Evanston: Enroll In The 2021 Private Elm Tree Insurance Program

Press release from the City of Evanston:

The City of Evanston is once again offering community members the opportunity to enroll in its Private Elm Tree Insurance Program, which covers the removal of elm trees on private property when they become infected with Dutch elm disease (DED). The deadline to enroll in the 2021 program is Tuesday, June 1.

New and returning participants are encouraged help reduce paper consumption by applying online. Both the online enrollment form and paper application are available at cityofevanston.org/elminsurance. Application and payment must be received no later than June 1 in order for trees to qualify for insurance. No late submissions will be accepted.

When DED infects a tree on private property, the homeowner bears the costs for removal, which can range from approximately $1,000 to $6,000. The City’s Private Elm Tree Insurance Program covers the cost of removing infected elm trees, and also provides free testing of insured elms if DED symptoms appear. The insurance is for a one-year period, June 1, 2021 through May 31, 2022, and must be renewed annually prior to the Dutch elm disease season.

City Arborist Michael Callahan discusses the Private Elm Insurance Program as well as the City's treatment process for public elm trees in a short video.

For more information, visit cityofevanston.org/elminsurance or call/text 847-448-4311. For convenience, residents may simply dial 3-1-1 in Evanston.

This press release was produced by the City of Evanston. The views expressed here are the author’s own.