinois

[Ordinance text copied from file received]