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 RITree Sentinel
Dedicated to Sustaining and Improving Rhode Island's Tree Resources.
Volume 14, Number 2 Fall 2009 |
RITree is Going Paperless!
To help our efforts in going paperless, we will be sending out our newsletter via the internet. In doing this we will be able to keep you better informed by sending monthly information on our programs, events and how to keep your trees healthy throughout the year. We will be offering more detailed information on our website at www.RITree.org.
Help your family and friends take care of their trees, pass this newsletter along. It's easy! Go to the bottom of the newsletter and click "forward email." | |
Winter Protection
Early frost, very cold temperatures, radiation cooling, snow and ice are just around the corner.
Following a long summer of growth, your woody plants are now readying themselves for the harsh realities of winter. Early frosts, very cold temperatures, and snow and ice are just around the corner. Each and every one of them can either cause significant plant damage or kill plants outright. Don't let this happen to your plants. By following a few of the simple cultural care practices I've described below, you can keep your plants out of harm's way. Implement these measures before the soil freezes in the end of November in Rhode Island and Southern New England for best results.
1. Apply a layer of mulch around plants. Mulching provides many benefits for plants. An application of mulch over the roots of plants keeps the soil warm, much like a blanket on a bed. This "extra warmth" is just enough to prevent cold temperature injury to tender roots in early winter.
2. Protect young trees from lower trunk frost cracking. Frost cracking, or sun-scald, is a type of low temperature injury associated with thin barked trees. A rapid temperature drop (sunny afternoons followed by very cold night-time temperatures) is responsible for plant injury. Vertical splitting of the trunk, usually on the southwest side, is the classic damage symptom. Frost injury can easily be prevented by protecting the internal trunk tissues from  "cooking" on sunny, winter days. Either apply a coat of exterior white latex paint around the trunk, or wrap the trunk with aluminum foil or crepe paper. All of these are highly reflective materials. They will deflect the sun's radiant energy away from the trunk. This will moderate daily temperature extremes, thereby, reducing the chances of winter frost cracking.
3. Prevent snow and ice damage to evergreens. Inspect your evergreens. Make sure they are free of any "tight pockets" such as co-dominate stems, narrow crotches and poorly spaced branches. They favor the  accumulation of dangerous amounts of snow and ice. This can cause branches to crack, break or bend limply beyond repair. These are all disfiguring injuries. They affect the health and appearance of plants, and in extreme cases, can render them worthless. Don't risk this happening to your evergreens. Prune the offending branches. This will effectively eliminate the places on plants most vulnerable to winter damage. It will also improve the plant's structural strength.
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Tree Steward Course Bigger than Ever in 2009! 
Tree Steward classes are held in the Spring and Fall.
The RITree Tree Stewards Education Course enjoyed another banner year in 2009. Both the spring and fall classes were filled to capacity as every available seat was reserved long before each program actually started. The Spring class was hosted by the University of Rhode Island at its East Farm Facility off Route 108 in Kingston, RI from May 12th through June 16th. In the fall, the course was held from September 3rd through October 8th at the Warren Town Hall on Joyce Street. It was jointly sponsored by the Town of Warren, and the Warren Tree Commission.
The highlight for each class was the Planting and Care Workshop held at the Rhode Island Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Exeter, RI. Both classes used their newly learned skills to mulch, prune and remove stakes from numerous trees growing throughout this special place. They also made the Veteran Memorial Cemetery considerably 'greener' by planting 18 saplings, consisting of oaks, cherries and Dawn redwoods. These saplings have all been planted behind the Main Chapel in the northwest end of the cemetery.
Out of a total of 60 course participants, 53 of them completed all classes and workshops and were awarded a "Certificate of Education" in 2009. These course graduates are now eligible to earn their RITree Tree Steward's accumulated volunteer hour charms upon the successful completion of 30 hours of community service in urban forestry.
The Tree Steward's Education Course remains the Tree Council's signature public offering. Already there's a waiting list for the spring 2010 class, although the location and dates have yet to be announced! The public knows a good deal when it sees one, and the RITree Tree Stewards Course is a superb deal. For more information on the Tree Steward's Course or to view pictures of this year's classes in action, go to the RITree website at www.RITree.org
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Asian Longhorned Beetle
Continues to chew its way to destruction.
 
RHODE ISLAND
RITree used a $61K grant from the USDA-Animal & Plant Health Services (APHIS) to increase the public's awareness of the ALB and the European Ash Borer (EAB) over the past summer. Numerous instructional workshops were held across the state. Citizens, landscapers, arborists and other green industry professionals learned how to identify these exotic pests and the damage they cause on trees. Also, volunteers were trained on how to detect and survey for ALB and EAB. Later, a total of 61 of these volunteers helped to conduct pest surveys in Warwick and Cranston  during the month of August. All host trees found in six sites, each measuring ΒΌ square mile in radius, were inspected by volunteers in both communities. Fortunately, no trees were found to harbor either the ALB or the EAB. All the data collected under these surveys will be used by the USDA-APHIS to determine the course of future pest studies throughout the Northeast. The grant will end in mid-December 2009.
Several products created by RITree under the above grant are now available to members while they last. One such item is the ALB-EAB Host Tree Identification Booklet. This 16 page, pocket- size booklet is easy to store and handle. It provides a simple key for identifying the individual pest host species by leaf type, arrangement and shape. Black and white leaf pictures and drawings with written text are also featured in the booklet. Another product is the ALB-EAB- 17 Slide Power Point Instructional CD-ROM with a companion narrative. Topics covered by the slide show include pest histories, their biology, key identification characteristics, and the type of damage they cause on trees. Talking points on each slide appear in the easy to use and follow narrative text. The CD can be used to either enhance one's own knowledge, or as a Train the Trainer educational tool. The Train the Trainer involves showing the CD to a larger group of people i.e., friends, family, co-workers, etc., so they become informed as well. Also, anyone who would like RITree to present the slide show should call the office at 401-764-5885 to set up a time. We will be more than happy to do so. The last item is a real nifty ALB bumper sticker. The bumper sticker was designed exclusively for RITree by graphic artist Kaari Thorkildsen, also an RITree member. Emblazoned on the 4- colored, 4" wide by 6" long sticker is a picture of the ALB with the warning "FIND IT. REPORT IT." I want to know more about these products so I can check my trees. |
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HOLIDAY GIFTS FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!!
Having a difficult time finding the RIGHT GIFT for a family member or  friend? Well, consider one of the following from RITree.
All are GREAT values!
RITREE MEMBERSHIP- Starts at $35 per year. Membership benefits include timely newsletters, discounts on educational workshops, and free access to technical assistance and more. What a gift!!
TREE STEWARDS EDUCATION COURSE- $95. This 6 week course teaches everything you need to know about trees. What better way to help a friend improve his or her horticultural skills and knowledge of woody plants?
FALLEN HEROES MEMORIAL TREE PROGRAM- $250. Plant a tree for a fallen soldier at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Exeter, Rhode Island. The cost includes a 3 year maintenance commitment (mulching, pruning, watering.) A certificate for framing will also be sent to donor identifying tree type, planting date and location. |
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| Its quick and easy to get your holiday shopping done, just click on the area of interest to bring you to the RITree donation page. | |
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Happy Holidays,
From RITree
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