CTPA Updates - CTPA (Connecticut Tree Protective Association)

2019 Legislative Update

March 3, 2019 by

The CT Legislature is currently in the midst of debating the bills that have arisen during this current session. Trees, and the need to manage and maintain trees, are the topic of several pieces of legislation. Not all these bills, however, are destined for full consideration by the Legislature – most, in fact are not. Legislators will often propose bills as ‘placeholders’, briefly outlining a perceived problem in the hopes that a solution can then be proposed. Often, these placeholders bills fade away as the session progresses. Either no substantive course of action arises for dealing with the indicated problem or another, similar bill is offered. Most of the bills relating to trees are placeholder bills and have already started to fade.

Town Tree Issues

One serious issue that the Legislature is grappling with is that of assisting towns with the number of dead trees along public roads. As CTPA members are well aware, the number of these trees has spiked, due to the emerald ash borer, gypsy moths, drought and other causes. Most towns simply do not have the resources to deal with the numbers of trees that that they have to.

Among the bills that have been proposed to assist towns in dealing with this problem are those that have recommended DEEP establish a grant program for tree removal but which offer no funding for this program and one that would exempt tree removal activities from the sales tax. One bill that is moving along is HB 5886, AN ACT CONCERNING THE USE OF LOCAL CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT FUND GRANTS FOR THE REMOVAL OF CERTAIN TREES. The purpose of the bill is to allow Local Capitol Improvement Funding to be used by towns for tree removal. This bill is currently before the Joint Committee on Planning and Development, with a Public Hearing scheduled for March 6.

The same language as is contained in HB 5886 is also contained in the Governor’s Budget Bill, SB 876.

Property Owner’s Liability for Fallen Trees

There are 3 other bills that are moving along that also might interest arborists. HB 7188, AN ACT CONCERNING A PROPERTY OWNER’S LIABILITY FOR THE EXPENSES OF REMOVING A FALLEN TREE OR LIMB, revives a bill that has been before the legislature several times in recent years, including having been passed in 2014, only to be vetoed by the Governor. The purpose of this bill is to establish conditions under which a tree owner could be held responsible for the clean-up of a tree that falls upon a neighbor’s property. In this discussion, the role of a Connecticut-licensed arborist is given importance, both for the arborist’s ability to identify trees with significant problems and also to indicate that the problems have been mitigated or otherwise no longer exist.

A Public Hearing on this bill was held before the Judiciary Committee on February 27th.

DOT and Trees

Another ‘public tree bill’ that has gained a great deal of attention relates to trees along state highways. Essentially, HB 5308, AN ACT CONCERNING VEGETATION MANAGEMENT ALONG STATE HIGHWAYS BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, would require DOT to develop specific guidelines relating to the management of trees and other vegetation along state roads. Included in the provisions of this bill is the requirement that these guidelines be reviewed by a licensed arborist employed by either DOT or DEEP.

While this bill drew strong support at its Public Hearing before the Environment Committee on February 15th, it is worth pointing out that, in its response to this bill, DOT stated that it has already produced detailed guidelines regarding that Department’s management of trees and vegetation along state roads. This document, CT DOT’s Vegetation Management Guidelines, was published in February 2018 and is readily available on the DOT website.

DOT has at least two CT licensed arborists on staff who had an active role in the development of these guidelines and will have an active role in their implementation. Nonetheless, this bill is moving forward, as it has been filed with the Legislative Commissioner’s Office and is ready to move out of Committee.

Local Pesticide Regulations

The last bill to mention is not specifically focused on trees, but on pesticide use in general. SB 76, AN ACT AUTHORIZING MUNICIPALITIES TO RESTRICT THE USE OF PESTICIDES IN CERTAIN AREAS OF THE MUNICIPALITY OR ON CERTAIN TYPES OF PROPERTIES, would give towns the ability to ban or restrict the use of pesticides that may not be banned or restricted on the state level and restrict the application of pesticides in certain areas of the municipality or on certain types of properties.

While not yet a drafted bill, the general direction of this bill has caused certain groups, such as the Connecticut Environmental Council (CT-EC) to become concerned. The thrust of CT-EC’s concern is that giving this sort of authority to local governments will diffuse the effectiveness of state-level pesticide management and regulation through DEEP and, as a result, make a mess for legitimate pesticide applicators, including licensed arborists.

Due to this concern, CT-EC is organizing a Day of Public Concern regarding this bill on Friday, March 8th at 9:30 am, in the atrium of the Legislative Office Building. CTPA is a dues-paying member of CT-EC and supports CT-EC in its efforts to educate our members and work on our behalf on key legislative issues. CT-EC and CTPA would like to see arborists join with other professionals who use pesticides in expressing their concern regarding this potential legislation.

CTPA members who wish to learn more about this specific legislation may contact:

Erica Fearn, CAE
Executive Director
Connecticut Environmental Council, Inc.
860-586-7508
efearn@ctenvironmentalfacts.org
www.ctenvironmentalfacts.org

Oak-calypse and Ash-mageddon: CT Trees In Trouble Workshop

February 13, 2019 by

As has been documented in several newspaper articles, and our own eyes, there has been widespread mortality of trees in Connecticut in the past few years. A 2-year drought combined with an outbreak of gypsy moth has been devastating to oak trees, particularly in the eastern part of the state. Meanwhile in the western part of the state, mortality of ash trees from emerald ash borer is spreading. In this workshop, we will discuss the history and current extant of these two problems, how and when trees can be saved, how to safely remove trees that cannot be saved, some potential uses for the wood resulting from these removals and finally some of the legal issues surrounding dead trees.

CEU Credits: CT Arborist License (3D) – 5.0 CEU’s, Tree Wardens’ Association – 5.0 CEU’s, ISA – 5.0 CEU’s and TCIA CTSP – 1.0 CEU.

Cost: Members Only – $75.00, Non-Members – $95.00

Where: CT Agricultural Experiment Station – Jones Auditorium, 123 Huntington Street, New Haven

Date: Monday, March 25, 2019

Agenda
8:00 – 8:30 – Check in, coffee etc.
8:30 – 8:45 – Welcome, logistics – (organizers)
8:45 – 10:00 – How did we get here, and where are we now? – History and biology of the two pests, compare contrast (gypsy moth cyclic, EAB here and awful), Current distribution of mortality, what to expect in the next year or so. Dr. Claire Rutledge and Dr. Kirby Stafford CAES
10:00-10:20 – Break
10:20 – 11:00 – Not Dead Yet– How to decide whether or not to save a dying oak, or ash? Tree condition, future prospects, other issues, when to treat. Dr. Rich Cowles, CAES
11:00 -12:00 – OK, it’s dead – now what? Safe removal of Ash and Oak. – These are very different trees, and they react differently to these pests. How can you get them down with minimal risk. Dr. Brian Kane, UMass
12:00 -1:00 Lunch – box lunch provided
1:00 – 2:00 – Wood Recovery – some options for the cut down trees. Tom Worthley, UCONN
2:00 – 3:00 – Legal Concerns around Dead Trees – If you are a commercial arborist, or a municipal employee, what are the liabilities and concerns with these dying trees? Who is responsible if they fall? Can you cut a tree down if an abutting neighbor asks? Mike Galvin, SavaTree
3:15 – Credits

DMV Safety and Compliance Seminars

January 28, 2019 by

The CT Department of Motor Vehicles will be holding FREE safety and compliance seminars to Connecticut motor carriers.

Are you a business that is worried about roadside inspections or being in compliance? Did you have a roadside inspection and learned you were not in compliance? Do you know what regulations you are subject to? Do you know the difference between Intra and Interstate DOT numbers? Do you need a CDL? Do you need a Drug and Alcohol Program? These are just a few things that will be covered. Please see and/or print the flyer for more details:

Where: Tunxis Community College – Room #3-324, 271 Scott Swamp Road, Farmington, CT 06032

When: The First Wednesday of every month Time: 9am – 12pm

To Register: send an email to dmv.newentrant@ct.gov with the word CLASS in the subject line.

Cancellations will adhere to the Tunxis Community College Schedule – Please check the Tunxis website for school cancellations: https://www.tunxis.edu/

UConn and CTPA Announce Plans for a New Degree Program at the University

January 24, 2019 by

At the recent CTPA Annual Meeting, CTPA and the University of Connecticut announced that they will work together to initiate a two-year degree program in Arboriculture and Urban Forestry at the University.

This program will be housed within the Department of Natural Resources, within UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources. Once fully implemented, students will be able to graduate with an Associate degree in Arboriculture and Urban Forestry. This degree program is intended to prepare students for direct entry into the working world of professional tree care. It will also, for students so motivated, prepare these students for continuing their studies in a four degree in a related natural resource field.

The establishment of this program involves designing a series of required courses for these students. Several of these courses already exist, such as those in plant pathology and integrated pest management. New courses, relating to Arboriculture and to Urban and Community Forestry, are in the process of being created.

As this plan moves forward, the Department of Natural Resources will work with the University to ensure that all requirements are met and that it has gained all of the necessary curriculum approvals. The Department will seek to implement this new program in stages, with the Arboriculture course and a Dendrology course to be added to the Department’s course offerings in the fall of 2019. A Fundamentals of Urban and Community Forestry course will be offered in the spring semester 2020 and the full degree program announced for new students in the fall of 2020.

CTPA has an important role to play in moving in this effort forward. It has agreed to provide the funding for the two adjunct professors who will be needed to teach the additional courses, in Arboriculture and in Urban and Community Forestry. CTPA has committed to do so out of its current resources. As the degree program proves its value and becomes established, CTPA will likely then spearhead the creation of an ongoing funding source to pay for these professors.

CTPA members will also have an important role to play both in encouraging students to enroll in this program and, maybe more importantly, in their willingness to hire graduates from this program. For these reasons, UConn is very open to the input CTPA and its members are able to provide as these courses are developed and implemented.

The CTPA Board has established a long-term committee to work with UConn. This committee began meeting this past summer and is chaired by Carter Peck. Stay tuned for more details as they emerge.

CTPA Must Change Speakers At This Week’s Annual Meeting

January 14, 2019 by

CTPA regrets to announce that, due to the shutdown of the federal government, it must make a change in its speaker line-up for this Thursday’s (January 17th) Annual Meeting. Doctor Kevin Smith is an employee of the US Forest Service. During a government shutdown, government workers are forbidden from performing job duties that are considered as a normal part of their work, except when those duties are considered to be essential. While the shutdown goes on, Kevin is simply not allowed to participate in our meeting.

This is a sad and regrettable state of affairs. Fortunately, CTPA is a part of a large and strong network of caring professionals. Melissa LeVangie of Shelter Tree, who is well-known to many CTPA members, has agreed to step in to help Kevin and the Association out. Melissa’s talk will be on “Climbing Gear Inspections: Beyond the Basics”. The presentation will include a good review of the ANSI Z-133 on equipment inspections, and then will take the discussion beyond the standard, talking about the sorts of failures that can occur from excessive wear and tear, what are the things one needs to be looking for with specific pieces of equipment and how tree workers should work together as a team, so that there is group confidence in the equipment and the project.

Melissa’s CTPA presentation will be based on a presentation she gave this past week at the Massachusetts Tree Wardens Association meeting. CTPA is very grateful to Melissa for stepping up. It is no small thing to be willing to give a talk to such as large group on very short notice. The Association also takes this as an example of the quality of people who are a part of arboriculture and tree care.

CTPA will work to ensure that there will be no ceu’s lost. In fact, there may be credits gained, as Melissa’s talk was previously approved for CTSP credits.

One Week to Go to CTPA’s 97th Annual Meeting

January 9, 2019 by

This time next week, the center of tree care will be in Plantsville, as CTPA hosts its 2019 Annual Meeting next Thursday, January 17th, at the Aqua Turf. Always a great event, CTPA’s meeting this year will hold special significance, as we celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Connecticut’s Arborist Law. Farsighted legislators, with the prodding of good citizens including the owners of several nurseries and tree businesses at the time, along with the support of the scientists at the CT Agricultural Experiment Station, passed the nation’s first professional arborist licensing law. That was the beginning of many great accomplishments in tree care – a tradition that CTPA seeks to continue on into a new century for the state’s licensed arborists.

The Annual Meeting itself will be excellent, with great speakers, an excellent trade show and, perhaps most important, the opportunity to catch up with 700 or 800 of the people most committed to trees and tree care in the region.

Attendees are cautioned that the agenda may need to be changed as our keynote speaker, Dr. Kevin Smith, is a Forest Service employee and so his availability for the day of our meeting will be dependent on events in Washington DC. But, if we have to make a last minute adjustment, the organization has a solid back-up plan. Our commitment is, as always, to make this the best meeting that we possibly can.

Preregistration closes today, January 10th – so if you would like to preregister, please do so on-line.

And, as an added inducement, all attendees will be given a special memento in recognition of the 100th Anniversary of the Arborist Law.

To learn more about the meeting details, please see the Attendee Flyer.

We look forward to seeing you next week!

Attention – CEU Correction for the Annual Meeting

December 10, 2018 by

Please Note: CT DEEP awarded the Annual Meeting CEU’s for 3D (Arborist) – 4.25 CEU’s.

There will be no CEU’s for 3A – Ornamental/Turf as incorrectly stated in the email last week.

The following CEU’s are available at the end of the day: CT DEEP , 3D/4.25 CEU’s, CT Forest Practitioner/2.0 CEU’s, ISA Certification/3.75 CEU’s, TCIA CTSP/0.5 CEU’s and Advanced Certified Tree Wardens’/4.25 CEU’s.

The 97th Annual Meeting – Attendee Registration

December 4, 2018 by

2016-01-21 13.59.42 This is the Centennial Year of the Connecticut Arborist Law!!!

Please join us and celebrate our 97th Annual Meeting and the 100th Year of the Connecticut Arborist Law, Thursday, January 17, 2019 at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville, CT. We have a great line-up of speakers, our always packed trade show and, of course, an excellent lunch.

Spanish EHAP Workshop 2018

November 20, 2018 by

The Connecticut Tree Protective Association presents:

SPANISH Electrical Hazard Awareness Program, November 28, 2018

Norwalk Public Library, 1 Belden Avenue, Norwalk, CT – Please carpool if possible, parking is limited.

Hours: 9:30 am – 4 pm

Cost: $135.00 members and $155.00 non-members (includes lunch)

This workshop will be given in Spanish to attendees to make them aware of the hazards all tree care workers face when they work around energized electrical conductors. This awareness is an essential part of basic tree care safety. It is recommended that all people who work in tree care take an EHAP course.

This one day workshop will be led by Leo Roldan, Certified Arborist, Certified Tree Worker Specialist, Certified Aerial Lift Specialist, Certified Treecare Safety Professional and TCIA EHAP instructor. Mr. Roldan will make use of the Spanish EHAP Workbook and Manual published by the Tree Care Industry Association. All attendees will receive this publication. Training on the equipment that makes up the electrical distribution system will also be provided. Knowing what each piece is and what it does is an important part of being safe around electrical conductors.

Ballot Measure up for Vote on Tuesday

November 2, 2018 by

On the Connecticut ballot this election year is an opportunity to vote for or against a change to the Connecticut Constitution. This opportunity, on the ballot as Constitutional Amendment Ballot Question 2, relates to the role that the Connecticut legislature can play in the sale or transfer of state-owned Connecticut forestland and other state-owned properties. The leadership of CTPA would like members to be aware of this ballot question so that they can make an informed choice when they vote on Tuesday (or sooner, if voting by absentee ballot).

The problem that this initiative seeks to fix is the following – as it stands now, the legislature can decide, through legislation, to give away, swap or sell, or make available for sale, state land, with minimal public input or debate. Often, these conveyance bills are raised at the last minute during a legislative session. When that happens, the legislature no longer needs to follow the usual rules. Bills can pass without a public hearing or any of the other normal checks on legislation. These sorts of conveyance bills are often written in a manner that overrides any previous legislation. This means that, in the flurry of last minute activity, the legislature can choose to overrule previous statements of intention that may even have been put into law when the state took ownership of that land, including, in the case of donated land, intentions expressed by the original donor of that land to the state.

Passage of this ballot measure would not mean that the legislature would no longer have the ability to authorize the sale or swap of state lands. If this ballot measure passes, it would set Constitutional rules as to what the legislature would have to do in order to pass that sort of legislation. As explained on the website Ballotpedia – a “yes” vote on this ballot measure would require that the legislature conduct a public hearing on bills to authorize the transfer, sale, or disposal of state-owned properties to non-state entities and, in addition, in the case of land under the control of the state Department of Agriculture or state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, that this legislation pass by a two-thirds vote.

A “no” vote opposes making these changes to the Constitution.

To pass, the ballot measure needs to get more ‘yes’ votes than ‘no’ votes. A non-vote (i.e., if the ballot is left blank on this measure) does not count against the total either way.

Proponents of this ballot question see it as a way to help protect state parks, state forests and other conserved lands. Additional information on the initiative can be found on the Connecticut Secretary of the State’s web site, as well as on the CT Forest and Park Association web site. Comments on the initiative by Eric Hammerling, CFPA’s Executive Director, can be found in this CT News Junkie article.

This initiative is largely non-partisan in nature. It passed the CT Senate on a 35-0 vote and the CT House 118-32 — four votes more than the three-quarters needed to get it placed on the ballot. Now it is up to the voters to decide.