Article Bank
FOLLOWING PUBLICATION OF EACH ISSUE of the Ontario Arborist magazine, we load copies of our most popular columns and features here in our article bank. In addition to being an invaluable source of information, the online versions contain an added benefit not possible in the magazine – live links. So remember, if you read an article in print and want to visit a link but don't want to type in a long address, simply find the article here and click away. One caveat: articles date back almost 10 years so some of the links referenced in earlier publications may no longer be valid. We do our best to keep them current or remove outdated links but the web changes daily!
Native to North America, the elm spanworm (ES) is a serious defoliator of hardwood trees. During the past 5 years, it has reached outbreak densities in St. John's, NL. This grant was used to develop an integrated pest management plan for ES in the city. Here the authors present objectives and progress to date.
The objective of this project was to determine a safe, effective and environmentally conscious control procedure for the red elm weevil in American elm trees and specifically to test trunk injection of Acephate.
Results from an ongoing ACER project initiated in 2002. Objectives: To investigate the benefits of forest planting design and the selection of species to optimize greater species biodiversity and to ensure increased climatic resilience of species under current and changed climate conditions, particularly for urban forests. A lot of good data/stats are presented here.
The grant we received from CTF was used to purchase trees and native vascular plant species to assist in the restoration of a pond at the Scarborough Outdoor Education School. The project is designed to replant a riparian zone around the north end of the pond to create greater potential for learning and recreation while enhancing natural habitat space for fauna.
Have you noticed the poor condition of sugar maples in towns and cities and along Ontario's roadsides? Many have dead limbs. For some, half the tree is gone. Why? You may hear some saying they are simply old trees that have lived their best days. The truth is that most roadside sugar maples are only about 80 to 90 years-old, which isn't old for this species. Healthy sugar maples can live 300, some say even 500 years.
What are those polka-dot trees? Questions like this one are becoming more common with recent outbreaks of tar spot maples in southern Ontario and neighbouring areas.
WINDCALC is a quantitative tool for assessing and understanding the mechanical forces associated with windthrow. The objective is to provide arborists with a simple and accessible means to estimate crown loading and resistance for the assessment of tree hazards.
ACER developed an Environment Canada fact sheet (also incorporated into a poster for the Climate Change & Biodiversity in the Americas Symposium, Panama City, 2008) entitled "Biological Threats to Biodiversity." They investigated the pressures of urban development on the small remaining areas of Carolinian Forest in southern Ontario.
LEAF (Local Enhancement & Appreciation of Forests) is a grassroots environmental non-profit based in Toronto working at the community level to improve the urban forest. This goal is realized through concrete, ground-breaking programming which includes providing subsidized tree and shrub planting services for homeowners, educating citizens about the integral role that trees play in everyday life, and encouraging and supporting citizens to become engaged in the urban forest through advocacy and self-directed tree stewardship initiatives.
Norway maple (Acer platanoides L.) was introduced to North America from Europe. The trees are easily cultivated and have been domesticated with many different cultivars or varieties. They are commonly planted as ornamental street trees because they tolerate salt and are able to grow in small spaces and compacted soils. Now they occur increasingly where they have not been planted and not wanted. In some natural areas they are becoming the dominant species, a problem reported from New Jersey to Ontario and even in Gaspésie, Quebec.
With interest and financial support from ISAO and the Canadian TREE Fund, among other partners, ACER continues to focus on programs involving community youth and university students in monitoring the effects of climate change on trees – especially in urban forests.
This 15-hour course, led by LEAF (Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests), is designed for individuals who want to gain arboriculture knowledge and skills and serves as an introduction to the art and science of tree care. The program is a key component in LEAF's mission to protect and improve the urban forest.
Not long ago, I was like many in the general public: if you asked me the difference between a honey locust and an eastern redbud, I would have thought you were nuts. To me, a tree was a tree. I didn't realize it then, but I saw our urban landscape two-dimensionally. There were people and there were buildings. I rarely noticed plants and trees. Sometimes the things you don't understand can be invisible to you.
This article documents the author's experience and observations while using an SRT (Single Rope Technique) climbing system. Techniques and principles of SRT are described within, but proper training, experience and practice are highly recommended before trying any of them.
This exhibit opened at the Bytown Museum in Ottawa at the end of January 2012 and runs for 4 months. It will then be taken on the road for such events as the 2013 ISA Conference. Researcher Joanna Dean examines six moments from Ottawa’s past: the persisting native forest, the planting of large street trees in the late nineteenth century, the campaign to “control” those trees in the early twentieth century, the reforestation of suburbs in the postwar era, the planting of the Almey and Royalty crab apple trees for Canada’s Centennial year, and the development of arboricultural expertise after Dutch Elm Disease.
In Europe, it is different, explains Dr. Danijela Puric-Mladenovic, a senior analyst in settled landscapes and a member of the Faculty of Forestry at the University of Toronto. Overseas they have radio programs and other initiatives that promote the value of trees and tree care in the mass media. Europeans understand the value of trees the way Ontarians understand the value of medical physicians. No one here questions that we need to fund hospitals and walk-in clinics.
Now here’s a topic that has been on the minds of many of us since Emerald Ash Borer (EAB, Agrilus planipennis) was first detected here in 2002. It’s one thing to try to replace ash in natural areas such as forests, but this genus has also been an important one for tough urban sites such as street boulevards...
Don’t underestimate the multiple benefits of educating & planting. The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago (Anonymous). But, if you are going to plant one now, do everything you can to ensure that the tree thrives (Richardson, 2011).
A closer look at the eastern and plains sub-species.
By now you are likely finished most of your job site work and you might just be putting your equipment to bed for the winter. The frequent rain and less-than-great weather have made late summer and fall jobs frustrating and difficult to execute. It goes without saying that you really need to maximize your time on those good days in fall and spring to be most effective. Similarly, by making informed decisions about pest management, you can make better decisions about your IPM practices and also do a better job satisfying your customers.
Our mission is to enhance and promote the care and benefit of trees for present and future generations in Ontario through education, research and awareness.
