Month: October 2014

Fall is here, Jack-o-lanterns are aglow, and everyone’s looking for a good scare. As Portland certified arborists, we’re always on the lookout for a certain type of creepy-crawlies—the pests that plague trees. Insect pests can cause tree disease and death, costing thousands of dollars every year in tree treatment and replacement.

Damaging insects are generally categorized by the type of harm they cause.
—Sap-Feeding Insects use piercing and sucking mouthparts to access and extract the tree’s sap. They are the vampires of the tree world.
—Defoliating Insects eat plants’ leaves; this may or may not lead to tree death.
—Woodboring Insects drill through the outer bark to feed on inner bark and transport tissue, including phloem and xylem. (Transport tissue circulates nutrients and water throughout the plant.) Each type of pest insect causes a unique form of damage. Let’s explore this more as we consider a few tree pests specific to our state.

Pests that are Harmful to Oregon Trees

Aphids & Scales
Damage these pests can cause: Curled leaves with honeydew, a sticky, shiny substance which the pests secrete as they feed on sap. With enough damage, the leaves or needles may turn yellow and fall off completely. If enough leaves are destroyed, the tree may die. However, the more common death by aphid or scale occurs when these tiny pests spread fungal tree diseases.

Signs that you could have an infestation: Sooty mold, ants farming the honeydew by tending the aphids, curling leaves with wet, shiny surface.
Aphids and scales may beset many Pacific Northwest species, including dogwood, ash, lilac, maple, pines, spruce, and Douglas fir. Most species of trees suffer species-specific aphids and/or scale pests.

Elm Leaf Beetle
Damage this pest can cause: Elm leaf beetle larvae skeletonize leaves by eating all the tender material while leaving structural veins in place. Adult elm leaf beetles chew circular holes in leaves (also known as “shot holes” to arborists). If enough defoliation occurs, leaves may fall early and sections of the infested tree may die back.

Signs that you could have an infestation: Look for skeletonized leaves, shot holes, clusters of eggs laid on leaves in the spring, and larvae moving down the stems prior to pupation.
Elm leaf beetles are known to attack all manner of elms, including Siberian, English, American, and other elm species.

Bronze Birch Bore Beetles
Damage this pest can cause: Adult beetles cause minimal harm as they feed on birch leaves. However, the larvae of this species can cause significant damage. Adults lay eggs in cracks, under bark cracks, and in damaged areas of the tree. After the eggs have hatched, the larvae chew deeper into the bark, and they begin feeding on the phloem and xylem tissues. These larvae galleries inhibit the tree’s ability to distribute water and nutrients. Eventually, the tree may suffer dieback at its crown; if the infestation is not stopped, dieback can continue into the main stem, eventually causing tree death.

Signs that you could have an infestation: Look for 1/8”, D-shaped exit holes. These are created when the adult beetle leaves its larvae feeding gallery. Dieback at the crown is another clue that you may have a bronze birch bore beetle infection on your hands. Finally, you may be able to detect larvae chambers as bumps or ridges underneath bark.

This species attacks birches including European, Himalayan, and other ornamental birches. European and Asian birches are more susceptible to Bronze Birch Borers; native birch species with non-white bark are more resistant to the beetles, as both species evolved together.

Tree pests can be scary for arborphiles like us. But what’s really terrifying is the thought of relying on noxious chemicals to handle tree infestation problems. Massive bee deaths can be caused by certain tree pesticides—and this is only one of many negative environmental impacts. Organic pest control is not only possible; it can also be effective, if you’re working with the right Portland tree service. Call us to quell your tree pest fears. Urban Forest Pros always seeks to use organic options first; we only turn to more traditional chemical solutions when all other options have been exhausted. Give us a call for more advice on how to organically treat and prevent tree pest infestations.

This post first appeared on https://www.urbanforestprofessionals.com

On January 2^nd, a new Portland tree code referred to as “Title 11 Trees” becomes law. This plan places strict guidelines on what kind of trees can be removed and also issues guidelines for pruning heritage trees. Homeowners are required to obtain these permits, but rather than trying to deal with understanding the 15 pages of guidelines and dealing with the bureaucratic process yourself, we recommend partnering with a licensed, professional tree removal service such as Urban Forest Professionals. This is the second part of our Portland Tree Permit Series. In part 1 we looked closely at the changes that will occur with the City of Portland’s Urban Forest Plan at the start of 2015.

In this post we encourage you to take care of Portland tree services, including pruning and removal, now, before the new codes take effect. We also outline what that homeowners can do this fall to prepare for winter. Getting ahead of the game now means a safer winter, with less chance of falling trees.

Fall Planting. The rains are settling in and the ground is starting to loosen up after the dry, summer months. This means its time to put the shovel in the ground and get back into the garden. Certain species, such as Hostas, Astilbes and Cranesbill geraniums, should be moved this fall, to make more room. After that, consider whether you want to move any of your shrubs. Fall planting is most recommended by arborists and horticulturalists because it gives the plant lots of time to settle in and establish new roots over the winter months.

Pruning and Removal. This is an area where professional advice is a good idea. After a long and dry summer, many shrubs and trees require pruning. It’s not always easy for the average homeowner to know which plants should be trimmed in the autumn. In addition, proper tools and training are necessary for the long-term health of your trees and shrubs. A professional Portland tree removal service, such as Urban Forest Pro, will ensure that proper and safe techniques are used, and that trees and shrubs will be maintained properly, according to their yearly cycles.

Title 11. The new Title 11 legislation is strict about what kinds of trees may be removed, and how certain heritage trees must be pruned. If you have trees that are large enough to be categorized as Title 11 (i.e. trees with a diameter of or above 12”; trees that are in the right of way or are being removed for development activities; heritage trees; and trees that are in a special district or overlay such as Johnson Creek or Pleasant Valley), we recommend dealing with them now before these regulations cause more fees and delays.

Plant now. As far as planting goes, the Title 11 guidelines also include stipulations about replacing removed trees with species that will provide an equivalent amount of foliage and shade. Even without these guidelines, the value of trees to the homeowner (and city) is enormous. For instance, trees create shade, reducing your energy costs.

The rains are here and the ground is ready for planting. In addition, many plants need to be trimmed after a long summer’s growth. Don’t wait for winter to make these changes. Call our Portland certified arborists today to discuss what you can to do prepare for winter and for the new changes that Title 11 will bring on January 2^nd, 2015.

This post first appeared on https://www.urbanforestprofessionals.com

Everyone at Urban Forest Pro appreciates the beauty and generosity of the Portland landscape. Here, the trees are huge and the people are friendly. To give back to our community and the ecosystem that allows Portland’s urban forest to grow, we volunteer our time at Hoyt Arboretum.

What is the Hoyt Arboretum?
The Hoyt Arboretum is a living museum of trees spread over 187 acres of ridges in Portland’s West Hills. Located two miles northwest of downtown Portland and operated by the city’s award-winning Parks and Recreation department, the Hoyt Arboretum offers an incredible, cost-free opportunity for Portland families to learn about and appreciate an incredible range of trees.

Activities at Hoyt Arboretum include:
—Hiking. There are 12 miles of hiking trails winding through the park. Each month, the Hoyt Arboretum highlights stunning trees on trails. This September, for instance, Hoyt is recommending visitors take in the ‘Sango Kaku’ Japanese maple, Acer palmatum. Not only does the Sango Kaku’s leaves turn golden yellow in the fall; the tree’s bark also shifts color to a coral red that is only intensified as temperatures drop.
—Informative tours on seasonal topics. This month’s talks, available for a small fee, include a tour of the park’s many maples and a discussion of the history behind common plants all around us.
—Join a volunteer work party. Sign up online for monthly work parties in the park.

But most of all, the primary thing to do at Hoyt Arboretum is to…

Enjoy the Amazing Array of Trees.
There are over 6,000 trees from all over the world in Hoyt Arboretum. Over 2,000 species are found in the park, including 63 species that are classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Hoyt Arboretum practices ex situ conservation on its threatened species, assisting Botanic Gardens Conservation International in keeping these precious trees on our planet.

Our Portland arborists do a variety of tasks at Hoyt Arboretum. Their expertise allows for holistic plant care, as provided in our residential tree service.

Portland, Oregon residents who love trees as much as we do should see Hoyt Arboretum as their personal oasis—an island of peace in Stumptown. If you’re a tree lover, we encourage you to visit Hoyt Arboretum regularly, and sign up for volunteer opportunities to help the park thrive.

This post first appeared on https://www.urbanforestprofessionals.com