New Year's Resolution

Please help stop the spread of Emerald Ash Borer! Resolve to buy firewood locally, in the greater Rochester area, whether for home use or camping. Be sure your firewood provider resolves not to transport firewood more than 50 miles from its source!

Community Tree Inventory

Does your community have an inventory of its trees? The first step in a management plan to deal with Emerald Ash Borer infestation and its implications is to determine which trees should be treated, which should be removed and when. Many municipalities are prepared - some with complete inventories, including trees on private property, others with at least an inventory of street and/or park trees. For those communities without an inventory in an area affected by EAB, this will become a necessity. Professional firms can be hired to perform this task, volunteer groups can help, or one low-cost option is provided by Cornell University. Cornell's SWAT (Student Weekend Arborist Team) Team is a group of trained students who will travel to a community and perform an inventory for a relatively low cost. For more information: http://www.hort.cornell.edu/commfor/inventory/swat.html

Predatory Wasp for EAB

In this picture from the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service, a Cerceris fumipennis wasp is shown with it's prey, an Emerald Ash Borer. The wasp will take the prey back to the ground hive for food for the hive. The University of Guelph in Ontario Canada has been studying the wasps and have determined that they are an excellent tool in the early detection of the beetle. Researchers placed hives near suspected areas of infestation and monitored the wasps, intercepting them as they returned to the hive to discover whether or not they returned with the beetle as well as how long it took. The wasps found the beetle very quickly if it was present in the area. This wasp may replace the purple sticky traps that have been used to monitor EAB's progress and help with early detection.

EAB Community Preparedness Workshop this Friday!!

Central New York ReLeaf is presenting a workshop this Friday, 12/10/10 from 8:30 am - 1:00 pm entitled "Emerald Ash Borer & Community Preparedness: What Every Community Needs to Know!" Don't miss this opportunity to hear Mark Whitmore and Rebecca Hargrave from Cornell, Steve Harris, Syracuse Forester, Rochester Forester Brian Liberti and Urban Forestry Educator Fran Lawlor discuss strategies and answer questions regarding the devastating impacts of the EAB. Lunch is included, ISA and DEC credits are available. Meeting will be held in the Grange Building, 100 Grange Place, Cortland, NY 13045. (Venue changed due to immense response.) Contacts: DEC Forester Matt Swayze 607-753-3095 and Mary Kramarchyk 518-402-9425. See you there!

Winter Wonder

Following an early December snow, larch and oak lend subtle color to the landscape.

EAB update in Rochester, NY

See this article regarding the City of Rochester's plan to treat, remove and replant as a response to the EAB infestation that is about to occur: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20101127/NEWS01/101126014/City-wants-to-treat-some-ash-trees--cut-down-others

Winter Pruning

What is going on in this example? This amalanchier has been sheared in the past, as is obvious from the tight, sucker-filled top growth. By pruning in the winter when the tree is dormant it's possible to correct some of this improper growth without much harm to the tree. Deep cuts were taken to reduce the amount of 'witch's broom' growth, thereby thinning the canopy.