Archive for November 14th, 2011
Va tree lovers can pre-order specialty license plate; 450 needed to be put into production – The Washington Post
Va tree lovers can pre-order specialty license plate; 450 needed to be put into production
Groups backing the proposed plate include Virginia Tech’s urban forestry program, the Virginia Urban Forest Council — also known as Trees Virginia — and the Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association.
The DMV requires people to pre-purchase 450 plates by June 30 before it starts producing a specialty plate.
Virginia Tech says after the first 1,000 plates are sold, $15 of each $25 plate fee will go to its urban forestry program and Trees Virginia.
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Online:
Virginia Loves Trees: http://www.valovestrees.org/
Trees Virginia: http://www.treesvirginia.org
Virginia Tech urban forestry program: http://urbanforestry.frec.vt.edu/
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Arborist helps public understand importance of trees
http://www.deseretnews.com/m/article/700197477
Arborist helps public understand importance of trees
By Larry A. Sagers , For the Deseret News
Published: Sunday, Nov. 13 2011 3:00 p.m. MST
While the falling leaves drifting past your windows might evoke nostalgic feelings, for others it means looking at naked tree skeletons.
Collectively, these people known as arborists are trained to look at trees with a critical eye, an eye to keeping trees healthy.
The president of the Utah Community Forest Council (UCFC), Ty Nielsen, heads an organization whose goal is to promote tree planting, good tree care and help the public understand how important trees are in our lives.
In his professional life, Nielsen carries the title of Herriman City arborist. As one of the fastest-growing cities in the valley, much of his effort is directed at promoting putting the right tree in the right place, but he also cares for some older trees, including some black locust planted around the original Fort Herriman, founded in 1851.
He started pruning trees at age 11 when working for a landscaper. The foreman showed him how to prune an apple tree and then left for the day.
Nielsen took it upon himself and pruned another apple tree. When the foreman returned, he asked who had pruned the tree. When Nielsen confessed, he told him that was the best job he had ever seen on pruning an apple tree.
He honed his skills working at Temple Square, Thanksgiving Point and for various companies. He took pruning classes and the Master Gardener classes from Utah State University. He tried other career paths, but always came back to taking care of plants.
After finding employment with Herriman City, he was overjoyed when they asked him to be the city arborist. The sent him for additional training to receive his certification from the International Society of Arboriculture.
“I finally found what I want to be when I grow up,” Nielsen said. “I want to care for trees. The UCFC has helped me quite a bit taking their classes and rubbing shoulders with other arborists.”
He offers advice to homeowners on caring for the trees in their landscapes, particularly if they have trees that have been damaged by recent early storms.
“We had an early storm last year that damaged what I call the teenage trees. These are the ones that grow way too fast and are consequently prone to damage.
“Last year some of the flowering pears got beat up pretty bad. They keep their leaves late into the season and this makes them prone to damage. At one place I worked, we actually tried to blow the leaves off the trees so they would not break down in the snow.
“Your best bet is to get to the damage quickly and shape the trees up the best you can. If the damage is too severe, you might have to remove the tree.”
Nielsen points out that there are other ways to prevent storm damage. “Some trees like arborvitae and other upright evergreen can be wrapped so the branches hold together and they have more structure and more support so the snow does not pull them apart.”
If the trees are healthy and not showing damage, Nielsen said the best time to do major pruning is usually in January and February. Although trees can tolerate pruning at other times, the leafless state is usually the best.
Cutting off branches while the tree is in full leaf deprives them of some of their resources. In addition, seeing the leafless tree allows you make a good assessment of the tree’s structure and determine where problems might arise.
“I tell people to work on the natural structure and form of the tree. Try to keep that as close to the tree form as possible. Ask yourself why you are growing the tree and what you want it to do.”
Eliminate the obvious defects. Dead, broken or diseased branches can come out anytime, but when the leaves are off the tree, it much easier to detect them. Crossing, rubbing or other interfering branches also need to be removed.
Nielsen points out another obvious defect in trees that needs attention. “The center branches in most trees are usually weak and unattractive. Take them out before they get too large and cause problems in the tree interior.”
He also tells people to avoid lion’s tail pruning. This practice strips the foliage and the branches of the limbs except for the foliage right on the end of the tree. This makes the tree very top heavy and the branches are even more susceptible to storm damage.
Safety is also a big concern for the arborist. “I tell homeowners that they should not be trying to prune trees that are much more than 12 feet high. If you cannot do your pruning standing on the ground or on a very solid, short ladder, hire it done. You can easily get bucked off a ladder and cause yourself serious bodily harm.”
Garden tips
The Utah Community Forestry Council website has information on Certified Arborists and Consulting Arborists in the state. It also includes information on heritage trees, big trees of Utah and other tree care information and links. The address is www.utahurbanforest.org.
For information on selecting the best trees for Utah, go to www.treebrowser.org. This lists 241 different species of trees that grow in Utah. It allows you to sort trees by numerous categories including size, shape, soil suitability and other growth factors.
Larry A. Sagers is a horticulture specialist for the Utah State University Extension Service at Thanksgiving Point.
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