Our 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…
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…
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,…
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…
We 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…
Spring has finally sprung…but what now? The peepers are croaking, crocuses are breaking through, the signs are here; Spring has finally arrived! We are all feeling ready for sunshine and warm weather, and so is your landscape. But just like us, plants and trees may need a little help to recover from the brutal winter…
One day, brothers Zeb and Ted Esselstyn had an epiphany of sorts. It occurred to them that every year, hundreds of historic Connecticut trees were meeting an unceremonious end. After being removed or failing due to old age or weather, these trees were being chipped, turned into mulch, or deposited in anonymous landfills. Seeing…
Thanks to all those that attended today’s webinar on managing trees during construction. We talked about different reasons for managing trees during construction; we discussed the American National Standard for tree management during construction (ANSI A300 Part 5); and we reviewed some of the provisions of ANSI A300 Part 5. A key point is the…
We’ve all been there. You get to the checkout line at your local grocery store and you’re asked the question. Paper or plastic? While one option seems to provide an obvious environmental benefit, the best possible answer might be “neither.” It’s no secret that plastic shopping bags are bad for our environment, but you may…
Did you know that there are competitions for tree climbers? The International Society of Arboriculture has chapters all over the world. Those chapters hold tree climbing competitions where arborists compete to be the top climber in their chapter, and chapter competitors compete for the international crown. Today I attended the Mid-Atlantic Chapter, International Society of…
