The Asian long-horned beetle outbreak in Ravenswood is being dealt with decisively. Other such invasions should be taken just as seriously.
European buckthorn and garlic mustard overwhelm the woods of our forest preserves. Reed canary grass and purple loosestrife smother wetlands. Yet the Cook County commissioners have spent the last two years debating the programs needed to deal with these invaders.
Part of the problem is a shortage of staff. The Cook Country Forest Preserve District contains approximately 55,000 acres of natural areas, yet the district’s land management staff consists of only a handful of people.
For years a group of citizen volunteers, of which I am a member, has stepped into this gap. But now Cook County Board President John Stroger has adopted an ambivalent attitude toward volunteers.
A “war room” mentality is needed. The current Forest Preserve District procedures require each site to be examined individually. The Cook County commissioners may approve an activity such as the herbiciding of reed canary grass, but until the Forest Preserve District completes a plan for a specific site, that activity is not permitted there. This process is akin to Chicago dealing with its beetle infestation by creating a plan of action, sending it through all the required departments and agencies, then cutting down a single infested tree.
The endangered ecosystem of our forest preserves deserves to be as much of a priority as our neighborhood trees.
