By Michael S. Hoey
Correspondent
Lake Lawn Resort is fighting a threat to what it considers one of its property’s largest physical assets – its stately oak trees.
Oak trees on the property have contracted oak wilt disease – a vascular fungal disease common among certain types of oak trees that can spread to nearby oaks through roots and on the legs of some beetles.
Twenty-five oak trees on the property have been removed and 55 trees have been treated for the disease.
“It could have been devastating,” said Sebastian Raasch, of Ellingsen Brady Advertising, which handles Lake Lawn’s public relations.
Raasch said Lake Lawn contracted with the landscaping business Acres Group and began treating trees that showed signs of the disease in June. He said trees typically show signs of the disease six months after contracting it, and it takes six months to a year for the tree to die. Signs include a tree not looking as healthy as it once did and limbs dying off.
“It could potentially go from tree to tree and be pretty devastating,” said Brad Buker, Acres Group tree division manager and certified arborist. “Even losing one tree is bad, but this could have wiped out almost all of them.”
Raasch said the infected trees were located throughout the Lake Lawn property.
“Our oak trees help set Lake Lawn apart, and we’ve really come to treasure them,” Lake Lawn General Manager Dave Sekeres wrote in a press release.
“We became concerned when multiple trees died and others continued to decline,” Sekeres wrote. “The loss of these trees would completely change the character of our grounds and we knew something had to be done to protect them.”
“It is very impressive,” Buker said about Lake Lawn’s collection of bur oaks. “They have a lot of old mature oak groves.”
Buker said he was surprised at just how old some of the trees at Lake Lawn are. He estimated one to be between 250 and 300 years old. “It is easily one of the oldest in the area, and I was glad Lake Lawn recognized the importance of protecting such an invaluable natural asset,” Buker said.
Buker created a plan for the resort that includes curative and preventative measures. Raasch said preventing the disease is easier than curing it. Trees are more susceptible to the disease if wounded, so extra care must be given when pruning for instance.
City of Delavan Public Works Director Mark Wendorf said the city does not trim any of its oak trees between late spring and late autumn to prevent oak wilt. The city also has two well-trained employees its street department with arbor experience who are aware of the need to clean chain saws and tools between trees, for example.
Wendorf said the city treated three oak trees in Phoenix Park for oak wilt over the past several years.
“If you don’t get in front of this fungal infection, it spreads very quickly,” he said.
Acres Group surveyed the Lake Lawn property and identified dead trees and other trees that were carrying oak wilt. The group removed 25 trees from the property, one of them estimated at 197 years old.
Another 55 trees, some infected and others “at-risk,” were injected with a fungicide solution during a process that took up to 12 hours.
“Bur oaks are part of the white oak family, which have a relatively high success rate for this kind of treatment,” Buker said. “Lake Lawn’s trees still have a good chance at survival.”
Buker said he is very confident in the treatment process, and Lake Lawn’s trees are likely to produce new growth and flourish in the future.
Acres Group will have to revisit the trees within two years to reevaluate them because fungicide injections have a limited lifetime.
“It will be an ongoing effort but one that is definitely worthwhile,” Sekeres said. “Our oak trees cannot be replicated, at least not in our lifetime. They’re an invaluable asset to Lake Lawn and we’re dedicated to preserving them.”
“I am glad to see places like Lake Lawn be proactive to take care of and preserve their oaks,” Buker said.
Officials from the Town of Delavan said they know of no properties in that municipality that have reported oak wilt problems. Acres Group encourages anyone with concerns about their trees to contact a professional arborist. Acres offers free professional advice to commercial or residential tree owners at www.acresgroup.com or (815) 609-2406.
