AED Foundation & SkillsUSA Illinois Support Skilled Trades
Jessica Schwartz
More Accurate Heat Mapping & Tree Planting In Philadelphia
A new high-resolution heat map of Philadelphia, PA from The Nature Conservancy (TNC) more closely resembles the actual heat people feel on a hot urban summer day—and reveals how local landscape features affect temperature and humidity. The data for the new heat map was gathered in the summer of 2022 when multiple partner organizations—including the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS), community groups, and city residents—mapped Philadelphia’s “urban heat island” as part of a federally-funded study to uncover how heat varies across neighborhoods on a hot summer day. The measurements taken during this campaign notably differ from those used in previous heat maps, however, due to more “real world” methodology. In prior heat maps, temperatures were obtained by satellites recording surface temperatures, like the tops of buildings. Yet this campaign measured air temperature and humidity close to the ground, more closely representing the heat people feel. Additionally, measurements were collected at multiple times of day (morning, afternoon, and evening), capturing how the hottest and coolest areas change depending on time of day. The findings from TNC’s study, dubbed the Citywide Heat Ride, revealed that temperatures in neighborhoods with lower tree canopy coverage soared as much as 10.5˚ higher than more tree-dense areas at the same time of day, underscoring the importance of increasing the level of tree canopy coverage, especially in areas with high vulnerability to extreme heat. Lori Brennan, executive director of TNC in Pennsylvania and Delaware, emphasized the significance of this study, stating, “As average temperatures continue to rise due to ...
Drip Irrigation Used In UK’s First-of-its-Kind Carbon Sequestering Initiative
Netafim, a provider of sustainable precision irrigation solutions and agricultural projects, has announced implementation of its drip irrigation system for a site growing carbon-storing trees in Suffolk, UK. In the first-of-its-kind project in the UK , a variety of Paulownia trees are being planted across 331 acres of land to produce fast-growing quality hardwood and absorb carbon dioxide up to seven times faster than newly-planted indigenous woodland. Initiated by Carbon Plantations, the property was built to ensure the project’s long-term stability and increase yield and carbon-storing capabilities. Working towards the UK Government’s strategy of creating economic opportunities for carbon capture as a key part of achieving net-zero emission goals, the trees will be thinned out after seven years, their timber sold for light construction, and carbon credits will either be claimed or auctioned for corporate carbon offsetting, contributing to ESG goals. The project is expected to absorb over 165,000 tons of CO2 over the first 10 years of its lifetime. “We already know that our drip technology increases water and nutrient use efficiency, while increasing productivity. We are excited to partner with Carbon Plantations to transform the way we are removing carbon from the atmosphere and advancing life around the world,” commented John Farner, Netafim chief sustainability officer. Nigel Couch, managing director of Carbon Plantations, said: “We are acutely aware of the urgency of taking action to tackle the climate and ecological crises, and increasing tree planting is a key part of the government’s Net Zero strategy. Farmers planting trees ...
Last Day To Vote! Kubota Community Choice $100,000 Grant
In the spirit of “Together We Do More,” Kubota is calling for the public’s help in selecting a winner for the Kubota Community Choice Award grant, which would essentially double the award money for one of the five community projects who have already been awarded $100,000 each. Until 11:59 p.m. CT tonight, the public is invited to visit KubotaHometownProud.com to cast a vote. And every vote cast is entered into a separate sweepstakes for a chance to win a Kubota sub-compact tractor or zero turn mower! Last year, Kubota awarded one grant in the inaugural year of the program. This year, in honor of its 50th Anniversary, Kubota has awarded five grants, as well as a Community Choice Award grant. The Community Choice Award grant will provide an additional $100,000 to one of the lucky winners. Here’s a look at the winning organizations: Food Bank of Monterey County and 5-Acre Farm and Kids Food Fix, Salinas, CA: As the childhood poverty capital of California, building nutritional security for children in the Salinas Valley is essential, and expanding the Monterey Food Bank campus is an important next step toward that goal. ‘Five-Acre Farm and Kids Food Fix’ puts children at the center of a hands-on learning experience and uses healthy food to engage all aspects of the child’s education. The Food Bank of Monterey County currently serves 160,000 individuals each month, over half of them are children. The Kubota Hometown Proud grant will be used to help build out a large ...
Husqvarna & Teufelberger Collaborate On Purpose-Built Arborist Gear
Husqvarna has partnered with Austtian climbing gear manufacturer Teufelberger to launch new climbing gear in the U.S. during the first half of 2023. Husqvarna has identified a need among arborists and tree care workers for products and tools designed for their specific professional that are comfortable, efficient, and enhance safety. The collaboration with Teufelberger is the first step in Husqvarna’s goal to complement its chainsaw offering with high-quality products specifically made for working at heights. “When we decided to create our own climbing gear, we asked arborists and tree workers about the best and most reputable producers in that market. We understood that Teufelberger was a great match for us in terms of high quality combined with opportunities for innovation,” said Johan Hallendorf, director Global Portfolio Arborist Solutions at Husqvarna. “Together with our chainsaws, we want to offer arborists and tree workers the best equipment solutions for their most frequent needs.” “We are excited to partner with Husqvarna. With their expertise in chainsaws, combined with our expertise in climbing gear, we will be able to develop new products that make the working lives of arborists and tree workers a lot easier,” said Ludovic Rambert, business unit manager (Treecare) at Teufelberger. The Husqvarna HT 105 pole pruner was recently highlighted in Turf’s April 2022 issue! Check out Get Equipped: Tree Care. Teufelberger is a seventh-generation family-operated company of 1,500 employees worldwide that manufactures fiber ropes, steel wire ropes and strapping.
Green Industry Team Answers Call To Treat 150 Ash Trees In Des Moines
SiteOne, Arborjet, and others joined forces in Iowa to treat trees against the devastation of emerald ash borer. The city of Des Moines, IA recently requested help to treat 150 ash trees that hadn’t been protected against emerald ash borer (EAB) for several years. Arbor Masters®, a provider for the city, volunteered assistance alongside SiteOne® Landscape Supply, Mirimichi Green, and Arborjet. EAB is an invasive beetle that has destroyed millions of ash trees in the U.S. since it first appeared in 2002. It was first spotted in Des Moines several years ago, leading to the removal of thousands of trees. “Like many communities, Des Moines has many well-established ash trees that should be preserved,” said Matthew McCarroll, national account manager at SiteOne. “This pest is impacting neighborhoods by taking memories and history when trees must be removed. It was important for us to come together as an industry to help the city maintain some of its tree canopy.” The treatments included root collar excavation and soil amendment with LESCO CarbonPro-G, a soil optimizer, among other products. Infected trees can be identified by thinning leaf coverage, yellowing leaves, canopy and bark loss, and D-shaped holes. The beetle’s larvae lay eggs in the cracks of the ash trees and feed on bark, killing the tree. SiteOne offers a range of products and expertise to prevent and treat pest outbreaks like EAB. For more Turf coverage on EAB, see: Three Tree & Shrub Pests To Watch The Tiny Champion Fighting Emerald Ash Borer ...
Finding Emerald Ash Borer: Watching Woodpeckers & Early ID
Robert Haight, a Forest Service researcher in St. Paul, Minnesota, has proposed a more strategic approach to saving ash trees: identifying beetle-infested trees before they show signs of damage. One way, he says, involves searching for woodpeckers. The emerald ash borer (EAB) hides its eggs in bark crevices and tunnels deeply within trees — invisible to humans, but not to woodpeckers. They pick at the tree’s bark, searching for tasty grubs. Along with other research colleagues from the Northern Research Station, the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and the College of Saint Rose, Haight has developed a new model that combines a map of a city’s ash trees with a summary of their health. Multiple health categories denote unaffected, newly infested, and long-term infested trees. These highly specific categories improve upon previous models, allowing for more accurate forecasts of tree health. These forecasts help city planners economize EAB management. For example, they can decide where to protect healthy trees by inoculating them with insecticide and where to remove low-value specimens. Trees can endure infestations for a few years before exhibiting outward signs of damage, like yellowing leaves and dying branches. Once branches begin to die, insecticides may no longer prevent damage and death. Detecting vulnerable trees early gives arborists and others more opportunities for intervention. This new model, combined with other treatment options, informs and improves ash tree defense. Haight noted that tree care providers can track locations of potentially infested trees by searching for signs of the beetle ...
Experts Predict Bad Year For Browntail Moth Infestations
The browntail moth has recently made a strong resurgence across the Northeast, according to sources at Arborjet | Ecologel. Experts predict this will be a bad year for the invasive insect, “possibly the worst it’s been in over 100 years.” The browntail moth was accidentally introduced into Somerville, MA from Europe in the late 1800’s. By the 20th century, the insect had spread to all of the New England states, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. The Maine Forestry Department says that browntail moth populations are again building in Maine and in areas along the coastal northeast. The larval stage (caterpillar) of this insect feeds on the foliage of hardwood trees and shrubs including: oak, shadbush, apple, cherry, beach plum, and rugosa rose. This causes reduction of growth and occasional mortality of trees and shrubs. While feeding damage causes concern, the browntail moth’s primary impact on people results from contact with poisonous hairs produced by the caterpillars. Microscopic, toxic hairs break off the caterpillars and can be airborne or settle on surfaces. Sensitive individuals who encounter the hairs may develop a skin rash similar to poison ivy and/or have trouble breathing. “Timely treatment is even more important with the browntail moth than most other leaf-feeding insects because of the risk to humans posed by contact with their hairs,” says Rob Gorden, director of Urban Forestry and Business Development for Arborjet. “Treatments can be done in the spring when caterpillar larvae become active, as leaf expansion occurs, beginning in May into early ...
