arborists Archives - CTPA (Connecticut Tree Protective Association)

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

CTPA has received an email from Dr. Rich Cowles at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, asking for assistance with his research on honeybees. Please, if you can help him locate wild bee hives, let him know:

Dear CTPA Members,

I have a favor to ask – would you please contact me when you encounter a bee tree (a tree housing a wild honeybee hive)?

I currently have a CT Dept. of Agriculture grant to work on improving the genetics of honey bees being kept in our state. One of the sources for superior genetics may be from feral bees. The thought is that these bees are maintaining their health and surviving, without needing the various treatments beekeepers have to use to maintain the bees in typical hives (protecting them from varroa mites, hive beetles, etc…). If so, they could represent particularly healthy stock that might provide good candidates for a breeding program.

The goal is hardier, managed colonies that do not have to be re-queened or replaced (due to the whole colony dying) as frequently.

There are two methods that I may use to obtain these feral populations. If a tree is not being taken down, then I may place a swarm trap nearby to intercept any swarms “thrown off” by the parent colony. If a hollow tree containing bees is being removed, I would be interested in having the colony being brought down intact, so that I may rescue the colony by hiving the bees.

This project will be active this year and through next year, too. Arborists should contact me directly when they find feral bees. My work phone number is given below. If it is extremely urgent (in the midst of tree removal and a colony is discovered!) then please call (860)683-4977 and ask for Rose. She can provide to you my cell phone number.

Thank you,

Richard S. Cowles, Ph.D.
Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
Valley Laboratory
Windsor, CT 06095
(860) 683-4983
Richard.Cowles@ct.gov

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

Request for Help with Honey Bee Research

Contact CTPA

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