Illinois to Drop Internal EAB Quarantine

The state of Illinois will no longer restrict the movement of any cut, non-coniferous firewood within the state. Illinois joins Missouri, Iowa and Kentucky in the deregulation of Emerald Ash Borer.

The 2015 survey of traps detected EAB in 10 new counties in Illinois, including Clay County. The addition of 10 counties has brought the total count of confirmed counties to 60.

"The survey results this year support deregulation with nearly 60% of our counties confirmed positive for EAB," said Plant and Pesticide Specialist Supervisor Scott Schirmer. "Over the past decade, the regulations and quarantines have served their purpose to slow the rate of speed and afford people time to manage for this pest. However, there comes a time when the pest is too widespread to continue to regulate, and this is our time."

Previously, EAB presence was confirmed in 50 counties, but 61 of Illinois' 102 counties were under a state quarantine, which was intended to prevent artificial or human assisted spread of the beetle.

Since the first detection of the pest near Detroit, Michigan in 2002, the beetle has killed more than 250 million ash trees.