Falling trees mean climbing business

While the Emerald Ash Borer is endangering and killing thousands of area ash trees, the insects creating a spike in business for local tree services.

Dave Kochis, owner of Steger-based Access Services, said removing diseased ash trees is about 45 percent of his business.

Its been a boon to tree services, Kochis said. There are thousands of them (ash trees) in every town in this area. The ash tree is a beautiful tree and a long lasting tree so they were planted up and down the streets and in yards all over. Even taking down only the dead ones means removing thousands of them.

Lindsey Purcell, chapter administrator of the Indiana Arborist Association, said weve seen an increase in the number of people going into the business since area trees have been affected by the Emerald Ash Borer.

I think a lot of it is like when you see a weather event and people see an opportunity in the adversity, he said.

The exotic beetle was discovered in southeastern Michigan near Detroit in summer 2002. The adult insect nibbles on ash foliage causing damage, but their larvae feed on the inner bark of ash trees, disrupting the tree's ability to transport water and nutrients. Trees begin dying within two years after theyre affected.

Our ash tree problems started four to five-years ago, but we didnt see it start killing trees until about two years ago, Kochis said. How long it takes depends on the size of the tree. Treatment helps if theyre more than 18 to 22 inches in diameter, but you have to keep treating them and thats also expensive. Its an expensive epidemic.

Access Services works in Illinois and Indiana within a 25-mile radius of Steger and does only residential work, said Kochis, who employs four workers and is insured, and licensed and bonded.

The hardest part of the work is taking your time and doing it right, he said.

Tim Edmonds, of Valparaiso-based Edmonds Tree Service, said there has definitely been a boom in new tree services.

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Falling trees mean climbing business