Property owners, managers, and arborists alike are asking the question:
What’s Going On With the Oaks?
Oak trees will live almost anywhere in the country – and many oaks are currently facing decline for a variety of reasons. Countless initiatives across the country have been developed to protect and maintain declining oak ecosystems. One such initiative is a recovery plan for the Chicago Wilderness Region with the goal of preserving and restoring oak ecosystem structures and promoting highly effective treatments for oaks impacted by common invasive species.
When oaks are in need of proper care and maintenance, SavATree can help.
Two-lined chestnut borers attack stressed or damaged trees, infesting trunks and branches below the bark. Their activities restrict the flow of water and nutrients to the canopy and often result in branch dieback and even death of the entire tree.
- After an infestation has taken hold of the tree, trunk injections may be performed by your arborist to treat it, but success is limited with curative treatments. However, preventive methods are still recommended for healthy oaks to protect them from infestation such as frequent watering to minimize drought stress, protecting them from bark damage, periodic pruning and pruning out infested limbs, and preventive treatment with Borer Treatments or Systemic Soil Treatments.
Oak wilt disease is caused by a fungus that has a very high likelihood of leading to tree death. Spores of the fungus are spread by beetles into wounds or cracks of the bark. Once infected, the disease spreads to other trees through root connections.
- SavATree arborists can help mitigate the spread of this disease by cutting off root system connections, using proper pruning methods (such as limiting pruning to winter when fungus is dormant) and performing preventive trunk injections when necessary.
Spongy (Gypsy) moths are pests that defoliate trees while in the larval stage. After multiple seasons of defoliation, formerly healthy trees may lose vigor and eventually die.
- The best way to control a spongy moth infestation is to stay one step ahead and continuously monitor trees for early signs of an infestation. If the moths’ spongy, teardrop-shaped egg masses are found on tree trunks, it’s crucial that you prepare to treat trees early when the larvae are small and easier to control.
Bur oak blight, which affects bur oaks only, is a fungus that spreads rapidly during periods of heavy rainfall and can interfere with a tree’s ability to obtain nutrients and water. This disease causes leaf wilting and discoloration, leaf drop, and can lead to tree dieback and death.
- Keeping bur oaks healthy and limiting their stress is critical in the prevention of bur oak blight. SavATree’s ArborKelp® and ArborHealth® treatments can help trees maintain hydration, health, and vigor and can be used together to combat long-term stress. Susceptible trees can also be trunk injected preventively to avoid infection.
