MAA Members,
As warmer weather comes our way, we are excited for our members to have the opportunity to get back out into the field. It seems that this will be another wet spring, already raising concern of disease and pest issues. Check out the IPM report from University of Maryland Extension to keep up to date on the latest news relevant to our industry.
We are pleased to be hosting several events this spring, including our 41
st
Arborist Day event, which will be held at Adkin's Arboretum on the Eastern Shore. We will also be partnering with University of Maryland Extension for an Evening Diagnostic Clinic at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville. Both of these events will offer various CEU opportunities. More information can be found in the Save the Date section of this newsletter.
Finally, we ask members to save the date for our annual fall safety event on September 11, 2019 at the Howard County Fairgrounds. Maryland Occupational Safety and Health will be sponsoring again this year. Keep an eye out for more details in the coming months.
Stay Safe!
Lindsay Thompson
MAA Executive Director
(443) 262-8491
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Thank You to our White Oak Sponsors
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Spotted Lanternfly Update
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The following was provided by Stanton Gill, Extension Specialist in IPM and Entomology, University of Maryland.
If you do business in any of the quarantined counties of Pennsylvania, you need to take the online Penn State Extension permit exam. The PA Depart of Agriculture will issue you vehicle permits.
Don’t worry, you are not alone in taking the exam. Since Brian Kunkel, University of Delaware and I will be conducting spotted lanternfly trial’s in a nursery in PA, I took the exam on March 20, 2019 and obtained my permits.
NOTE: New Jersey and Delaware have also issued SLF quarantines and require permits.
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Boxwood Blight Stays on the Radar
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The following was provided by Karen Rane, Plant Pathologist, University of Maryland.
Last year’s rainy, mild weather encouraged outbreaks of boxwood blight throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. The fallen, infected leaves and stem cankers generated last year means that there is a large amount of inoculum ready to cause infection this year. And don’t be fooled into thinking our winter weather kills this fungus – the microsclerotia formed in infected leaves allow the pathogen to survive adverse environmental conditions from year to year. I’ve already received 10 positive boxwood blight samples in the UMD Plant Diagnostic Lab since December 1, and all of them showed active
spore production within a few days of moist incubation. Sanitation is critical for managing this disease. As landscapers, it’s important to know which of your clients’ properties contain boxwoods, and which of those are confirmed with the disease – this will aid in helping devise schedules to visit infected properties after healthy properties and minimize spreading the disease. Remember, fungicides can protect healthy boxwoods from infection, but fungicides alone won’t cure plants with the disease.
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Professional Fertilizer Applicator Certification Exam and Training Offered
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Lawn care professionals who want to become certified by the Maryland Department of Agriculture to apply fertilizer to lawns should register for the upcoming certification exam on May 9. The exam will take place at the department’s headquarters, 50 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis. Optional training sessions will be offered from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on the day of the exam. Maryland’s Lawn Fertilizer Law requires lawn care professionals hired to apply fertilizers to turfgrass to be certified by the department or work under the direct supervision of an individual who is certified. Download a
registration form
for the certification exam. Information on the required two-hour re-certification training classes for certified professional fertilizer applicators is available on the department’s
website
.
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Police: 'Woodchucks' Scamming Elderly Residents out of Millions in Wealthy DC Suburbs
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Local news ABC7 WJAL shares a warning from police of fraudulent tree care service workers who are preying on the elderly in wealthy DC suburbs. Homeowners are urged to verify the status of the tree companies by checking the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Licensed Tree Expert
database
.
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New LTE's - Congratulations!
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Congratulations to the following individuals who passed the March LTE
exam:
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Shauna O'Malley
Brandon Mitzel
Susan Swolinski
Mariya Berra
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Matthew Smith-Davis
Ronald Enos
Timothy Buckner
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Follow the Maryland Arborist Association on Facebook by clicking
here
.
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According to the newest ANSI Z-133-2017 can climbing spurs (gaffs) be worn while working from an aerial device? (Clue – See Sect 5.2)
True or False
According to the newest ANSI Z-133-2017 during pruning and removal operations is a hand saw required to be taken by the aerial device operator while working aloft? (Clue – See Sect 5.2)
True or False
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Workers can fall or be thrown from an elevated bucket. The major causes of injuries and fatalities involving aerial lifts are falls, electrocutions, and equipment collapses or tip-overs.
Tips for Working with Aerial Lifts
- Always follow manufacturer’s instructions.
- Allow only qualified and trained workers to operate aerial lifts.
- Inspect the lift and worksite before each use.
- Set outriggers on pads or on a level, solid surface.
- Set brakes when outriggers are used.
- Watch out for overhead power lines or other obstructions.
- Use wheel chocks on sloped surfaces.
- Use a body harness or a restraining belt with a lanyard attached to the bucket.
- Wear eye protection and a hard hat. Do not wear climbing spurs inside the bucket.
- Tie off to an approved anchor point, and stand firmly on the bucket’s floor.
- Do not overreach beyond the edge of the bucket.
- Do not use bucket for material handling, unless designed for it.
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The Maryland Arborist Association was saddened to hear the news of a man killed in Bel Air after a tree had fallen on him. Our condolences to go out to his family.
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Join fellow MAA volunteers at our 41st Arborist Day! This year’s project will be located at the scenic Adkins Arboretum on the Eastern Shore. Morning coffee, juice and donuts, and lunch will be provided to all. All participants must bring their own climbing and personal protective equipment. All gear/equipment must be up to MOSH, ANSI ZI33, and TCIA standards. Proof of insurance is required. There will be 3 MD LTE Credits offered at this event.
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Join the Maryland Arborist Association and University of Maryland Extension for an Evening Plant Diagnostic Clinic at Woodmont Country Club. University of Maryland Extension Specialist, Karen Rane (Pathologist and Director of the Plant Diagnostic Clinic), David Clement (Pathologist), and Stanton Gill (Entomologist) will update attendees on relevant insect and disease issues. Afterward, they will lead attendees on a walk of the Woodmont Country Club grounds to identify insect and disease problems in the landscape. Phil Normandy of Brookside Gardens will join to help ID tree species on the grounds and talk about their attributes.
Full attendance of this program qualifies for 2.5 MD LTE credits, as well as MDA Pesticide Recertification, ISA and CPH credits. Registration is $35 for members and $50 for non-members. Registration cost includes dinner. Must register by May 15 to be guaranteed.
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Hotwire & Aerial Rescue Demonstrations - April 24, 2019 - Pikesville, MD
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Join A&A Tree Experts, Inc. at their location for a workshop including the BGE Hotwire Demonstration truck and Aerial Rescue training. 1.5 MD LTE credits will be available at this event. For more information, contact Anthony Richie, 410-486-4561,
anthony@aatreeexperts.com
.
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Join MAC-ISA for this Tree Plant Appraisal Qualification (TPAQ) course from May 8-9, 2019. The course will be held from 8:00 am–5:00 pm daily at the Herrity Building in Fairfax, Virginia. Continuing Education Units: 14 ISA CEUs.
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Maryland Licensed Tree Expert exams are administered on the second Wednesday of each month at the Department of Natural Resources Headquarters in Annapolis. Upcoming exam date
s are
March 13, April 10, and May 8, 2019
. To
register, please contact Ms. Romcesa Estep, 410-260-8531.
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MAA & MOSH Fall Safety Event
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The Maryland Arborist Association’s annual fall safety event will be held on September 11, 2019 at the Howard County Fairgrounds. Maryland Occupational Safety and Health will be sponsoring again this year. More details coming soon.
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