CTPA Updates - CTPA (Connecticut Tree Protective Association)

New Legislation – Change in the Arborist License Examination Process

March 24, 2018 by

There is a bill before the legislature that may be of interest to arborists and other members of CTPA – particularly those people looking to take the Arborist Licensing Exam. The bill is HB 5454.

A little bit of background. During the special session on the State Budget last fall, a provision was included in the legislation that essential required DEEP and the Department of Agriculture to act on almost all licenses and permits within 90 days of the receipt of an application, or else the application would be automatically accepted. So, for instance, take the case of an individual who applied for an arborist license on March 1st and who then took the written exam on March 15 and passed it. Currently, the next tree id and oral exam would not be held until early June – past the 90 days since the receipt of the application.

In this situation, DEEP would be left with only two choices – pass the person without giving him or her the tree id and oral exam, or fail him or her without giving him the additional exams. Neither choice is a good one. DEEP, along with the Tree Protection Examining Board, has been working on a solution that is in accord with this new law.

Since the law went into effect immediately upon passage, DEEP and the Tree Protection Examining Board have had to react quickly and with limited opportunity to soften the impact of the change required. As things stand right now:

People who apply for the written exam must pay attention to the when the next tree id and oral exams will be given. Applicants will be assigned to the next written exam and, if they then cannot take the tree id or oral exam in time, they fail. (The scheduling process is now centralized in DEEP and so there is less discretion as to when people can be assigned a test date – and almost no opportunity to refund fees once paid.)
People who pass the written exam will be assigned to the next scheduled tree id and oral exam. Right now, these are scheduled only 4 times a year. In a departure from past practice, each applicant will only have one opportunity to pass the tree id or oral exam – if they fail one or the other, then their application is rejected without an opportunity to retake either one. Also, if an applicant is a no-show for a test date, he or she is given a failure.
Once people fail the tree id or oral exam, they have to start all over again with a re-taking of the written exam. This includes repayment of the $200 application fee.

The bill presently before the legislature, HB 5454, would repeal this 90 day requirement for the arborist license exam as well as most other professional exams given by DEEP (the 90 day requirement is now in effect for all pesticide supervisory exams, for forest practitioner exams and licensed environmental professional exam, among others). It is not a complete repeal of all that now falls under the 90 day requirement due to the budget law. Under HB 5454, there would be modifications of the current law, with certain features of the current version to remain, particularly as relate to specific permits.

The CTPA Board tends to favor the repeal of the 90 day requirement for the Arborist License and a return to the old system under which this license has been issued. It has not taken a position on the full provisions of either the current legislation as was passed in the budget bill, or on the provisions in HB 5454.

To gain a better understanding of the issues involved, CTPA members are encouraged to read the testimony submitted on this bill. In particular, the testimony of the DEEP Commissioner and that of the Connecticut Environmental Council, of which CTPA is a member, are very interesting and informative.

CTPA members and others who have strong views on this issue are encouraged to contact their local state legislators.

2018 CT Climbing Competition

February 28, 2018 by

The 2018 Connecticut Tree Climbing Competition is on Saturday, May 5, 2018 at the CT Veterans Healthcare and Residential Facility in Rocky Hill.

CT Tree Climbing Competition - rescue Each year, 25-30 climbers, men and women, participate in a competition that showcases the skill, safety, insight and knowledge that is all a part of climbing trees professionally. The event also showcases the camaraderie, spirit and overall sense of fun that is also a part of this unique group of skilled individuals.

The Five Qualifying Events in the CT Tree Climbing Competition are:

The Foot Lock – a timed ascent up a climbing line to a specified height (either 40′ or 50′).
Throw Line Accuracy – a timed event in which the competitor sets three different lines in specified parts of a tree.
Belayed Speed Climb – a timed ‘free-climb’ (climber is belayed) 40′ to 60′ up a selected tree.
Work Climb – five work stations are set within a given tree and competitors are scored as they move through the tree completing assigned tasks.
Aerial Rescue – climbers are timed as they ‘rescue’ a dummy set in a tree.

This years (2018) Connecticut Tree Climbing Competition is at the Veterans Healthcare & Residential Facility in Rocky, Hill, CT.
This is an all day event that is open to the public.
If you are interested in being a competitive climber or a sponsor, please register on-line or
by mail.

If you are interested in being a volunteer, please call Bud Neal (203)577-8144 (cell)
or Cathy in the office (203)484-2512.

Be On the Lookout for the Spotted Lanternfly

January 24, 2018 by

(Note – the below post was submitted by Katherine Dugas of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. As part of her duties with the Entomology Department at CAES, Katherine is Project Coordinator for the Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey, or CAPS. Additional details on CAPS can be found on the CAES website.)

Spotted lanternfly is a somewhat ‘new’ kid on the block – populations were first discovered in Berks County, PA in late 2014. It is a species of planthopper,

Adult spotted lanternfly. Photo from WV Department of Agriculture.

more closely related to aphids and cicadas than moths. It is a potential threat to many important agricultural crops, such as grapes, apples, hops, and forest products.

Learn more about the spotted lanternfly’s biology.

Adults are showy and there aren’t many natives it can be easily mistaken for. Nymphs are flightless but can jump, older instars are brightly-colored. The egg masses are the hardest life stage to spot. They are laid similar to gypsy moth egg masses and very well camouflaged.

Monitoring and control efforts in PA are ongoing, but there is much concern that it can spread to other states via anthropogenic activity. This past fall we had two reports of spotted lanternfly being found outside of PA. The first was a single female found in New Castle County, DE. The report was released on 11/20/17. View the New Castle County report.

The second report, released 11/29/17, is of a single dead spotted lanternfly found in Delaware County, NY. It is thought that the insect arrived on an interstate shipment. View the Delaware County report.

If you suspect you have found spotted lanternfly, please contact Katherine Dugas of the CT Agricultural Experiment Station. Email is Katherine.Dugas@ct.gov – please collect suspect insects and send photographs.

Egg mass on stone. Photo from APHIS.

Late instar nymphs on tree-of-heaven. Photo by Eric R. Day, VA Tech

CTPA Announces its Annual Awards

January 21, 2018 by

At its recent Annual Meeting, CTPA presented its 2018 awards. The awards included the Award of Merit – which is given to a CTPA member, the Arborist Citation – which is given to a non-member for contributions to tree care in the state – and the CTPA Arborist Scholarship. In addition, this year, CTPA declared two of its members as Honorary Members.

Chosen to receive the Award of Merit this year was Les Lewis III, owner of Les Arbes, a tree care and fine gardening company in Georgetown, CT.

Les Lewis III receives the Award of Merit from his son, Les Lewis IV

Throughout his career, Les has earned a stellar reputation as an arborist and tree care company owner. He has had a wide-ranging influence on the practice of tree care and is known as a mentor for the people who have worked for him and as a thorough professional who stressed the importance of detail and quality in tree work.

Adding additional meaning to the award, Les’s son, Les Lewis IV, presented the plaque commemorating the award to his father. Les IV’s many kind words were both moving and motivating, as it clearly showed the bond of the father and son, a bond that includes tree care.

The Arborist Citation this year was given to Dr. Rich Cowles of the CT Agricultural Experiment Station. It

Rich Cowles with Bud Neal, as Rich receives the plaque bearing his Arborist Citation

would be difficult to imagine someone who is more deserving of this award. Rich has long championed the work of arborists in Connecticut, providing support in numerous ways through his research at the Agricultural Station into insects and the means of controlling the damage done by insects. Over the past several years Rich, along with his colleague Dr. Claire Rutledge, have presented numerous workshops on the emerald ash borer. Their presentations have provided the definitive word on this insect to many in tree care throughout Connecticut.

Each year, CTPA provides a $2,000 scholarship to a Connecticut college student studying arboriculture or urban forestry who also plans to go on to a career in tree care. This year’s recipient of the CTPA Arborist Scholarship is Conor Smith, currently

Conor Smith, recipient of the Arborist Scholarship, is congratulated by Emmett Schutts, Scholarship Committee Chair

studying at the University of New Hampshire. Conor has worked at several tree care companies, both large and small, is an active member of the UNH Woodsman Team and, following his degree from the Forest Technology Program, plans on becoming a licensed arborist.

The last award to be presented was the Honorary Member Award. This designation is not given often and only at the discretion of the board. It is considered to be the CTPA’s highest honor to a member. It is generally presented to an individual only after a long period of service to the organization that has featured a high degree of accomplishment.

This year, CTPA presented two Honorary Member Awards, to Bud Neal and Chris Donnelly. Bud is currently serving as CTPA’s President, is a long-time board member, has been highly active in the CTPA Tree Climbing Competition and has, over the years, taken on numerous assignments, unselfishly and whole-heartedly. He has also come up with many good, solid ideas that have proved their value to the members, such as the annual EAB workshops and, before that, the trips to Worcester to see the ALB infestation. Currently, he is working on a true labor of love, the Veterans Home and Hospital Healing Garden at Rocky Hill.

Chris has been associated with the CTPA board since 1996, when he took on the position of Executive Secretary. In 2003, he moved up from being a staff

Bud Neal and Chris Donnelly hold their Honorary Member plaques

member to being on the board, where he then held each of the various officer positions, including spending 2 years as President of the Association. Chris has been the long-time editor of the CTPA newsletter and was the first webmaster for the CTPA website. Perhaps his most important contributions have been through his administration of Arboriculture 101. Since 1996, when the first class was held, somewhere approaching 2,000 students have taken the course. Chris shares credit for the success of this course with all of the instructors and each of the Executive Secretaries who haven been instrumental in making this course happen, noting that it has undoubtedly had an influence over the state of arboriculture in Connecticut.

At the Annual Meeting, CTPA also presented a check to the CT Agricultural Experiment Station, to assist that facility in the work it does in support of arboriculture in Connecticut.

CTPA Introduces its Go To The Top Web Site

January 15, 2018 by

CTPA is pleased to announce the release of its Go To The Top web site, with the publication of its “Hire a CT Licensed Arborist” web page. CTPA members may view this page at arborists.ctpa.org. This page features an Arborist Business search tool.

The page and the website are still being finalized. Once ready, CTPA will work to promote the site to the general public in Connecticut. Our goal for the site as a whole is to increase awareness of the Arborist Licensing Law, including the value it provides the public, as well as to assist people in the hiring of a licensed arborist. The design of the web page is deliberately mobile-device friendly.

CTPA chose to list DEEP-registered arborist businesses on this search page as the best and most direct way to help prospective clients find a licensed arborist.

We are releasing this page in advance of CTPA’s Annual Meeting so that the web page may be discussed at the Business Meeting. The Business Meeting will begin at 8:30 am on January 18th.

Funds are being sought to support the Veterans Home and Hospital Healing Garden

December 26, 2017 by

A few weeks back, CTPA reported on the progress that that is being made on the Home and Hospital Healing Garden. This Garden is being constructed at the State of Connecticut Veterans Home in Rocky Hill, under the leadership of CTPA’s President Bud Neal. CTPA has taken on the primary role in ensuring that this project gets completed, as a contribution made to Connecticut’s service veterans, in recognition of their service to the country. CTPA has taken on this role because a central feature of the Healing Garden is that of the healing benefits that come from trees.

All of this was outlined in the previous post. Additional information on the Healing Garden can be found the January edition of the CTPA newsletter and during the CTPA Annual Meeting.

In order to complete the Veterans Healing Garden, fundraising is necessary. CTPA looks to raise about $30,000. The 5 trees have already been donated, but CTPA is seeking support that will allow the purchase of benches, a fence, two plaques, seed for the lawn, plants for the individual gardens, a flagpole and various other items. It also seeks to raise a small cash reserve that can be used to offset future maintenance costs and needs.

CTPA is registered with the IRS as a 501(c)3 organization. This means that it may accept charitable donations and that donors may claim such donations as tax-exempt. The Association will acknowledge any donations with a letter verifying that the donation has been received.

We wanted to get word of this out to CTPA members and others who may be interested in helping out, before the end of 2017, in case individuals would prefer the opportunity to donate during the current tax year.

To donate by credit card,

To donate by check, please mail your donation to the CTPA office:
CTPA
PO Box 1946
Wallingford, CT 06492

Checks mailed before the end of the year can be used as deductions against this year’s taxes. Be sure to indicate that the check is intended for the Healing Garden.

If you have questions, call the CTPA Office at 203-484-2512.

Thank you!

CTPA 96th Annual Meeting – Attendee Registration

December 8, 2017 by

2016-01-21 13.59.42 Please join us for our 96th Annual Meeting, Thursday, January 18, 2018 at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville, CT. We have a great line-up of speakers (Dr. Gerorge Hudler from Cornell University and Tim Walsh from The Davey Tree Expert Company, our always packed trade show and, of course, an excellent lunch. /The following CEU’s are available at the end of the day: CT DEEP 2A/2.0, 3A/4.25 CEU’s, CT Forest Practitioner/2.0 CEU’s, ISA Certification/3.75 CEU’s, TCIA CTSP/1.0 CEU’s and Advanced Certified Tree Wardens’/4.25 CEU’s.

New Website Now On-Line, with Resources and Tools for Urban Foresters, Tree Wardens and Arborists

December 1, 2017 by

A brand-new website, the Vibrant Cities Lab, is now available on line. The website is an interesting compendium of resources, research, tools and ideas, laid out in an accessible manner that draws people in. In addition to those who work professionally in tree care, the website is also geared towards providing tools to municipal managers, governmental leaders, advocates and others who need to know about trees.

The Vibrant Cities Lab is the product of a joint effort by the USDA Forest Service, American Forests and the National Association of Regional Councils. The website draws on a wide range of resources, evaluating them as to usefulness and then making them easily available to the user. The goal is to continue to grow this library of resources, including new research, resources and case studies as they come along.

The Lab is also a great place in which to browse for ideas, especially ideas relating to policy concerns and management options in the urban forest. The structure of the web pages encourages that sort of productive digging into the available material, offering options and choices that the user of the website can them pursue further.

It is worth spending a few minutes browsing the pages of this website. Over time, expect it to continue to grow, becoming even more useful as new and updated resources are added.

www.vibrantcitieslab.com

CT Legislative Report Gives Alternate View on Tree Liability Across Property Lines

November 30, 2017 by

OLR rpt 2017-R-0221 – Trees Falling onto Neighbor’s Land

The State of Connecticut’s Office of Legislative Research (OLR) has issued a report on tree liability that is certain to challenge many arborists’ understanding of this topic. The report, entitled “Trees Falling onto Neighbor’s Land”, discusses the extent of the liability that can be placed on a neighbor who owns a tree that fails, when that tree causes damage to a second neighbor’s property and also when the first neighbor has been given notice beforehand that the tree is likely to fail. The generally held understanding is that, in situations in which the tree is not anticipated to fail, the owner of the tree cannot be held liable. The cost of cleanup is the responsibility of the neighbor onto whose property the tree fell. However, it is also commonly believed that, when the owner of the tree has been notified that the tree is likely to fail, he or she can be held liable for the clean-up and damages if they did not act on this information. The usual means for notifying the tree’s owner, according to this view, is for the second neighbor, the one who has the concern that the tree is about to fall, to hire an arborist to determine that the tree is likely to be a problem and then let the first neighbor, the tree’s owner, know that there is the potential for a problem. This notification is usually done through such means such as a certified letter.

By referencing tow recent Connecticut court cases, this report knocks down that second commonly held assumption. In each of these cases, the courts reached the conclusion that the tree on the first neighbor’s property is a “natural condition of the land” and not the responsibility of that neighbor should the tree fail. In the first court case referenced, clear prior notice was given the owner of the tree that it was defective, but the court was not persuaded that knowing that fact placed any specific responsibility on the tree owner to do anything about it.

It does not appear that an arborist was involved in the inspection of this tree. Nor is there any indication that it would have made a difference in the ruling if an arborist was involved.

It is interesting to note that, in a prior OLR report from 2015, the same attorney suggests that common law supports the previous understanding – that knowledge of a defective condition in a tree could make an owner liable if he or she does not take action (OLR 2015-R-0278). Clearly, these two recent court cases have convinced the author that the point of view of the courts on this matter may be shifting.

In the background of these two court cases are a series of bills that have been proposed in the State Legislature. In each year between 2014 through 2017, a bill has been proposed that would establish in state law requirements regarding these two situations. In 2014 the bill passed but was vetoed by the Governor, based on concerns that that version was overly binding on tree owners. The subsequent bills each failed to pass in their respective legislative sessions. This legislative history is also outlined in the report.

The Office of Legislative Research is the Connecticut General Assembly’s office of non-partisan research on bills and issues of interest to legislators.

Given this report, it will be interesting to see if this bill is brought upon again during the upcoming 2018 session.

Nominations for CTPA Awards

October 18, 2017 by

The Connecticut Tree Protective Association regularly honors individuals who have made significant contributions to arboriculture and to the care and protection of Connecticut’s trees. These awards are given annually and presented at the Annual Meeting. The CTPA Board of Directors is requesting nominees for awards for the upcoming Annual Meeting on January 18, 2018 and encourages you to nominate someone whom you feel deserves special recognition.

Award Categories:

Award of Merit– This award is presented to a CTPA member who has shown exemplary professionalism and dedication and made outstanding contributions to the care and protection of Connecticut’s trees.
Arborist Citation– This award is presented to a non-member who has shown exemplary dedication to the care and protection of Connecticut’s trees.

If you know of someone that is deserving of either of these awards, please print out the nomination form and email (info@ctpa.org) or fax (203)793-7924 to the CTPA office.

The deadline for nominations is Friday, December 1, 2017.