ILLINOIS
http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/2015/01/26/wheaton-city-council-ups-ash-tree-removal-spending-plans-to-have-trees-gone-by-may/aw4yy80/
Wheaton City Council ups ash tree removal spending, plans to have trees gone by May
By NATHAN LURZ MySuburbanLife.com (IL), Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2015 6:54 p.m. CST
WHEATON – Trees on public parkways affected by the emerald ash borer may be gone by May.
The Wheaton City Council unanimously voted to approve almost $2 million for the trees' removal during a Jan. 20 meeting.
In August 2014, city staff proposed adding more than $850,000 to the 2014-15 budget for the program, said City Manager Don Rose, but held off.
"We never presented [the council] with a budget amendment because we were actually hoping to even request more money," he said.
After the approval, the city is allocating about $1.9 million to combat the invasive insect that infests ash trees and slowly kill them, according to city documents.
When Rose originally asked for the additional funds in the fall, the city still had several thousand of the 6,500 previously identified at-risk ash trees to take down. To expedite the process, the city hired outside workers to supplement Wheaton crews. Now it could be done in only months.
Some ash trees in the community are not yet infected, Rose said, and most are being treated by adjoining property owners. However, treating trees isn't a long-term solution.
"What we were told is that treatment is OK for a while, but you're just delaying it," said Mayor Mike Gresk.
Rose and City Attorney James Knippen also told the council it was not legally obligated to replace any trees on private property.
The council has previously supported plans calling for expanding its tree replacement program. If the city decides to sponsor replacements for its trees, it would cost about $1.2 million over the next eight years, Rose said in August.
The city would replace 500 trees each year through fiscal year 2021-22, then the remaining 232 the next year. It would also reimburse residents who had already purchased replacement trees for public parkways.
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Ash tree removal required
Property owners with ash trees on private property are responsible for removing trees infested by the emerald ash borer, according to a city news release.
Trees that have the insect or have been infected with Dutch Elm Disease are officially a public nuisance and owners are tasked with their removal. The city recommends a certified arborist be used for the process.
For more information, visit wheaton.il.us/ashborer.
http://patch.com/illinois/wheaton/wheaton-property-owners-required-remove-diseased-trees-0
Wheaton Property Owners Required to Remove Diseased Trees
Wheaton City Code states that ash trees infested with the emerald ash borer are considered a public nuisance.
By Amie Schaenzer Wheaton Patch (IL), January 28, 2015 at 10:09am
Wheaton Property Owners Required to Remove Diseased Trees
Ash trees infested by the emerald ash borer aren’t just an eyesore -- they also have the potential to become dangerous.
While contracted crews finish removing ash trees located in City parkways, the City reminds property owners that they are responsible for removing ash trees on private property infested by the emerald ash borer. Infested trees become unstable, eventually posing a safety hazard.
Wheaton City Code states that ash trees infested with the emerald ash borer and elm trees infected with the fungus known as Dutch Elm Disease are declared a public nuisance. It is the responsibility of the property owner to promptly remove and properly dispose of these trees. The City recommends you contact a certified arborist regarding tree removal.
Unfortunately, unless property owners have been continuously treating their ash trees with emerald ash borer insecticides, their trees are most likely already infested.
“The emerald ash borer has killed millions of ash trees across the U.S., and the unfortunate reality is that unless you have been treating your trees, you can expect them to become infested,” said Forestry Superintendent Kevin Maloney. “Look for the signs of infestation – such as dieback in the crown of the tree, woodpecker damage and D-shaped holes in the bark. This tells you that your tree is infested and will likely need to be removed.”
For more information about the emerald ash borer, see the City’s website at www.wheaton.il.us/ashborer.
WISCONSIN
http://whbl.com/news/articles/2015/jan/29/dnr-officials-say-now-is-the-time-to-do-your-tree-pruning-and-trimming/
DNR officials say now is the time to do your tree pruning and trimming
Visitors check out the Angel Oak tree in Charleston, South Carolina September 24, 2013. REUTERS/Randall Hill Vistitors check out the Angel Oak tree in Charleston, South Carolina September 24, 2013. REUTERS/Randall Hill
by Raymond Neupert WSAU, Thursday, January 29, 2015 1:05 a.m. CST
MADISON, Wis. -- If you've been looking to get some work done on the trees in your yard, state officials say now is the time to be doing it.
Paul Cigan with the DNR's forest health section says the winter months are the best time to do your pruning because trees are mostly dormant and won't be damaged by losing sap or being exposed to harmful agents. "It's a little bit safer to prune your tree now because it's less likely to be visited by organisms that might harm the tree or bring pathogens that might harm the tree."
This is especially true for oak trees, which are vulnerable to the lethal oak wilt fungus while they are active and blooming during the spring and summer. Cigan says all it takes is an open wound on the tree to kill it. "That fluid would otherwise be an attractant for a small beetle that is attracted to oak wounds, but carries the spores of this lethal oak wilt fungus." The DNR recommends no pruning, wounding, or cutting oak trees from April through July, but you should wait until October if you're very cautious. "There's no active spores, there's no active beetles, and the ability of the tree to produce a beetle attracting substance is low."
As always, you shouldn't be moving raw cut firewood around, because that can spread other parasites like the emerald ash borer or gypsy moth.
ON THE WEB: http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/foresthealth/oakwilt.html
http://www.kenoshanews.com/lifestyles/oak_trees_need_pruning_481068178.html
Oak trees need pruning
By Barb Larson Kenosha News (WI), 012815
Question: I recently purchased property with a number of large oak trees. When we were cleaning out all the buckthorn and other invasive plants last fall, a friend told me I should have the oaks pruned over winter. I don?t think these trees have been pruned for years. Should oaks be pruned? Is this a good time to prune oak trees? — D.D.
Answer: Oak and other large older trees should be pruned every few years. Pruning is important to remove dead wood and maintain good tree structure.
Oaks should be pruned during the dormant season, approximately November through early March. Late fall and winter pruning is recommended to prevent the spread of oak wilt disease.
Fresh wounds, including pruning cuts, release chemical scents that attract insects. In the case of oak wilt, beetles that potentially carry spores of disease fungi are attracted to new wounds and may infect healthy trees. If trees are pruned during winter, when insects are not present, the chance of infection goes down. These diseases also spread from tree to tree through root systems or contaminated pruning tools.
Prevent transmitting diseases during pruning by sanitizing pruners and saws. Pruning tools should be cleaned with either 70-percent denatured alcohol or a disinfecting solution of 1 part chlorine bleach to 9 parts water. Tools should be dipped for 30 seconds in solution between each cut. Bleach is corrosive to metal so before storing tools thoroughly clean with soap and water, rinse, and dry completely.
Pruning cuts should be just outside the branch collar, the thickened area where the branch meets the trunk. The cut will not be absolutely flush with the trunk or leave a branch stub.
Do not use wound dressings. They do not speed healing or reduce disease and insect problems.
Don?t climb trees or risk falling off a ladder to do pruning. It is much safer to hire a certified arborist if your trees are large. Certification is a voluntary training and testing program through the International Society of Arboriculture.
A list of certified arborists is available on the Wisconsin Arborist Association website at www.waa-isa.org, then click on Find a Certified Arborist for Hire. Ask for proof of insurance and a list of references. Don?t hesitate to contact references. I suggest driving by to look at trees the arborist has pruned.
— Barb Larson is horticulture educator for Kenosha County University of Wisconsin Extension. She holds a master’s of science in horticulture from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. If you have a plant or gardening question, email her at or call her at 262-857-1942.