Protecting, Sustaining, Advocacy
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Greetings NCUFC Members,
Is everybody excited to see what 2021 has in store for us and the trees? I for one can’t wait to see what could possibly happen next. I’m Mark Foster, your new but returning past Board Chair, and I want to welcome you to a new (but hopefully better) year with the North Carolina Urban Forest Council. We plan to once again do our best to offer you a wide selection of great modified educational opportunities. We are also really hoping to offer a live and in person Annual Conference later this year (chaos permitting). But between now and then we’ll all just cross our fingers and hope really hard that the hand we wish in fills up faster this year. Even forest loving introverts like me need to interact with other people in person once in a while. I’m told it improves my tact and social skills. So again, welcome and I hope you enjoy this month’s newsletter and a new year of great programs and training opportunities.
Mark Foster
Board Chair, NC Urban Forest Council
City Arborist, City of Asheville
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North Carolina
Urban Forest Council
P.O. Box 37416
Raleigh, NC 27627
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NC Community Tree Webinars
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Perception of Tree Risk
February 24th
10:00 - 11:15 a.m.
Virtual Workshop
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Beyond Pretty- The True Value of Improved Green Spaces
March 10th
10:00 - 11:15 a.m.
Virtual Workshop
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Urban Forest Connections Webinar Series
Hosted by USDA Forest Service
January 13th, February 10th, March 10th
Online webinars
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2021 Virtual Conference & Trade Show
Hosted by ISA Southern Chapter
April 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th
9 a.m. - 12 p.m. each Tuesday
Online event
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JANUARY 2021 NCUFC
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT:
Debbie Dillion
NC Cooperative Extension, Horticulture
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As the Union County Consumer Horticulture Extension Agent, Debbie Dillion's responsibilities include managing the Extension Master Gardener program and training new volunteers; assisting homeowners with lawn and garden questions, plant identification or selection, and identification of insects, weeds, and diseases and how they can be managed; and working with the green industry in support of their work and to provide educational programs to meet their needs for pesticide applicator, landscape contractor, and ISA Certified Arborist license recertification credits.
Debbie has been a member of the NCUFC for five years. She joined shortly after she began working for NC Extension in Union County in 2015. Debbie previously worked for Virginia Cooperative Extension for over 20 years and served on the Board of the VA Dept. of Forestry, Municipal Tree Restoration Program for several years. She likes the educational programs that the NCUFC provides. Debbie considers herself a life-long learner and enjoys learning new things and keeping her skills current.
Debbie recounts one of her more interesting, recent experiences with pest identification for a homeowner: A gentleman called & said he needed to know what the bug was that was eating his crabapple. I had no clue what it might be, so asked him to bring a sample to my office. It was something I had never seen before. Brown lacewing larvae that cover themselves with lichen to camouflage themselves. It certainly did look like pieces of lichen crawling around on the bark. Through identification I was able to tell the homeowner he had a beneficial insect and that when he got home he might look for signs of sucking insect like scale.
Debbie has shared her photo of the larvae below. If you would like to get in touch, she can be reached at the Union County Extension office: https://union.ces.ncsu.edu/
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NC URBAN FOREST COUNCIL WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS TO ITS 2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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The NC Urban Forest Council extends a warm "welcome" to the newest members of our Board of Directors. Heike Biller serves as the Events Director for TreesCharlotte, located in Charlotte, NC. Kevin Heifferon is the Assistant Director of Public Works for the City of Greenville, NC. Rounding out the group of newcomers is Maria Tranguch, Owner and Principal Consultant for Legacy Land Consulting in Asheville, NC. All three new Board members will serve in a leadership capacity for the 2021-2023 term. You can access our full list of actively serving Board members on our website here. We are looking forward to a great year!
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IT'S GETTING SLICK OUT THERE:
HOW TREES HANDLE THE ICE AND HOW TO HANDLE THE TREES
Annually ice storms damage trees across the United States, costing millions of dollars in cleanup costs as well as loss of the urban forest. Typically, there is a major ice storm about every 8 years.
Some would say that the best approach is to use smaller maturing trees, like redbud and serviceberry. But, is that really the answer? While tree species is an important criteria in tree response to ice and snow loading, it is not the only factor. More about that in a bit…
So, what makes one branch or tree fail over another? As an ice storm progresses, more and more ice can accumulate on surfaces, including tree branches. Ice can increase branch weight by up to 3 times. Trace accumulations up to about ¼ - ½“ can cause small branches and already faulty limbs break. When accumulation reaches about 1”, conspicuous failures occur. Branch failure essentially occurs when the loading exceeds the wood’s resistance, or when constant loading further exacerbates an already weak area of a branch. However, wood strength is not quite as important as branch attachment, at least until ice accumulation surpasses the bearing capacity of the branch. Not surprisingly, strong winds increase the potential for failure.
Are there any characteristics of branches or trees that make them more prone to failure? I realize this will be shocking to many of you (wink, wink), but trees that have been well-maintained and have sound branch structure are less prone to failure! Vertical limbs are more likely to incur greater damage than horizontally oriented branches. This makes sense, especially if there are bark inclusions as well. Structurally weak branch unions have a higher likelihood of damage. Research has also shown that branches with many lateral shoots are more likely to fail when compared to branches of the same approximate diameter and length that do not have excessive laterals. Trees with an unbalanced crown are also more prone to losses to ice accumulation. Of course, dead wood is always highly prone to failure no matter the weather.
Dr. Barbara Fair
NC Extension Horticulture Specialist &
Associate Professor, NCSU
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NC FOREST SERVICE 2021 GRANT PROGRAM ANNOUNCED
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The N.C. Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry program is accepting applications for its annual grant program beginning in January. The 2021 Request for Proposals opened January 1, 2021 and will close on March 31, 2021. Grant awards will be made in June 2021.
Prospective grantees may attend one of two informational webinars on January 20 and 22. Visit the NCUFC website to register for one webinar opportunity. Projects should work to attain the NCFS U&CF goal: Enhance the benefits and sustainable management of urban forests. The project categories are: Advocacy Group Development, Education & Training, Tree Inventories & Assessments, Management Plan Development, Ordinance Development and Professional Staff Development.
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BECOME A MEMBER OF NCUFC - OR RENEW YOUR 2021 MEMBERSHIP TODAY!
The NC Urban Forest Council is a highly participatory organization with many growth and leadership opportunities. Individuals and organizations can serve on committees, attend seminars and workshops or share ideas with an elite green-industry community. Members not only take the profession seriously, but also are committed to each other and to advocating for increased investment in urban forestry. Membership on the Council is open to anyone with an interest in urban forestry. Members shape the direction of the Council and the green industry profession.
We have added some new, additional membership benefits for membership in 2021. For more information, check out our membership page. If you are already a member, you can renew your annual membership here.
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CAMBIUM CARBON AND THE ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION PILOT "REFORESTATION HUBS" IN 4 U.S. CITIES
Source: 3BLMedia Press Release, 1/5/2021
Cambium Carbon, in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, announced on January 5th the pilot launch of “Reforestation Hubs,” an innovative model geared toward improving resource efficiency and carbon capture at the municipal level. Reforestation Hubs will engage local businesses, residents, and policymakers to close the loop on urban wood waste, upcycling removed trees and developing new revenue to support tree planting and maintenance. Pilot cities include Denver, Colorado; Eugene, Oregon; New York City, New York; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The four pilot projects will work to develop a roadmap for local wood reuse programs and quantify the estimated financial, social, and environmental impacts. The pilots will also explore local opportunities to support tree care and new planting, such as carbon offsetting projects and the creation of green jobs pathways across the tree life cycle.
Click HERE to read the press release...
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