CTPA Updates - CTPA (Connecticut Tree Protective Association)

Fall Session of Arboriculture 101 to begin on September 2, 2015

August 11, 2015 by

Hands-on Night during the Winter 2015 class at Arboriculture 101.

Arboriculture 101 is a course given by the CTPA two times a year for those wishing to advance in the field of arboriculture and to prepare for the Connecticut Arborist License exam. It is given one night a week for thirteen weeks. Each class session is 3 hours in length.

The Fall 2015 session of Arboriculture 101 will begin on Wednesday, September 2 and will take place at CTPA HQ in Wallingford. Attendees must have registered in advance of the first class.

For additional details regarding the class, including how to register, please visit the Arboriculture 101 page.

Is EAB a Threat? Are you willing to bet your Ash?

July 31, 2015 by

A successful day of hunting for emerald ash borer larvae. Attendees will learn to identify what EAB looks like.

On September 3rd, CTPA will hold a workshop and field tour so that people can learn about the emerald ash borer (EAB). This workshop will take place in Durham and run from 8 am to 3 pm. Attendees should meet before 8 am at the Durham Fire House, 12 Main Street, Durham 06422

Arborists, tree wardens, foresters, forest practitioners, and all tree and landscape professionals are invited to attend, along with anyone with an interest in our trees and forests. In the course of the day, attendees will learn about the biology of the insect and the means by which it attacks ash trees. They will also first hear about and then go into the field to see the indicators of an emerald ash borer infestation and about the options available to protect ash trees from EAB.

Peeling the bark on an infested ash tree to reveal emerald ash borer larvae.

The speakers include:

Chris Martin, CT State Forester, speaking on the regulatory response to EAB

Dr. Claire Rutledge, Entomologist at the CT Agricultural Experiment Station, speaking on the biology of EAB

Dr. Rich Cowles, also an Entomologist at the CT Agricultural Experiment Station, speaking on how EAB affects trees and the mechanisms by which pesticides protect ash trees from EAB

In addition, there will be a demonstration regarding the use of pesticides. Attendees will have an opportunity to peel the bark on infested trees and see directly the damage that EAB causes to ash trees. Attendees can expect to see live larvae and perhaps adult EAB.

It is requested that attendees register in advance. The cost of attending is $45 for CTPA members and $55 for non-members. Walk-ins may be restricted depending upon space.

CEU’s will be available for CT Licensed Arborist and those holding other CT Pesticide Supervisory licenses, ISA Certified Arborists and CT Forest Practitioners.

If you have any questions, please contact the CTPA office – cathy@ctpa.org or 203-484-2512.

Please Click Here to Register On-line.

To Pay by Check, Please Use this Form. (Form may need to be downloaded to become fillable)

Please Click Here for an EAB Workshop Poster.

Winners of the 2015 CTPA Poster Contest Announced

May 23, 2015 by

The Winners from the 2015 CTPA Arbor Day Poster Contest have now been announced. The winning posters along with the names and schools of the winners can be viewed on the Poster Contest Web Page.

The Winners were honored at an Arbor Day tree planting ceremony held at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven.

Redbud planted at CAES with the help of the 2015 Arbor Day Poster Contest Winners.

CT Tree Climbing Competition 2015

May 3, 2015 by

Climbers, Judges, Volunteers, Family and Friends – CTCC 2015

The CT Tree Climbing Competition took place on Saturday, May 2 2015, at Ballantine Park in Southbury. It was a fun and exciting event, with a good turnout to cheer on the 21 climbers. The five preliminary events got the crowd going, as the climbers worked their way through the five trees selected for the competition. The top 4 climbers based on their scores in the preliminary events were then selected to participate in the Masters Challenge. The Master’s Challenge itself turned out to be one of the more competitive and exciting on record, with the top two climbers, Matt Reynolds and Kyle Donaldson, battling down to the wire. In the end, it came down to which climber was successfully able to pull his gear out of the tree.

Kyle Donaldson, as he completes the winning climb in the Masters Challenge

Congratulations to Kyle Donaldson, overall 2015 CTCC Champion, and to all the climbers, judges, volunteers and participants, who made this year’s competition again one to remember.

2015 CTCC Preliminary Results

2015 CTCC Masters Results

The Winners of each of the Preliminary Events:

Aerial Rescue – Dan Severino
Belayed Speed Climb – Kyle McCabe
Secured Footlock – Kyle McCable
Throw Line – Russell Plumb
Work Climb – Matthew Reynolds

The 4 Master Challengers:

Kyle Donaldson
Matt Reynolds
Dan Severino
Tim Reynolds

New Insect in CT – Southern Pine Beetle

April 7, 2015 by

I wanted to provide some information regarding a new insect now known to be in Connecticut – the Southern Pine Beetle (SPB for short). Expect more detailed information from Dr. Victoria Smith in the upcoming newsletter, but here is some background information to get you started.

SPB has long been a problem in the southeastern US, particularly for the softwood lumber industry. It is a native beetle that tends to lie low in small numbers until conditions are right and then mass-attack stands of trees – including loblolly and shortleaf pines, two of the more economically important southern pines. While it appears to prefer two and three needle pines, it is known to attack five needle pines.

Connecticut was put on alert for this beetle once it was found, first in NJ and then on Long Island. In those areas, its primary target has been pitch pines, which in Connecticut is the primary species in certain unique habitats that are of limited extent and so of special concern. Just last week, it was discovered in Wallingford, at a state park, and since then has been observed at numerous sites around the state. Mostly, the observations have been on Scotch pine and red pine, although it was found in a stand of pitch pine in North Haven. So, it is here.

I would say it is more of an ecological concern than a landscape concern, in that the impact on the unique habitats provided by pitch pine is what is at greater risk. Interestingly enough, the best management recommendation for both landscape trees and forest trees is to keep the trees healthy. A good recommendation for any forester or arborist.

Attached is a short summary by the Bartlett labs that has most of the pertinent information. Keep in mind that the article was written with a southern audience in mind. We don’t know yet, for instance, the number of generations the beetle will be able to sustain here CT.

Also attached is a short information piece, mainly for the pictures. Dr. Claire Rutledge of the CT Agricultural Experiment Station (and the CTPA board) is leading the work on this insect. Dr. Adriana Arango is also working with Claire investigating the nature of this infestation.

Right now, most of the attention is on figuring out where the insect is located. If you see the ‘popcorn’ on the trunk of pine trees such as shown in the pictures, please send an email to Claire letting her know where the trees are. Pictures help. The Experiment Station and the DEEP Forestry are currently working on recommendations as to what to do with these trees. At present, if you know of an infested tree and it is your responsibility to remove it, the best thing is to probably chip it up and remove the chips from site, particularly if there are other pines around. Do not move any whole wood with the bark on, as adults will be emerging later in the spring. If you wish to keep the wood, removing the bark and chipping or otherwise disposing of it (e.g. burning) would work, along with chipping or disposing of the top and branch wood of the tree.

As mentioned, more details will be in the CTPA newsletter shortly and on the website when it is uploaded.

DOWNLOAD >> About the Southern Pine Beetle

DOWNLOAD >> A quick overview of the Southern Pine Beetle

EAB Quarantine Update

January 23, 2015 by

All of Connecticut is now under the larger federal quarantine for EAB.

On December 5, 2014, the Director of the CT Agricultural Experiment Station rescinded the quarantine that had been placed on the four western counties in Connecticut and, in its place, put the entire state under the larger, federal quarantine. This federal quarantine regulates the movement of ask trees and ash wood in an area extending from Missouri and Iowa all the way to New England. The federal quarantine allows the unrestricted movement of regulated articles within this vast stretch of continuous quarantine areas, with some exceptions. Rhode Island is not included in this federal quarantine area because EAB has yet to found in that state.

One exception relates to the movement of hardwood firewood into Connecticut. The provisions of section 22-84-5e of the state regulations still restricts the movement of hardwood firewood into the state that originates from an area quarantined for EAB. In addition, the requirement still exists that the transporter of any firewood within Connecticut be able to document the geographic source of that firewood.

The other major exception has to do with ash that originates from an area quarantined for the Asian longhorned beetle. Ash is a known host for ALB, so the full set of restrictions on wood movement from these areas remains in effect.

For further details, visit the EAB pages on the CT DEEP and CAES websites.