Advantageous Animals Not all insects are pests to the plant kingdom, in fact, many species have evolved alongside plants and participate in a a mutually beneficial relationship. Pollinators such as bees and butterflies are the most commonly known among the beneficials but also helpful in the microcosm of your landscape are insectivorous insects; insects that…
DetailsLast week I was doing field work for a client and came across a large white oak. The tree was not in the limit of disturbance (it was about 40′ away), but the local ordinance called for it be called out in the report. The tree was very large (53″ in diameter) with an elliptical…
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Make Your Dwelling Dapper After many long months, the snow has finally melted only to reveal your home and landscape greatly in need of some TLC. Not knowing where to start makes improvements seem like an insurmountable task. If you are looking for inspiration, pricing, advice and the latest innovations for both your home and…
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It’s that time of year again when you drive down the road and you might think, “How pretty!” All of the “pretty” white flowering trees all along our road sides and neighborhoods are more than likely the Bradford Pear, Pyrus calleryana ‘Bradford’. The 1980’s were an important beginning for the Bradford pear. It gained…
DetailsFloral Fungus When it comes to plants and shrubs, especially fruit trees and landscape quality cultivars, disease can frequently be attributed to fungus. Some of the more common fungal diseases includes root rot, cankers, black knot, anthracnose, cedar-apple rust, apple scab and various blights. Various conditions favor disease development; warm, damp weather can be very…
DetailsOur colleague Jarlath O’Neil-Dunne and his team at the University of Vermont Spatial Analysis Lab presented on An Object-Based Approach to Statewide Land Cover Mapping at the American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing 2014 Conference in Louisville, KY. Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley signed a bill in 2013 to keep Maryland at 40% tree canopy…
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Endangered, Exploited or Extirpated…oh my! There are over 5,000 plants (5,679 to be exact) currently listed either federally or by state as threatened, endangered or various other protected statuses. Woody vegetation or trees make up 470 of the plants on the list. They aren’t cute and fuzzy like the many listed animals so plants don’t get as…
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Historical Herbage Arbor Day was first proposed by Nebraska Territory pioneer J. Sterling Mormont, originally of Detroit. Mormont and his wife were nature lovers and quickly planted their new property with trees, shrubs and flowers. He recognized the multifaceted value of trees; there is, of course, aesthetic value, additionally plant roots aid in erosion control,…
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Winter moths, what of it? Did you see these guys banging up against your windows during the winter? Attracted to the light and warmth of the cozy living room in which you were hunkered down against the cold, winter moths (Operophtera brumata) have to brave the brutal conditions in order to procreate. Adult winter moths…
DetailsWe just finished hosting the monthly call between researchers working in US Forest Service Research & Development Urban Research. As you can see from the link, these people spend a lot of time answering questions related to people + trees in cities. Sometimes when people think of the US Forest Service, they think of large…
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