CommuniTREE

ISA offers a variety of educational materials and products to help arborists expand their professional knowledge and experience. Every month, we will feature a product or group of products. In September, ISA is featuring the Collection of CEU Articles on Plant Health Care Volume 2. Written by specialists in the field, the Plant Health Care Volume 2 is a compilation of CEU articles previously published in Arborist News. The selected articles aim to improve arborists’ understanding of the interaction between trees, turf, and plants in a healthy landscape. They discuss plant health care and related topics, such as: biochar applications pruning tree injection soil assessments and management integrated vegetation management tree lightning protection systems the biology of woundwood and callus Offered in a digital format, purchasers can access the articles and CEU quizzes on their desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Plant Health Care Volume 2 includes the opportunity to earn the following CEUs: 10 (A), 6 (U, Bp), 5 (T, L), 7 (M), 3.5 (Bs), 0.5 (Bm). *You may earn CEUs for the quizzes in this set of articles even if you previously completed the Arborist News quiz from the same article. However, the CEUs for this set of articles may be earned only once during the lifetime of your certification. Make sure you're logged in to the ISA website to check if you've previously purchased these quizzes.

Fall is here, and you have left your planting work a bit too late this year. Will you be able to dig into the soil to plant that new tree, and more importantly, will it survive? While colder temperatures may create some hesitation around fall planting, it is actually a great time to add new greenery to your yard. Read on as we tackle the top three myths associated with planting in the fall. Myth #1: Spring is the best and only time to plant a new tree or shrub. False! While spring is a popular time for planting, it is not the only suitable time. In fact, fall is just as ideal. Summer, however, is typically undesirable for planting as it brings hot temperatures and less precipitation. These conditions can compound the normal transplant shock a tree or shrub experiences after planting, making it more challenging for them to establish. As summer turns into fall, air temperatures decrease but soil temperatures remain warm, creating favourable conditions that promote healthy root growth and reduce water loss. Like spring, new trees begin establishing their root systems immediately following planting; however, the cooler air temperatures in the fall prompt trees to send resources to their roots in preparation for the winter, which can further strengthen root development. After a fall planting, a tree’s roots will continue to grow until the ground freezes, which can reduce transplant shock and results in a strong, developed root system for when it emerges from dormancy in the spring. Myth #2: If there is snow on the ground, it’s too late to plant. Snow means the ground is frozen, right? False! It is important to remember that soil temperature is different than air temperature. As the fall air temperature drops, the soil stays warmer for longer. The top layers of your soil may begin to frost when air temperature drops below 0℃ but deeper soil will take several days of freezing temperatures to freeze solid. Roots will continue to grow if soil temperature is above 4°C. Even if there is snow on the ground, it is entirely safe to plant trees and shrubs until the ground is frozen solid (usually after the first major frost). Bonus Tip: If you are able to stick a spade in the ground, you are good to go! Myth #3: You do not need to water your newly planted tree or shrub in the fall. False! Regardless of season, young trees and shrubs are sensitive to under watering. Rainwater and ice melt do not typically provide enough water for roots, so be sure to provide regular, deep waterings for your new tree or shrub until the ground freezes solid. Water acts as an insulator to keep the soil around the tree warmer for longer, promoting new root growth. Plant cells that take up appropriate amounts of water can benefit from this feature too, making them less susceptible to cold damage. Make sure to check for moisture in the area before watering: overwatering can cause ice crystals around roots and prevent water uptake! Water early in the day, so the plants have time to absorb it before the temperature drops at night. On average, newly planted trees should be watered twice per week from spring when the ground thaws until the first hard frost in fall, using approximately six gallons of water each time (or four gallons for shrubs). Bonus Tip: Add mulch around your plants! Ensure that the mulch is not more than two to four inches deep, so that roots can still get oxygen. Keep mulch in a “doughnut” shape, leaving about six inches of space around the trunk. Mulch will hold water and act as an insulator to prevent rapid freezing and thawing of soil. Read more about tree care tips here. If you are interested in planting native trees and shrubs this fall season, apply or contact us today! Our subsidized tree planting program makes planting native species easy, fun and affordable.

Food insecurity is a growing concern, especially with recent inflation trends and the impacts of adverse weather events on our food supply. The urban forest is home to many diverse edible plant species and can be leveraged to help increase availability and easy access to local food. Check out our top four most nutritious native shrubs that you can plant to grow food and our urban forest. When a person has access to enough safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs, they are considered food secure. Food insecurity is on the rise with millions of Canadians already having trouble putting good food on the table. Recently, the availability and access of nutritious food has been undermined as food costs rise in response to inflation and the impacts of climate change on our global food system. Food insecurity is a multifaceted problem often requiring policy intervention; however, one way we can improve local availability and access to food is through the urban forest! Edible plants can be planted in backyards, along boulevards and in shared spaces like community gardens and parks. Native shrubs are a great option given their smaller footprint and evolutionary adaptation to local climate and soil conditions. This means they are typically hardier and require less maintenance than some of the more familiar, non-native edible plants. There are many edible native shrubs to choose from, but here are our top four hardiest and most nutritious. American hazelnut (Corylus americana) This tall-growing native shrub produces highly nutritious nuts that are rich in protein. The hazelnuts are smaller in size but comparable in taste to the familiar European hazelnut (Corylus avellana) that is found in store. The nuts can be stored over winter and can be eaten raw, boiled or roasted. They can also be ground and made into flour for bread and other baked goods. American hazelnuts are ideally planted in multiples to encourage more nut production. american_hazelnut_fruit.png Common elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) This medium-growing native shrub produces drupes (berry-like fruits with hard seed stones in the middle) rich in antioxidants, vitamins A and C, potassium, iron, folate, calcium and fiber. In fact, elderberries contain a higher concentration of vitamin C than oranges! Unlike the American hazelnut whose nuts can be stored and eaten raw, fresh elderberries do not store well and typically require processing before consumption. After removing stems and leaves, elderberries can be cooked and added to pies, jams and jellies or made into juice, wine or syrup. The common elderberry is self-pollinating and produces fruit when planted by itself. elderberry_fruit.png Black chokeberry (Aronia melancarpa) This medium-growing native shrub produces superfood pomes (fleshy fruit consisting of a central core holding several small seeds) with the highest level of recorded antioxidants of any temperate plant! Antioxidants are prized for their ability to reduce the risk of cancer, inflammation and heart disease. When eaten raw, the dark purple berries are astringent, so it is best to process them into jams, jellies and juices. When juicing, you can blend it with other fruit juices like cranberry, apple or grape. The black chokeberry is self-pollinating and produces fruit when planted by itself. black_chokeberry_fruit.png Serviceberry (Amelanchier laevis) This tall-growing native shrub produces berry-like pomes that are high in iron, copper, calcium, manganese, magnesium and fiber. Unlike the black chokeberry, the sweet-tasting serviceberry fruit can be eaten right from the shrub. The fresh fruit does not keep for long and should be dried, cooked, frozen or refrigerated to preserve it. The fruit can be added to pies or made into tasty jam. The serviceberry is self-pollinating and produces fruit when planted by itself. serviceberry_fruit.png Edible shrubs come in many shapes and forms and are a wonderful addition to residential backyards and the urban forest. With food insecurity on the rise, urban forests can help increase the access and availability of nutritious foods. LEAF offers a range of edible, native shrubs for delivery including the American hazelnut, black chokeberry, common elderberry and serviceberry. Our edible shrubs can be purchased individually or as part of our mix-and-match Edible Shrub Bundle, which includes any four edible shrubs, delivery, mulch, planting and care guide and a specialized factsheet for only 100 +HST! Interested in planting some edible shrubs this year? Visit our Shrubs, Garden Kits and Pawpaws page or Contact us to order today! Jess Wilkin is the Residential Planting Programs Operations Supervisor and an ISA certified arborist at LEAF. LEAF offers a subsidized Backyard Tree Planting Program for private property. The program is supported by the City of Toronto, the Regional Municipality of York, the City of Markham, the Town of Newmarket, the Regional Municipality of Durham, the Town of Ajax, the Township of Brock, the Municipality of Clarington, the City of Oshawa, the City of Pickering, the Township of Scugog, the Town of Whitby and Ontario Power Generation.

It started slowly. Just one lightning strike in a remote location — forests survive them every day. Then another, and another, and another. Before long, one of America’s most beloved national parks was consumed by flames. It was June 1988, and Yellowstone was experiencing the beginnings of what would become the worst fire in the history of the park. A historically dry summer had set the stage for the destruction — and soon, 45 fires were blazing within its borders. “For much of the summer, you could almost see the particles of the smoke — the sky was so dark,” said Karen Houser, a former employee of the Arbor Day Foundation who was working in Yellowstone at the time. PREVIOUS NPS/Jim Peaco NPS/Jeff Henry NPS/Jeff Henry Billings Gazette Archives Billings Gazette Archives NPS/Jim Peaco NPS/Photographer Unknown NPS/Jim Peaco NPS/Jeff Henry NPS/Jeff Henry Billings Gazette Archives Billings Gazette Archives NPS/Jim Peaco NPS/Photographer Unknown NPS/Jim Peaco NEXT More than 25,000 firefighters were brought in to fight the inferno. Media coverage was so frenzied that many members of the public believed the park had burned completely to the ground. By September, snow and rain extinguished the last of the blaze. But the damage left behind was daunting. Roughly 800,000 of the park’s acres — a third of its land — was burned. Across the region, 1.2 million acres had been scorched. RISING FROM THE ASHES “It wasn't just Yellowstone. It was also the surrounding Yellowstone area. Gallatin National Forest is on the north side of the park, and it was heavily affected,” said Brad Brandt, senior program manager at the Arbor Day Foundation. “Somebody here at the Foundation wanted to see if we could help fundraise to get trees back in the ground. They reached out to the Forest Service and made that connection, and it took about a year and a half to two years to raise the money,” he added. From the archives: A map from the Forest Service shows where Arbor Day Foundation trees were planted in Gallatin National Forest. At the time, funding public reforestation projects with private, outside dollars wasn’t very commonplace. Such work was usually completed with the Forest Service’s limited budget. And the Foundation’s main focus was sending trees to its members — much more residential than rural. The Yellowstone Fires changed all that. Donations to the Foundation poured in from supporters across the country who had watched the harrowing coverage on the news and felt compelled to help. Those contributions were then sent to the Forest Service, allowing them to grow and plant their first new seedlings in Gallatin National Forest post-fire. The recovery work began in the spring of 1990, when more than 125,000 white park, Douglas fir, and lodgepole pine trees were planted across the forest’s burn scar. Each seedling was planted by hand. This partnership continued for the next decade, until eventually, 1.3 million new trees covered the land. PREVIOUS New trees rise from the ashes in Gallatin National Forest. Stan Cook sits among the trees he helped plant after the Yellowstone fires. New trees rise from the ashes in Gallatin National Forest. New trees rise from the ashes in Gallatin National Forest. Stan Cook sits among the trees he helped plant after the Yellowstone fires. New trees rise from the ashes in Gallatin National Forest. New trees rise from the ashes in Gallatin National Forest. NEXT “We could not have the planting program we have without the Arbor Day Foundation and its members. It is their contributions, large and small, that make this happen. This can’t be overstated,” said Stan Cook, a forester who led the restoration efforts in Gallatin, in a previous interview about the project. “That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship,” Brandt said. 180 MILLION TREES AND COUNTING Since that first reforestation project, the Foundation has gone on to fund the planting of more than 50 million trees with the Forest Service. The program has expanded to other entities, like private landowners, state forests, and nature preserves. It’s expanded into international territory, too. The first reforestation project outside of the U.S. began in 2008, and today, new trees are being planted in more than 50 countries. 180 million have been planted altogether. And though so much has changed since 1990, western states continue to need our assistance. Since 1988, the most active fire year for Yellowstone was 2016. 2020 was the West’s worst wildfire season on record. “When the Yellowstone fires hit, it was almost a signaling of what was to come over the next 30 to 40 years,” said Brandt, who has managed the Foundation’s reforestation program since 2008. “There’s a fire regime people in the West have to live with now. Fire seasons are longer. They’re more intense. And there’s a lot more money being invested in preventing and managing them.” The West’s urgent need for help, combined with continued momentum to save it, is why the Foundation recently named it a global priority region. Meanwhile, high above the forest floor, satellite images from NASA tell the story of Yellowstone’s remarkable healing journey. Courtesy | NASA Showing that together, we can make an impact that’s seen from space.

In the days of coal mining, workers would take canaries down to the tunnels with them to detect carbon monoxide. Canaries would warn miners of the impending danger in their surroundings. Some environmentalists say Northern spotted owls in the forests of the Pacific Northwest are like the canaries in the coal mines. As an indicator of forest health, the spotted owl population also serves as a warning signal for the condition of its environment. But there’s bad news. “[The spotted owl] is on a trajectory to be functionally extinct, probably within this century,” says Dan Donato, a scientist with the Washington Department of Natural Resources. So what does that mean for the forests the spotted owl frequents? A GOLDILOCKS HABITAT DILEMMA According to Donato, if you define forest health by a landscape’s ability to sustain populations of all its native species, then the decline of the spotted owl shows the forests it inhabits may be in trouble. Donato specializes in the research and monitoring of northern spotted owl habitats, which are dependent on old-growth forests to survive. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has varying definitions for what constitutes old-growth forests, but they all typically include old, mature trees with large trunk diameters and dense canopy layers. This specific type of forest is becoming increasingly rare after decades of harvesting, disease, and insect infestation. The Arbor Day Foundation partnered with the Washington Department of Natural Resources to plant a dense tree canopy over thousands of acres to help spotted owls survive. The plantings of Douglas fir, Western hemlock and Western redcedar mimic a similar structure of old-growth forests and serve to help owls nest, roost, and forage. The destruction of old-growth forests caught the attention of the White House in 2022. The Biden Administration issued an executive order that requires the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and the Interior to develop policies to address threats to old-growth forests. A majority of the Northern spotted owl’s range is in old-growth forests on the coastal side of the Cascade Mountain Range. Unfortunately, within this wetter region, old-growth has been logged and the forests have been converted to new growth. Donato says this conversion of the land and habitat fragmentation has had a drastic impact on the species and are the most critical threats to the owl’s survival. Though the owl can mostly be found on the moist side of the mountains, there are also some dry forests within their range standing east of the Cascade Mountain Range crest. But the lack of moisture, coupled with the typical characteristics of old-growth, makes conserving the forest difficult. “Many structural features of spotted owl habitat, like dense multi-layered canopies, are all the exact same things that you might describe as fuel buildup,” Donato warns, referring to the plant material wildfires use to tear through forests. To help prevent wildfires — a dire issue in the American West — dense trees need to be thinned as part of fuel management. “But if you thin it too much and make it open so it’s fire-resistant, you’ve made it not-spotted owl habitat anymore,” Donato cautions. “It’s just this constant tension, and it’s actually one of the big active areas of both research and management: ‘How do we provide both?’” Still, Donato notes that shrinking habitat is not the sole issue facing the northern spotted owl. There’s also a different adversary at play: THE BARRED OWL On top of losing its preferred habitat, the spotted owl faces another challenge: a larger, aggressive cousin. The barred owl is native to Eastern North America but has now set up camp in the spotted owl’s West Coast territory. And scientists aren’t sure why. “It wasn’t brought here as far as anyone can tell. It just immigrated across the continent,” Donato says. No matter why barred owls came to the region, the changing landscape of the American West is making it easy for them to stick around. While spotted owls need old-growth forests to survive, barred owls can thrive in both young and old forests. That means the current landscape now favors the barred owl. Left: Northern Spotted Owl. Right: Barred Owl. Photos courtesy of U.S. National Park Service. At first glance, the two birds could easily be mistaken for each other. The barred and spotted owls are the same size, have about the same wingspan, and have brown and white feathers. The photo above is a comparison from the National Park Service. But Donato says that’s where their similarities end. While Donato describes the Northern spotted owl as a “mellow” creature, the barred owl is infamous for its hostility. “Barred owls are just super aggressive. They don’t have the same personality at all.” This evil twin is causing problems for its easygoing look-a-like. The barred owl competes with the spotted owl, driving them out of their natural habitats. Sometimes, the barred owl even preys on the spotted owl. With the spotted owl population now in a downward spiral, scientists are stepping in. “The Fish and Wildlife Service is running experiments to remove barred owls from landscapes,” Donato explains. “If you create a vacuum with no barred owls in it, the spotted owls, if they are still out there somewhere, will they come back and use the habitat?” Donato suspects more spotted owls are lurking in the shadows of old-growth forests than some experts believe. “They’ve actually just learned to be quiet. They don’t respond to calling anymore because they’ve learned that when they respond to our calls, they get beat up by barred owls,” Donato says. Despite a litany of challenges facing the Northern spotted owl, Donato says he’s hopeful their fate won’t feel quite as bleak one day. He says some of that hope stems from an evening earlier in his career when he was sent out with an owl-hoot broadcaster to attempt to elicit responses from spotted owls. “They sent me to do this ridiculous exercise it felt like because it was all just completely cut over. All young forest except for these little patches of older forests scattered around,” he recalls. After many calls went unanswered, he was ready to pack up and go home. “Then from the distance, I heard a spotted owl respond. It was just poignant to me because I had sort of given up,” Donato says. “It was like the owl was telling me, ‘Don’t give up on me yet. I’m still finding a way somehow.’” WHY IT MATTERS As the plight of the Northern spotted owl shows, reforestation is more complicated than planting trees and hoping for the best. The bird’s struggles are an important reminder of the delicate balance required to sustain the world’s most critical ecosystems. Because everything is interconnected. Change one factor, and you’ve altered a complex system that nature relies on to survive and thrive. Sometimes those decisions can lead the ecosystem in a positive direction. Done thoughtlessly, it can backfire altogether. It’s a fragile dynamic that can’t be ignored. That’s why the Arbor Day Foundation maintains relationships with experts in global priority regions, like the American West. By collaborating with experienced people who understand the complex needs of the landscape, we’re able to put the right tree, in the right place, for the right reason.

Gus Boston is one of those people who plans for the worst. When he enters a movie theater, he locates the exits. He sits in the emergency row on airplanes. He bought his northern California home in a location away from the high risk of wildfire. This mentality is part of what makes him so good at his job, and it’s most likely what has saved his life a time or two. “We think we’re in control,” he says, “but we are not.” Working for CalFire, Boston has been called to the front lines of some of the biggest, most out-of-control fires California has seen. Two of those fires are the Carr Fire and the Camp Fire. THE FIRE HE THOUGHT WOULD DEFINE HIS CAREER It all started with a flat tire on July 23, 2018. The rim met the pavement, creating a spark that ignited a 37-day blaze known as the Carr Fire. Boston got the call. He knew the landscape. He had fought fires here before. “I had been on that same ground both in the French Fire and the Bear Fire back in the early 2000s, so I was familiar with it,” he notes. The problem was what was different. This area of the region had multiple large fire scars. Rather than well-developed forest cover, most of the landscape had regrowth that was more uniform — all the same height and density. “It was primarily a brush field with fallen dead trees from previous fire scars,” says Boston. Adding to that was the extreme drought that has plagued the entire state. And some of the forest canopy had been damaged by insects, leaving more weak and dead trees to fuel the flames. The land was stressed, and the fire took advantage. When the wildfire reached this area, it was also met with weather conditions unique to the region. Cooler air moving in off the ocean and warming was causing the winds to constantly change direction in the late afternoon. In the end, keeping his crew and equipment safe as they fought this fire would be more of a challenge. “The rates of spread were pretty extreme. That first operational period, I think we had to bring our resources into safety zones three times,” recalls Boston. As he reflected on battling the fire, everything came down to awareness. “When you’re out there, every decision you make on the ground is a very complex situation where your life depends on the decisions you make — because the only thing that’s going to get you out is your boots. You’re far away from everybody and everything. You have to be really in tune with your fire environment. Your decision-making has to be right on the money. You make a wrong move out there, and you could be in a serious situation,” explains Boston. Once the flames were extinguished on August 30, the devastation felt unprecedented. Nearly 230,000 acres were burned, eight lives were lost (including some who were battling the blaze), and thousands of homes were destroyed. “In the Carr Fire, I thought I had seen everything. I thought that was a career event,” says Boston. “And then I saw the Camp Fire.” A FIERY REMINDER THAT NATURE’S IN CHARGE On November 8, just four months after the Carr Fire was finally extinguished, the Camp Fire raged to life. High winds brought down a powerline, and the wildfire spread quickly from there. It was heading directly for the communities of Paradise, Magalia, and Concow. Right away, Boston knew this fire was different. “It was Mother Nature telling us that she is in control.” He had fought previous fires in this watershed area as well. He knew the old fire scars had exposed the land, creating a clear path of least resistance for the wind. “I refer to it now as a gun barrel. It really has this effect that, as the wind is coming down the canyon, it compresses and increases the intensity and speed. And there’s nothing holding it back now,” he describes. With these factors, the land was ripe for a catastrophic blaze. The first 24 hours were beyond anything he had experienced in the past, but unexpected crisis situations are what firefighters prepare for. “It was overwhelming. It really was,” says Boston. “But it’s about leadership. One of the things we’re taught is that you have to have a plan. If the plan doesn’t work, you still have to have command and control until you have a solution to the situation. I came in, developed a plan early on, started breaking divisions out, assigning resources, and working in conjunction with the incident commander. That’s what keeps people in focus given the situation that we’re in.” And keeping focus was key. The fire was moving rapidly. People’s lives were at stake. Training and instinct were what kept Boston and the other firefighters going. They always rely on the 10 Standard Firefighting Orders and 18 Watch-Out Situations — as well as their guts — to guide them. They prioritized saving lives, evacuating communities, and protecting homes. They faced falling powerlines and flames cutting off escape routes. They fought with everything they had. And after 17 days, the fire was finally contained. In the days following the Camp Fire, devastating statistics began to stack up: more than 150,000 acres burned, 52,000 people evacuated, and 9,000 homes destroyed. Sadly, 85 people lost their lives, making the Camp Fire America’s deadliest fire in the last 100 years. THE IMPORTANT INSIGHT HE NOW SHARES Still with CalFire, Boston now spends his days planning and executing projects that can help avoid such severe fires. But his time on the front line will stay with him always. “I was so scarred by what happened during the Camp Fire that I didn’t really speak my mind. I just shut down post-fire. Now I’m actually starting to open up,” he reflects. “I hope that people are able to take the lessons that we learned from these big events and utilize them within their communities and their forests.” What are those lessons? Fuels (grass, shrubs, downed trees, leaves, and needles that burn in a wildfire) need to be reduced within forest cover, making a forest resilient from the impacts of wildfire. Communities need to be ready for not only the flames but also challenges like being without power or cell service during an emergency event. And nature needs a boost from forest restoration efforts. “I live in Paradise. I know what it is to watch my community be destroyed,” says Boston. “But the fire environment is also destroying so much habitat in so many watersheds at just an extreme rate that it’s changing our environment. It’s changing our perspective on what we thought was the Western United States.”

As the days start warming up and we come to the end of another planting season, we want to thank YOU for making this – TreePeople’s 50th year of partnering with communities to plant a greener California – such a special year for us. From Inglewood to the Angeles National Forest to the Inland Empire, TreePeople volunteers have helped build shade equity and restore and protect critical wildlands across Southern California. This year we launched new projects throughout the Southland. We launched a brand new partnership with the city of Inglewood along with The Clippers, Intuit and Aspiration to green streets and bring cooling shade throughout the city. We expanded our work in the Inland Empire, building out greening programs in Colton and Rialto to the communities where high temperatures in the summer average close to 100 degrees. And it’s not just planting, we’re working directly with community members to care for these trees and insure that their benefits are enjoyed for generations to come. TreePeople has continued our work in San Fernando, Baldwin Hills, Riverside and South East Los Angeles. We’ve worked with thousands of local volunteers on these projects to bring historic greening investment where it’s needed the most. We got our hands dirty with teachers and students across Southern California–from Watts to Sun Valley–to transform hot, barren concrete school yards into green learning spaces where youth can excel. In our mountains, we continued our efforts to restore fire scarred landscape and help our wildlands heal. In the Santa Monica mountains we completed our efforts to bring thousands of new native trees and plants to Cheseboro Canyon and Paramount Ranch to help restore the Woolsey Fire burn scar. In the Angeles National Forest we’ve expanded our project sites and commitment to working with the Forest Service and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to help remove invasive species, restore our chaparral and steward healthy ecosystems in the Santa Clara River watershed. This includes work to expand habitat for federally endangered plants such as the Nevin’s Barberry, where we’ve worked to almost double their numbers in the wild, and build greater community understanding around the invasive pests threatening our forests like the Goldspotted Oak Borer. This crucial work would not be possible without the support of TreePeople volunteers and TreePeople members. Your support enables us to plant the seeds for a greener future. To help make sure the trees we plant survive and thrive this summer, join us for one of our TREE CARE SUMMER events or join The Canopy, TreePeople’s monthly giving program. Author: TreePeople.org Source URL: https://www.treepeople.org/2023/06/13/our-work-treepeoples-planting-season-in-review/

You’ve undoubtedly seen it, and may aggravate you as you drive by it. The sight of a mature tree that has been cut well below the height it should be reaching. This tree, sadly, has been Topped. It is as unnatural as it seems, a huge trunk with a tiny sphere of leaves. This is, sadly, a very common practice–especially when done on trees beneath power lines. The priority in this practice is to clear the right-of-way of the utility lines. Utility companies are obliged to maintain a certain amount of clearance between high-voltage lines and tree limbs. If a branch were to come in contact with these conductors, or worse, fall during a storm or failure, the results could be catastrophic for the tree and residents. Of course, this could be avoided well before this issue comes up by picking the proper species (TreePeople only plants trees suitable for growth below powerlines) but this is a lesson that must, ostensibly, be relearned by municipalities and landowners all over the world. What about those trees for whom utility lines are not a concern? Is topping a tree justifiable or even recommended? WHEN TOPPING IS UNAVOIDABLE Believe it or not, there may be a few scenarios where topping is unavoidable. Certain trees, especially fast upright growing ones, that have the poor luck of being planted beneath utility lines may be fated for topping. Undoubtedly, those trees will have to be replaced with smaller ones eventually, but even the topped tree might provide some value. Another possible scenario is when trees are damaged during extreme weather events. If they represent a real threat to nearby targets (people or property) and don’t have suitable lateral limbs that can be cut, the tree may need topping. This ideally would be followed by years of restorative pruning to help re-establish the natural form of the species. Say your large tree isn’t an imminent hazard, nor is it destined to conflict with utility lines: is it still ok to top? The answer is a resounding NO. “But why? My neighbor topped their tree, and it’s pushing out all sorts of growth. Also, I just can’t afford to maintain such a large tree. I don’t want this thing to fall on me! My landscaper (who isn’t an arborist) told me it’s fine…” The reality is that any person with a chainsaw can advertise themselves as a tree worker, and disinformation is abundant in the industry as it is with many others during this age of information. However, tree care professionals are unanimous in their disapproval of this practice. Practices that appear similar but are distinct from topping: Pollarding: a common type of pruning that is common across the globe. It involves cutting a young or mature tree to a desirable height after the tree has developed appropriate radial distribution of its limbs. After some years, the tree develops a callused growth at the tip of the limbs called a knuckle or pollard-head. Many young shoots develop from this pollard-head, year after year, which are annually removed at the appropriate time. The important distinction is that only certain species are appropriate for this cosmetic practice, and the pollard heads must never be wounded when pruning off the annual shoots. Topiary, Espalier & Bonsai: less common pruning styles, but they involve a similar practice of limiting the size of trees/tree-like shrubs. These practices require patient long-term maintenance and careful planning and usually require species that can tolerate potentially stressful practices. WHY IS TOPPING BAD FOR TREES Trees are immobile and often resilient, and we can sometimes forget that they are organisms that can thrive or struggle, can be prolific, or can fall into decline. The issue of our safety should also align our practices with this reality: while trees are infrastructure, they are also living organisms that are vulnerable to injury, sickness, and death. When a tree is stressed or mortally injured, it is far more likely to fail. Here are some physiological responses of trees to topping: Starvation: Trees are autotrophs. They make their food through photosynthesis, turning water, sunlight, and carbon into food that powers all the various metabolic processes that continuously run inside the tree’s organs. The leaves and limbs are its primary way of powering these other vital processes by producing photosynthates. When we remove a tree’s leaves and limbs aggressively, we are causing an energy deficit in the tree. This means less energy to grow but, also, to compartmentalize wounds, to support healthy roots, and to fight off pathogens. Starving trees are far more likely to enter irreversible decline. Disease and decay: Trees have special internal barriers designed to wall off the spread of disease and decay. Topping trees completely circumvents these barriers, leaving the tree completely open and vulnerable to decay that may eventually kill it or cause the remaining limbs to fail without warning. Certain diseases may also take advantage of stressed trees to reproduce and spread to other nearby trees and plants. Harmful pest populations more often seek stressed trees to infest as they can’t respond to infestations with their natural defenses. Water Sprouts: One way trees often respond to topping is to use emergency stores of energy to push out as many emergency branches as quickly as possible. These are called water sprouts, and they are the way trees cope with starvation. However, these branches are anatomically much weaker than naturally occurring branches and often grow clustered with one another. As they continue to grow, their proximity to one another can cause breakage, further exacerbated by their weak attachment points, which can become hazardous if they grow large enough. Additionally, these water sprouts are dissimilar from natural branches in that they don’t feature many of the internal defenses to pests and diseases and are much more likely to become sickly or infested. Disfigurement: Many people think that the most beautiful trees are the healthiest trees. Topping a tree doesn’t just shorten its life span, it makes it unsightly. Trees can exhibit a variety of graceful and robust forms; topping eliminates the possibility of a tree achieving its maximum value as a specimen. Death: As mentioned previously, the many processes that keep a tree thriving for decades abruptly ends the moment it is topped. From then on, most trees will struggle even in the most ideal circumstances. It is rarely a single issue that falls a tree, but topping one will undermine its ability to endure even the most minor obstacles. It will often cause a tree to become a hazardous liability rather than an enduring asset for the urban ecosystem. Author: TreePeople.org Source URL: https://www.treepeople.org/2023/08/24/stop-the-top/

For people around the world, extreme summer heat is becoming a lasting part of summer break. In the U.S., all-time daily record highs are becoming commonplace as climate change redefines what summertime feels like. Now more than ever, trees can be the answer to one of our most pressing issues. WHEN HEAT BECOMES DEADLY Extreme heat isn’t just uncomfortable. The risk of danger rises alongside the temperature. Extreme heat already kills more Americans every year than any other weather event, hurricanes included. The heat doesn’t subside after sunset, either. According to the World Health Organization, extremely hot days are melting into extremely hot nights, stressing human physiology so seriously that it can be fatal. In heavy humidity, we can’t cool ourselves as easily through sweating, leading to heat exhaustion, stroke, or even death. The elderly, children, outdoor workers, and those with existing health issues are especially at risk. HEAT HITS DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES THE HARDEST And like nearly all effects of climate change, how you experience extreme heat is often linked with socioeconomic class. Low-income communities, often populated with more non-white residents, deal with extreme surface urban heat significantly more often than wealthier, whiter communities. Zoom out more, and extreme heat is roasting all urban areas. Concrete, asphalt, and city infrastructure absorb the sun’s heat and spike neighborhood temperatures by 10 degrees or more. Scientists call it the urban heat island effect. And as the entire world becomes increasingly urbanized, it will only worsen without new solutions. As climate change makes heat waves more frequent, people can be left feeling helpless. But there’s good news to combat these rising temperatures, in the form of a tree. Because a tree can be a relief. WHEN THROWING SHADE IS A GOOD THING Trees can bring potentially life-saving shade to our urban, concrete-caked cities and offer relief to residents who need it most. That shade can lower temperatures by about 10 degrees. Now imagine that kind of impact in the form of a tree-lined boulevard. Or an entire park when temperatures reach triple digits. A fall tree planting in Nashville, TN to combat urban heat islands. Partner: Cumberland River Compact. Groundwork Bridgeport, an Arbor Day Foundation planting partner, plants urban trees to protect the community from heat. These are just a few ways a tree can be relief from our sweltering cities: Relief from the sun. Shade from trees dramatically lowering street-level temperatures. Relief for our lungs. Trees capture dust, dirt and other airborne particulates to clean our air. Relief for our ozone and atmosphere. Trees pull in carbon and pump out oxygen. The Arbor Day Foundation is proud to be planting 500 million trees by 2027 with a focus on getting trees areas of greatest need. With this approach, we’re on a mission to bring relief from the heat to some of the lowest-canopy areas in the nation. To be clear, trees won't singlehandedly solve our climate challenges. But they just might be the simplest, most powerful tool at our disposal if we consider what a tree can be. Author: Arbor Day Foundation Source URL: https://www.arborday.org/stories/heat-island-effect.cfm

Arborist Crew Chief Classification Title: Crew Chief 2, C20 Location: 4550 126th Avenue North, Clearwater, FL 33762 Schedule: Monday - Thursday, 7:00 AM - 5:30 PM The Urban Forestry section of Pinellas County Urban Forestry and Landscape Services is made up of an outstanding team of professional foresters and arborists responsible for managing and maintaining trees located in unincorporated Pinellas County and County maintained parks and preserves. In addition to maintaining trees in the public spaces along more than 1,100 miles of roadways and 1,000 miles of sidewalks, the Urban Forestry staff creates and delivers outreach programs on Right Tree Right Place, tree inventory data collection, and tree maintenance programs that serve the over 900,000 residents of Pinellas County. Pinellas County is proud to be the largest Tree City USA local government entity in the State of Florida and one of only 23 communities in the USA to be recognized as Tree Cities of the World by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Arbor Day Foundation. We are currently hiring a Arborist Crew Chief, a working supervisory position in Urban Forestry. Positions in this class direct and lead the work of others and perform work in tree care activities such as pruning and removing rights-of-way, park, and street trees. Tree care is conducted to provide for public safety, protection of property, and for the health and longevity of County trees. Ability to lead the work of others and train crews in arboricultural operational procedures is required. Arborist Crew Chief positions make decisions concerning appropriate pruning methods, job sequencing, use of equipment and are responsible for maintaining a safe work area for crews and citizens. Our Benefits Rank #1 9-11 paid County holidays; 2 floating holidays and 2 personal days (pro-rated); annual leave (accrue 15 days in first year) Florida Retirement System: Employees contribute 3% and the county contributes 6.3% for regular status employees enrolled in the FRS Pension Plan 457 Deferred Compensation Plan See contribution breakdown on FRS 457 Deferred Compensation Plan Tuition Reimbursement Health, vision, prescription, dental, life insurance, and a flexible spending account (FSA) option. Click here for more benefits details Biweekly Medical Plan Premiums Employee Only: $12.12 Employee and Spouse or Domestic Partner: $139.97 Employee and Child(ren): $111.66 Family: $229.32 Apply Now

Job Posting for Urban Forestry Tree Inspector (Tree Inspector) - Open Continuous at City of Portland, OR The Position This recruitment will remain open through June 30, 2023. Applications received by 1/22/23 at 11:59PM will participate in the initial review period. Applications received after that will participate in the next review period, approximately every three (3) weeks. Applicants may only apply every two (2) months. About this position: Portland Parks & Recreation is seeking Urban Forestry Tree Inspectors. Tree Inspectors play an integral role in carrying out the City's Tree Code to protect, preserve, restore, and expand the urban forest. About the work: The position is of an advanced professional and technical scope in the evaluation and assessment of trees to enforce City tree code regulations. Tree Inspectors perform on-site tree condition assessments, tree risk and tree preservation field inspections, site plan review and tree code compliance investigations to evaluate, process and issue non-development and development tree permits while engaging in extensive public communications and interactions. The work is performed independently under the direction of the Permitting & Regulation Manager and City Forester. You must have a valid current ISA Certified Arborist Certification at time of application and this certification must be maintained during employment. As a Tree Inspector you will: Be an active participant in furthering a positive work culture and environment that values safety, equity, quality, and productivity. Be committed to racial justice, diversity, equity and inclusion. Fully participate in dismantling institutional racism at the Bureau and the City. Process and administer tree permit applications on private and City properties through on-site tree inspections to make permitting decisions and provide mitigation recommendations. Interpret residential and commercial site development plans and other development related documents to perform plan review and process development permit applications Respond to inquiries from residents, developers and internal stakeholders to provide education, assistance, and information on the tree permit regulations Interpret a variety of city codes, policies, and regulations. Work closely with the Permitting & Regulation Supervisor and Manager, Operations Manager, City Forester, other City infrastructure bureaus and other public agencies to implement the City’s Tree Code. Work in this class is performed in a field and office environment. Office locations include: 10910 N Denver Ave 1900 SW 4th Avenue Tree Inspector is represented by the Portland City Laborers(PCL-LL483). To view this labor agreement, please go to https://www.portland.gov/bhr/employee-relations/labor-relations/labor-agreements and click on the appropriate link. About Portland Parks & Recreation The City of Portland, Oregon is a growing and diverse city of 650,000 residents, nearly 20% of whom speak languages other than English at home. PP&R values a diverse workforce and seeks ways to promote equity and inclusion within the organization and with the public. PP&R encourages applications from candidates with knowledge, ability, and experience working with a broad range of individuals and communities with diverse racial, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds. Although not required, PP&R encourages candidates that can fluently speak another language to include that information in their resume. Bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply. About Urban Forestry and Portland’s Forest: Urban Forestry's mission is to manage and ensure Portland’s urban forest infrastructure for current and future generations. Portland’s urban forest is valued at over $6 billion and comprised of over 1.2 million park trees, 218,000 street trees and 2.9 million private property trees. The Urban Forestry team is responsible for the overall management, stewardship and improvement of this essential infrastructure system. Urban Forestry’s work includes delivery of sustainable and equitable forest services to all Portlanders; establishing and enacting best management practices, plans, policies and technical standards for tree care and protection and urban forest expansion; implementing, enforcing and proposing improvements to the City’s tree regulations; providing tree maintenance services including 24/7 response to tree emergencies on City properties and public streets; tree planting and expansion of urban forest services; measurement and assessment of urban forest coverage, health and services; offering community education and stewardship programs; and oversight and support of the City’s volunteer advisory tree board. Portland is a Tree City USA for 44 years, a Tree City of the World and the Urban Forestry program is accredited by the Society of Municipal Arborists. City of Portland Core Values: Anti-racism | Communication | Collaboration | Equity | Transparency | Fiscal Responsibility These values guide our actions as we serve the community and engage our workforce. To learn more about the City's core values, please click here. Why work at the City of Portland? The City of Portland workforce serves a population of over 650,000. We are culture- and solutions-driven, viewing every challenge as an opportunity to learn, improve, and share our expertise. We are committed to removing systemic barriers to resources, access, and opportunity. The City is a believer in all people and continues to actively recruit and retain diverse top talent every day. We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including but not limited to medical, dental, vision, basic life, short- and long-term disability coverage to eligible employees and their families. If you are open-minded, motivated, community-focused, and self-aware, please apply yourself at the City of Portland today. The City of Portland also participates in the Oregon Public Employees Retirement System (PERS). For more information on the City of Portland's benefits please click here. COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement As of October 18, 2021, all City employees must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. This is required for all positions at the City of Portland. Proof of being fully vaccinated is required by date of hire. You may request an exception, for health or religious reasons, from getting the COVID-19 vaccine at the time a position is offered. Work Location Many positions within the City are designated as hybrid and currently the City requires you to work in-person one day per week. Beginning in April 2023, most hybrid employees will be expected to perform at least half of their work in-person. To Qualify Applicants must specifically address and demonstrate in their supplemental question responses and resume how their education, training and/or experience, meets each of the following minimum qualifications: A current ISA Certified Arborist certification at time of application. (Must be maintained during this process) AND An advanced level of tree biology knowledge and technical skills in inspecting and evaluating trees in an urban environment including the ability and experience in performing whole tree and tree root inspections and assessments to detect hazardous conditions of trees related to health, structure, insect, and disease. Knowledge and experience applying arboricultural best practices and the principles of urban forest management and municipal tree regulation, including tree risk assessment, to independently assess urban trees and execute regulatory tree decisions. Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing; present information and recommendations clearly and justifiably to non-technical persons; and the ability to exercise tact and diplomacy in working with colleagues, the public and stakeholders. Experience interpreting site plans for development projects, reviewing arborist reports and the ability to use modern database systems to accurately input data, generate permits, and manage case workloads. Applicant must also possess: Must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 per City/State mandate or have an approved exception by date of hire. A valid state driver license and an acceptable driving record at time of hire. EHAP certification and public pesticide applicator license or pesticide consultant license within six-months of hire. Some positions may require additional endorsements, certifications or license. Submit a professional writing sample of one page or less. Sample can be previously written or newly created. This will be used in the selection process if minimum qualifications are met. The Recruitment Process The recruitment process will consist of the following phases (Applications received by January 22, 2023 at 11:59 PM, will participate in the next review/assessment): Phase I: Supplemental Questionnaire The online application process will include a pass / fail evaluation of the Yes/No supplemental questionnaire. Applicants must pass the supplemental questionnaire to participate in the training and experience evaluation. Phase II: Evaluation of Training and Experience Qualifying applicants passing the supplemental questionnaire will participate in a pass/fail evaluation of their training and experience, as demonstrated in their responses to the supplemental questions and resume (See Application Instructions). Applicants must pass the training and experience evaluation to be invited to participate in the Virtual Assessment Exercise. Phase III: 100% Virtual Assessment Exercise Applicants who successfully pass Phase I and II of the recruitment process will be scheduled for Phase III, virtual assessment exercises consist of a multiple-choice general knowledge exam, a tree assessment exercise and site plan exercise. Invitations will be sent via email, applicants will not be required to attend in person, details will be in the email invitation you receive about how to take the virtual assessment exercise. Phase III is tentatively scheduled periodically throughout January to July 2023 A photo ID will be required for admittance to the virtual assessment exercise. Applicants who are disqualified based on the Virtual Assessment Exercise will not be able to reapply for the position for two (months). Candidates successfully passing the supplemental questionnaire review, evaluation of training and experience, assessment exercise will be placed on an equally ranked eligible list. You have 14 days from the notice of the examination results to let us know if you disagree with your results. Please read the City of Portland Administrative Rule 3.01 for complete information. Additional evaluation may be required prior to establishment of the eligible list to complete and/or final selection. The selection process will happen periodically throughout this recruitment. If you are placed on the eligible list, you DO NOT need to reapply. Any applications received after you are placed on the eligible list will be considered as duplicate and not moved forward. You will be contacted by the bureau when being considered for the selection process. Applicant Instructions Applicants must submit a professional resume and responses to the supplemental questions online, specifically focused on your qualifications for this position as identified in the "To Qualify" section of this announcement in accordance with the following Application Instructions: Your résumé and responses to the supplemental questions will be part of the basis for our evaluation of your qualifications for this position. Incomplete or inappropriate information may result in disqualification. Your responses to the supplemental questions should include details describing your education, training, and/or experience, and where obtained which clearly reflects your qualifications for each of the numbered items in the "To Qualify" section of this announcement. Your resume should support the details described in your responses to the supplemental questions. Salary Range/Equity Pay Analysis: Please note per the Oregon State Pay Equity Law your salary is determined based on the experience and education listed in your resume/application. It is strongly encouraged to include any transferable experience (paid or unpaid regardless of how recent) to ensure your offer is reflective of all directly related and equivalent experience. If you are requesting Veteran's Preference, as identified below, please describe in your responses to the supplemental questions and resume any transferrable skills obtained during your military service and how they relate to each of the required minimum qualifications under the "To Qualify" section above. Please note, all completed applications for this position must be submitted no later than on the closing date and time of this recruitment. All applications must be submitted via the City's online application process. Do not attach materials not requested. E-mailed and/or faxed applications will not be accepted. Additional Information Work Status: Non-citizen applicants must be authorized to work in the United States at the time of application. Veterans' Preference: If you are requesting Veterans' Preference, attach a copy of your DD214/DD215 and/or Veterans Administration letter stating your disability to your profile, as well as checking the box identifying yourself as a Veteran. You must request Veterans' Preference AND include a copy of your documentation for each recruitment to which you apply. Veterans' Preference documentation must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM on the closing date of this recruitment. ADA, Pregnancy, and Religious Accommodations: If you identify as a person with a disability, are pregnant or nursing, or observe a religious practice(s), and would like to request a reasonable accommodation when applying for this job, please contact the Recruiter below for assistance. Equal Employment Opportunity: It is the policy of the City of Portland that no person shall be discriminated against based on race, religion, color, sex, marital status, family status, national origin, age, mental or physical disability, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or source of income. The City values diversity and encourages everyone who is interested in employment with the City to apply. Language Pay Differential: City of Portland employees who speak one or more languages in addition to English, may be eligible to receive a “language pay differential.” This is compensation for qualifying multilingual City employees who use their language skills to assist the community. More about the language pay differential can be found here. Did you know? The City of Portland offers How to Apply Classes that are free and reviews best practices for applying to the City. Follow the link for the most recent list of scheduled dates: https://www.portland.gov/bhr/events Questions?/Contact Information Anna Morgan, Senior Recruiter Bureau of Human Resources Anna.Morgan@portlandoregon.gov

They are looking for reliable individuals who enjoy working outside and have an interest in trees and arboriculture. Our ideal candidates will have: Knowledge of trees in the Front Range area with the ability to identify common species Experience with tree planting and establishment, proper tree care, pruning, and/or removals Experience operating various tree care equipment and hand tools in a safe manner We realize your time is valuable so please do not apply if you do not have at least the following required minimum qualification: Education: None Experience: None Licensures/Certification(s): Requires a valid Driver's License at the time of application. Licenses and certifications must be kept current as a condition of employment About Everything Else Job Profile CJ2083 Utility Worker I To view the full job profile including position specifications, physical demands, and probationary period, click here. Position Type On-call Position Salary Range $17.55 - $26.33 Starting Pay $18.00 Agency Parks and Recreation Apply Now

Hey @Anand, Are you looking for full time job or contract?