The ash borer has devastated ash tree populations in several states, most notably in Michigan. The borer was first seen last year in Illinois, resulting in Mount Prospect contacting legislators, working with the Morton Arboretum and offering a wealth of public information on its website.

The village has also been inventorying its ash trees, removing the dying ashes when needed and stripping the bark to look for evidence of infestation. The village is also working to diversify its tree population. Of its public trees, 4,348 are ash, a ratio of about one in six.

Damages to the area if the beetle did invade are projected into the millions of dollars for removal and replanting.