September 29, 2021
MAA Members,

As we start to welcome cooler weather this fall, the Maryland Arborist Association is looking forward to various events that we will be hosting in the coming months. Registration will soon be available for our upcoming 43rd Annual Arborist Day Project to be held at the Baltimore County Center for Maryland Agriculture and Farm Park on November 6. Our planning committee also recently met to discuss details for our 41st Annual Safety and Pesticide Recertification Seminar. The committee is excited to offer an informative agenda at this important event, tentatively scheduled for March 22-23, 2022 at the Turf Valley Resort and Conference Center. Keep an eye out for more details on these events coming soon!

We are also continuing to prepare for an upcoming election for our Board of Directors in 2022, and looking for new individuals who are interested in becoming more involved with MAA. Check out the information under "Industry News" if this is something you'd like to learn more about.

Finally, I would like to welcome new members to our organization who have joined thus far this year: Ag Insurance Solutions, Annable Tree Service, Beautiful Country Landscape, Beeghly Tree LLC, Economy Tree Service, Jason Gilbert, Jody A. Bielski, John Stuart, Lazo Landscaping Inc., Mike Timber's Tree Removal Service, New Forest Tree Care, Red Oaks Tree Experts, and W.W. Frederick & Son Tree Service.


Stay Safe and Healthy!

Danielle Bauer Farace
Executive Director
Being a Maryland Arborist Association Member provides a number of benefits to you and your business.
Benefits include discounted event registration, educational resources, and up-to-date news and information.
THANK YOU TO OUR WHITE OAK SPONSORS:
Sugar Maple Sponsor:
6th Annual Day of Safety and Health
We'd like to thank everyone who joined us for our 6th Annual Day of Safety and Health earlier this month, co-hosted with Maryland Occupational Safety and Health (MOSH). We welcomed a record-breaking crowd of over 100 attendees for this outdoor event held at the Howard County Fairgrounds on September 15. Attendees received instruction on topics including heat stress, occupational exposure to noise, PPE, job safety analysis, battery powered equipment, pre-and-post trip inspections, tree climbing equipment, repetitive motion injuries, electrical safety, and more. MAA would also like to thank all of our speakers and sponsors for making this educational event possible.
High Risks Caused by High Voltages
The Maryland High Voltage Line Act
The following was provided by BGE:

With being home more often, recent storms, and upcoming cold temperatures many people are noticing projects that require getting closer to overhead utilities. These utility lines have High Voltages that come with High Risks when not following the Maryland High Voltage Act such as being fined, getting severely burned and injured, or in the worst-case scenario, fatality.

Before beginning any work within the vicinity of the overhead utility lines, check to see if any equipment or personnel will be within 10 feet. Contact BGE to notify them, so that they can ensure that the proper clearance has been obtained for the safety of all who will be involved. This is for both personal and professional work. If the equipment being used is a crane or derrick, a clearance of 20 feet is required to be identified by OSHA regulations.

Be On The Lookout: Elm ZigZag Sawfly
If you see an elm tree leaf with an odd, zigzag-shaped missing section, University of Maryland Extension wants to hear about it. It could be evidence of a new and potentially destructive insect pest called the elm zigzag sawfly, Aproceros leucopoda. There have been recent sightings of the sawfly in both Pennsylvania and Virignia.

Send your picture of an elm leaf with this zigzag damage to Sgill@umd.edu with the location where the damage is being found.
New LTE's - Congratulations!
Larry Acosta
Marvin G. Agustin Garcia
Melvin Alfaro
Carlos Alvarado
Joseph Annable
Jason Anthony
Philip Arnold
Franklin Arthur
Noble Atkins
Casey Bartoe
Russell Bateman
Ryan Beeghly
William Boswell
Robert Boyer
Jeffrey Brown
Joseph Burley
Aldiani Cal
Josue Campos Hernandez
David Castellanos
Robert Couch
Phillip Era
Marvin Espinoza
Jeffrey Gaeta
Juan Galicia Rivera
Jose Gomez
Elvin Guzman
Jacob Holifield
Cody Kipe
Thomas Kolick
Paul Laudenslayer
Lucas Laws
Jose Lazo
Jody Lenes
Michael Love
Cory Mack
Kenton Martin
Glenn McCann
Benjamin McFadden
Jose Mendoza
Drew Miller
Gary Naumann
Juan Ramirez
Stanley Revis
Tyler Robinson
Joshua Schumacher
Ryan Sears
Shawn Sisler
Kenneth Smith

William Soriano Marquina
Christopher Stephan
Michael Stevens
Jacob Thomas
Lee Thomas
Aaron Toczylowski
Matthew Trainum
Edgar Trujillo
Issac Whitmore
Adam Wilson
Matthew Wood
Robert Yokley
Are You Interested in Becoming More Involved with the MAA?
The Maryland Arborist Association is looking for volunteers to serve on our Board of Directors ahead of our upcoming election in 2022. Serving on the Board of Directors is an exciting opportunity to network with other tree care experts across the field, plan educational events, and help to make key decisions to guide the future of the organization. The Board represents the members’ interest in the organization and holds ownership of the organization on behalf of the members.

The Board of Directors meets on average three times per year at various locations around the state. If you are interested in attending a board meeting to learn more, contact Executive Director Danielle Farace at 410-928-4888 or office@mdarborist.com.
Member Resources:
The Maryland Arborist Association would like to remind members of resources shared in recent editions of our Shady Notes e-newsletter:

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

True or False?

It is the employer’s responsibility for showing the employee the proper use, maintenance, and inspection of their, PPE, tools and other equipment (ropes, etc)?

(Clue – see ANSI sect 3.1.2)
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Follow these tips from OSHA to protect yourself and others:

All personal protective equipment should be safely designed and constructed, and should be maintained in a clean and reliable fashion. It should fit comfortably, encouraging worker use. If the personal protective equipment does not fit properly, it can make the difference between being safely covered or dangerously exposed. When engineering, work practice, and administrative controls are not feasible or do not provide sufficient protection, employers must provide personal protective equipment to their workers and ensure its proper use. Employers are also required to train each worker required to use personal protective equipment to know:
  • When it is necessary
  • What kind is necessary
  • How to properly put it on, adjust, wear and take it off
  • The limitations of the equipment
  • Proper care, maintenance, useful life, and disposal of the equipment

If PPE is to be used, a PPE program should be implemented. This program should address the hazards present; the selection, maintenance, and use of PPE; the training of employees; and monitoring of the program to ensure its ongoing effectiveness.
PennState Extension is currently offering a free monthly webinar series on community forestry topics. The next session, titled, "Finding Qualified Professionals to Work on Your Community Trees," will be held on October 12.
Attend this interactive event featuring instruction from Maryland State Police on how to comply with new paperwork and other requirements. Hosted by FALCAN, the Frederick Area Landscape Contractors and Nurserymen's Association. MD LTE and ISA credits available.
43rd Arborist Day Project
Keep an eye out for details regarding the Maryland Arborist Association's 43rd Arborist Day Project on on November 6, 2021 (rain date November 13) at the Baltimore County Center for Maryland Agriculture and Farm Park.
MAC-ISA will hold a virtual Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ) renewal course on November 18, 2021 via Zoom. The course will be taught by Scott Sjolander. The exam is taken at a different time after the course but is included in the price.
This three-day course has been designed to assist tree care professionals and other professionals who wish to become ISA Certified Arborists. The next course will be held December 7-9 in Derwood, MD.
ISA will hold it's International Virtual Conference December 13-16, 2021. With more than 40 on-demand educational sessions, this year’s exciting lineup includes some of the arboriculture industry’s most topical and innovative presenters you won’t want to miss, including Valerie Trouet, author of Tree Story and professor in the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research at the University of Arizona, as the keynote speaker. The sessions will be available to watch during the conference and up to 30 days on demand after the event making the experience more convenient than ever.  
 
This special event allows participants to earn more than 20 CEUs, includes speakers from around the world, and allows attendees to network with peers and professionals across the globe. ISA members can register now for a discounted rate of $169!
Upcoming exam dates have been posted online. The next exam is tentatively scheduled for October 13, 2021. Those interested in taking the exam need to submit their exam application paperwork so they can be contacted with up-to-date exam information.
41st Annual Safety and Pesticide Recertification Seminar
Mark your calendar for the Maryland Arborist Association's 41st Annual Safety and Pesticide Recertification Seminar, happening on March 22-23, 2022 at the Turf Valley Resort and Conference Center in Ellicott City, MD.