As one looks around town they can’t help but to notice that trees have been marked with different colors and markings. Recently the City of Elgin had a State Community Forestry Specialist visit our town and assess our trees. His main objective was to mark those trees that have Dutch Elm Disease and those that could be harboring the Beetle that carries the fungus from tree to tree. What he found was much more, below is a guide to what the markings on the trees mean:
- Orange Box- The tree has Dutch Elm Disease and needs to be removed. The bark needs to be removed if you want to use it for any purpose. If the bark is not removed it needs to be buried, burned or chipped to destroy hiding places for Elm Bark Beetle and the fungus.
- Orange Line- The tree has dead branches or stems that need to be removed. The bark needs to be removed if you want to use it for any purpose. If the bark is not removed it needs to be buried, burned or chipped to destroy hiding places for Elm Bark Beetle and the fungus.
- Yellow-green Rectangle- The tree is a safety concern and need to be removed. The wood can be used without removing the bark.
- Yellow-green Line- The tree needs limbs pruned that are dead or damaged over the street, sidewalk, parking area or stucture.
The City has set up a public meeting for Friday, October, 16, 2009, at 7:00 pm at the Elgin Community Center, where the State Community Forestry Specialist will discuss his findings with the community and will be available to answer any questions about tree removal and signs of diseased trees.
Both the Elgin City Council and Elgin Housing Authority are discussing ways to help community members with the removal of these trees.
