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Crews Set to Chop 650 Emerald Ash Borer-infected Trees in Humboldt Park

By Darryl Holliday | June 15, 2015 7:48am

HUMBOLDT PARK — Hundreds of trees are being removed from Humboldt Park’s 219-acre namesake park this month as city crews clear away infected greenery.

Trees in Humboldt Park have no leafy canopy as a result of the Ash Borer Beetles. The Park District will remove them and replace them with other trees. [DNAinfo/Darryl Holliday]

Around 650 leafless trees will be cut down over the next several weeks, according to Ald. Roberto Maldonado’s office. The effort targets trees that have been infected with the emerald ash borer, an invasive beetle species that has caused the destruction of over a million ash trees.

Removed timber will not be placed in landfills, according to the 26th Ward alderman’s office — instead, the wood will be recycled and used in construction projects such as harbor decking and benches.

The Humboldt Park tree removal comes ahead of another nearby tree clearing set for Logan Square this summer, which could amount to nearly a third of the neighborhood's trees lost.

Last year the 45th Ward lost 400 trees. In 2013, $2.6 million in funds was allotted by the city to combat the emerald ash borer's destruction.

Though the 650 Humboldt Park trees will be gone by July, a variety of new trees are expected to be planted in the park for a total gain of 350 trees, according to the alderman’s office.

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