SEMINAR #91

Seminar #91 from Online Seminars for Municipal Arborists
July - September 2021

Sections Go directly to the section by clicking on the title below

Victoria Park, W.A.
Where are the Butterflies?
E. H. 'Chinese' Wilson
A Tree's Longevity
Autumn Gold Ginkgo
The Death of Our Forests
History of American Elm Cultivars
Princeton Elm
Francis Bartlett
How to Grow a Tiny Forest

Note: Click on green text in each section for more information and photos.

Victoria Park,
Western Australia
By the Implementation Working Group

The Town of Victoria Park in the state of Western Australia has met the core standards to become recognized as the first Western Australian “Tree City of the World”. The Town officially received the award on March 1, 2021 from The Arbor Day Foundation and the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization.

The Town of Victoria Park is a local government entity, covering an area of 6.8 sq. mi. (17.62 sq. km) and it has a population of approximately 35,000, according to the 2016 Census.

Suburbs within the Town of Victoria Park include:

Bentley (an area shared with City of Canning)
Burswood
Carlisle
East Victoria Park
Kensington (shared with City of South Perth)
Lathlain
St. James (shared with City of Canning)
Victoria Park
Welshpool (shared with City of Canning)

In 2018, the Town's community members, residents and groups (including the Vic Park Collective and the Victoria Park Urban Foresters) developed the Town's first ever Urban Forestry Strategy.

The initiative was prompted by the community's observation that the rate of urban deforestation across Perth had been rapid and the loss of urban tree canopy was having both a direct and an indirect impact upon the quality of health and amenities that used to be enjoyed by the residents of the Town of Victoria Park.

The Urban Forestry Strategy (UFS) aims to:

build and sustain a strong community of citizen urban foresters,
execute successful community development and social enterprise initiatives,
build strong partnerships with other community groups, institutions and the Town.

The UFS also set an ambitious goal of increasing the canopy cover by 20% throughout the Town.

The UFS was an innovative approach for the Town - the first community-led strategy ever developed and endorsed by the Town of Victoria Park Council in September 2018, who also committed to a five-year funding and dedicated Place Leader, Urban Forest to implement the strategy.

Continuing with a community collaboration spirit that built the UFS, the Town established an Implementation Working Group with membership from community residents, Town staff, and Elected Council members who delivered an urban forest project contributed to achieving the six strategic outcomes in the Urban Forest Implementation Action Plan.

The six strategic outcomes include:

achieve 20% tree canopy cover
maximize community involvement
increase tree diversity
maintain vegetation health
improve water and soil quality
improve urban ecosystems

Through engaging and strategic urban forest programs including Vic Park Leafy Streets (street tree planting), Urban Forest at Home (tree and shrubs plantings in homeowner's private gardens), Community Planting Days, Tree Planting and Education Grants and Vic Park Green Basin, the Town, in collaboration with its residents, have continued to increase canopy cover year after year since its Urban Forest implementation.

In 2019, almost triple the number of trees were planted at the Town compared to the 2018 planting season, adding approximately 80,000 sq. yd. (70,000 sq. m.) of canopy cover and 1659 planted trees. In 2020, the Town added an extra 135,000 sq. yd. (110,000 sq. m.) canopy cover and planted 2899 trees.

The Town's strategy, implementation and joint commitment with its community to create a healthy and thriving urban environment to live in through its Urban Forest program, won them WA's first ever Tree Cities of the World status.

This status recognizes the Town’s commitment to ensuring that their urban forests and trees are properly maintained, sustainably managed and duly celebrated.

There are only 120 cities across 63 countries who have met the five core standards of the Tree Cities of the World program which include:

establishing responsibility,
selling green policies,
having a long-term tree care plan and inventory,
allocating a committed resource for tree planting projects,
celebrating urban forest achievements and creating awareness when it comes to trees.

In 2021, the Town is continuing to engage and work with residents, community members, Elected Members and team members to deliver a successful planting season. Information on the Town's 2021 planting projects can be found at Urban Forest Projects.

The test that follows contains 10 questions. Before taking the test be sure you have read the article carefully. The passing grade is 80% on the entire test.

ISA will award .5 CEUs* for a passing grade. SAF members will earn 0.5 Cat. 1-CF for every five passing test scores. The cost for taking this test is $10. If you purchase an annual subscription for 15 credits, the cost per credit is reduced by 50% (see Annual Subscription link below). We will report all passing test scores to ISA and/or SAF. If you are a member of ISA and SAF we will report your passing test scores to both for no additional cost. Please be sure to add both of your certification numbers when you sign in. Tests with passing scores may be submitted only once to each organization.

*Members of ISA may apply the 0.5 CEUs toward Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, Tree Worker/Climber, Tree Worker/Aerial Lift, or BCMA management credits.

California UFC members will receive credit for passing the test. Please add your CaUFC number after your ISA and/or SAF certification number.

ASCA members may submit your ISA certification record to the ASCA and receive credits one for one.

MTOA members must follow the ISA instructions indicated above.

To take the test by the pay per test option, click on the 'Pay Now' button below where you can send payment online securely with your credit card or Pay Pal account.  After your payment is submitted, click on ‘Return to Merchant' / gibneyCE.com.  That will take you to the test sign in page followed by the test.  Members with certifications from both ISA and SAF, please be sure to add both of your certification numbers.  These numbers are important for reporting purposes.

To take the test as an annual subscriber with reduced rates, click on Password and enter your test password which will take you to the test sign in page.  If you would like to become a subscriber see our Annual Subscription page for details.

When you have finished answering all questions you will be prompted to click ‘next’ to send your answers to gibneyCE.com.  You can then click ‘next’ to view your test summary.  A test review of your answers is available upon request.

All passing test scores are sent from gibneyCE.com to your organization(s) at the end of every month and they will appear on your certification record 4 to 6 weeks* after that. ISA maintains a record of CEU credits on their website.
*SAF requires 5 passing test scores before reporting.

Test re-takes are allowed, however you will have to pay for the retake if you are using the pay per test option. You can spend as much time as you would like to take the test but it is important not to leave the test site until you have answered all the questions and see the 'sending your answers' response.

Where are the Butterflies?
Edited by Len Phillips

Are you aware of the alarming decline in the number of ladybugs, moths, bees, butterflies and beetles in your city over the last 30 years? Even songbirds are declining in number within the city landscape. Approximately 80% of all growing plants are angiosperms that require pollination from either bees, butterflies, or the other pollinating insects mentioned above. Without these pollinators, most plant life requiring insect pollination will disappear from our cities.

As urban foresters, landscape architects, gardeners and other nature lovers seeking to promote the well-being of the trees in our cities, we must also work to improve habitats for the pollinators who improve the quality of our urban environment. By making conscious decisions to design urban ecosystems that function as bio-filters, we can ultimately make a difference by creating habitats for urban pollinators as well as reducing the atmospheric carbon dioxide trends, by making very careful tree selections.

Trees provide shelter for insects from the cold winter winds while the insects also use solar energy for passive heating in winter. In summer, trees encourage the prevailing winds to provide a cooling mechanism, creating shelter and shade from unwanted solar gain.

We need to install trees that not only provide habitats for insects but also provide the benefits of cooling our cities in summer. Some trees that meet both these goals include the following:

Oak (Quercus) trees are the quintessential wildlife plants. No other plant genus supports more species of butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera) than the oaks.

Black and Pussy Willows (Salix) attract many moths and butterflies in search of early spring blooms.

Native cherries (Prunus), such as Black Cherry and Common Chokecherry, provide not only cherries as food for birds, but leaves that feed many types of caterpillars, from the large and striking Cecropia Moth Hyalophora cecropia L. to the abundant Eastern Tent Caterpillar Malacosoma americanum. Cuckoos, orioles, and many other woodland birds feed on tent caterpillars, while gnat-catchers pull away some of the caterpillar nests' silk for their own cup nest liner.

The peeling River Birch (Betula nigra) bark provides shelter to many invertebrates, while the leaves and catkins also attract lots of butterfly and moth species. Seeds and buds from these rather small, somewhat short-lived trees, attract birds and small mammals. The adaptable River Birch is one of the favorites for butterflies, as well as being an excellent city tree.

Butterflies and other Insects come to Dogwood (Cornus florida) flowers while birds are after the autumn berries. There are also eastern and Western Dogwood (Cornus nuttallii) species, and trees as well as many shrubs, including the lovely-in-all-seasons Red-twig Dogwood (Cornus sericea) shrub.

Many Holly (Ilex) trees and shrubs are evergreen, providing year-round shelter, nesting places, and berries that ripen in late autumn or into winter. Choose from trees such as American Holly (Ilex opaca) or the deciduous and thorn-less Winterberry (Ilex verticillata). Although birds love them, remember that holly berries are toxic to humans and pets.

The Elderberries (Sambucus canadensis) are considered shrubs that can be trained to be small trees. They provide abundant flowers for insects, along with summer berries beloved by people and birds alike. Elderberries are not tolerant of road salt, so they are best grown back from the edge of the street.

In summer, birds flock to the fruits of Red Mulberry (Morus rubra), after the pollinating insects have crowded their spring flowers.

Juniper, including red cedars produce berry-like fruits and year-round shelter for birds and insects. Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) fruits are a staple for Cedar Waxwings.

Viburnums grow in the forest understory, attract many bees and butterflies as well as other insects to their flowers and leaves. In spring, viburnums provide nesting areas for a wide variety of songbirds. In autumn they produce favored berries. The birds are especially attracted to the Arrowwood Viburnum (Viburnum dentatum).

From flowers to fruits to nesting cover, the Amelanchier family offers small trees and shrubs that are among the most popular with insects and wildlife. There are many species, including the tree-sized Downy Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea), for beauty and bird appeal.

Blackberry and raspberry (Rubus sp.) bushes attract many insects. The thorns create brambles that provide cover and nesting places for birds, while producing berries in summer.

Sources

Blackwell, Mark, “Where are the Butterflies” blog.

Howard, Youth, American Bird Conservancy, ”Attract Birds, A Dozen Native Trees And Shrubs That Birds Love”, November 27, 2018

The test that follows contains 10 questions. Before taking the test be sure you have read the article carefully. The passing grade is 80% on the entire test.

ISA will award .5 CEUs* for a passing grade. SAF members will earn 0.5 Cat. 1-CF for every five passing test scores. The cost for taking this test is $10. If you purchase an annual subscription for 15 credits, the cost per credit is reduced by 50% (see Annual Subscription link below). We will report all passing test scores to ISA and/or SAF. If you are a member of ISA and SAF we will report your passing test scores to both for no additional cost. Please be sure to add both of your certification numbers when you sign in. Tests with passing scores may be submitted only once to each organization.

*Members of ISA may apply the 0.5 CEUs toward Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, Tree Worker/Climber, Tree Worker/Aerial Lift, or BCMA science credits.

California UFC members will receive credit for passing the test. Please add your CaUFC number after your ISA and/or SAF certification number.

ASCA members may submit your ISA certification record to the ASCA and receive credits one for one.

MTOA members must follow the ISA instructions indicated above.

To take the test by the pay per test option, click on the 'Pay Now' button below where you can send payment online securely with your credit card or Pay Pal account.  After your payment is submitted, click on ‘Return to Merchant' / gibneyCE.com.  That will take you to the test sign in page followed by the test.  Members with certifications from both ISA and SAF, please be sure to add both of your certification numbers.  These numbers are important for reporting purposes.

To take the test as an annual subscriber with reduced rates, click on Password and enter your test password which will take you to the test sign in page.  If you would like to become a subscriber see our Annual Subscription page for details.

When you have finished answering all questions you will be prompted to click ‘next’ to send your answers to gibneyCE.com.  You can then click ‘next’ to view your test summary.  A test review of your answers is available upon request.

All passing test scores are sent from gibneyCE.com to your organization(s) at the end of every month and they will appear on your certification record 4 to 6 weeks* after that. ISA maintains a record of CEU credits on their website.
*SAF requires 5 passing test scores before reporting.

Test re-takes are allowed, however you will have to pay for the retake if you are using the pay per test option. You can spend as much time as you would like to take the test but it is important not to leave the test site until you have answered all the questions and see the 'sending your answers' response.

E. H. 'Chinese' Wilson
by Len Phillips

Ernest Henry 'Chinese' Wilson was better known as E. H. Wilson in the US. He was a notable British born plant collector and explorer who introduced about 2,000 Asian plant species to the West. About sixty of these plants bear his name.

E.H. was born on February 15, 1876, in Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom. The Ernest Wilson Memorial Garden has a blue plaque marking his birthplace and is in the Cotswold market town of Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire.

At a young age, his family moved to Shirley, Warwickshire, where they set up a floristry (flowers, design and supplies) business. He left school early for employment at the local nursery of a Mr. Hewitt in Warwickshire, as an apprentice gardener. When he reached the age of 16, he began working at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. While there, he also studied at Birmingham Municipal Technical School in the evenings. He later attended Trinity College and was honored by receiving the Queen's Prize for botany.

In 1897 he began work at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, where he won the Hooker Prize for an essay on the conifers. He then accepted a position as a Chinese plant collector with the firm of James Veitch & Sons, who were eager to retrieve the dove tree, Davidia involucrata. In 1869, only a single tree was known in much of the Western world and the Veitch firm was determined to find more in China. J. G. Veitch, one of the first plant collectors to visit Japan, introduced many of the species into Western commerce, as well as dried herbarium specimens, representing some 906 plant species.

In 1905 and at the age of 29, Wilson immigrated to the US and was hired by the Arnold Arboretum in Boston Massachusetts, as a plant collector for Charles Sprague Sargent. His first travel assignment in 1907 was to cross the US by train and then sail from San Francisco to Hong Kong. In China, Wilson carried a letter of introduction from Sargent, and he learned the techniques for shipping seeds and plants without damage back to Boston. Sargent had suggested he head straight to Simao to talk to Augustine Henry, who had seen a unique dove tree twelve years previously. Though the tree had been recently cut down when Wilson reached it, he rediscovered other specimens that had been noticed by Père David 600 km away in Yichang, Hubei.

'Chinese' Wilson made additional expeditions to China in 1908 and 1910, where he collected 65,000 specimens for the Arnold Arboretum. He then turned his attention to Japan in 1911 and continued to 1916, collecting 63 forms of cherry trees named according to their blossoms. He documented his collection of herbarium specimens along with his field notes and photographs of the plants in their native environments.

In total, 'Chinese' Wilson was able to document his work and travels with ten thousand photographs, as well as learn the manners and customs of the Chinese which enabled him to get many more plants than other plant collectors of the time. During one of his trips, he collected the Chinese dogwood Cornus kousa, which in time would prove to be one of America's most ubiquitous and beloved small urban trees.

'Chinese' Wilson collected for two years in Hubei Province, reaching isolated mountain valleys with an intrepid spirit that made him legendary before returning home with seed from 305 species, and 35 Wardian cases of bulbs, corms, rhizomes, and tubers.

The hypothesis Wilson made in 1916 was that the Japanese cherry Prunus × yedoensis was a hybrid. This was supported by hybridization experiments at Japanese national laboratories many years later in 1965.

'Chinese' Wilson returned to Asia in 1917–1918, exploring in Korea and Formosa. Upon return to the Arnold Arboretum in 1919 he was appointed Associate Director. Three years later he set off for a two-year expedition through Australia, New Zealand, India, Central and South America, and East Africa. Back at “The Arnold”, in 1927, 'Chinese' Wilson was given the title of “Keeper of the Arnold Arboretum” and was in charge of the day-to-day matters. He oversaw the Arboretum merge into the Harvard University's orbit.

In recognition of his service to horticulture he received many awards such as the Royal Horticultural Society's Veitch Memorial Medal in 1906 and their Victoria Medal of Honour in 1912, and the George Robert White Memorial Medal from the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. He was a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and received an honorary M.A. degree from Harvard University and a D. Sc. degree from Trinity College.

Over 100 plants introduced by 'Chinese' Wilson have received the First-Class Certificate or Awards of Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society of London. Sixty species and varieties of Chinese plants bear his name. In 1916–1917 Charles Sprague Sargent edited a partial list of his introductions as “Plantae Wilsonianae”. In May 2010, a blue plaque was erected at Birmingham Botanical Gardens, by the Birmingham Civic Society, marking Wilson's time there.

At the age of 54, Wilson and his wife died in Worcester, Massachusetts, on October15, 1930 as the result of an automobile accident. His car was said to have skidded off a road slick with autumn leaves.

For the 2015 Tatton Park Flower Show, the gardening staff at Tatton Park, Cheshire, created the China 'Mother of Gardens' exhibit. Many of Wilson's species were used in a design based around a traditional Chinese courtyard.

Sources

Jonnes, Jill, “Urban Forests”, Penguin Books, 2016.
Wikipedia, “Ernest Henry Wilson”, Jan. 22, 2021.

The test that follows contains 10 questions. Before taking the test be sure you have read the article carefully. The passing grade is 80% on the entire test.

ISA will award .5 CEUs* for a passing grade. SAF members will earn 0.5 Cat. 1-CF for every five passing test scores. The cost for taking this test is $10. If you purchase an annual subscription for 15 credits, the cost per credit is reduced by 50% (see Annual Subscription link below). We will report all passing test scores to ISA and/or SAF. If you are a member of ISA and SAF we will report your passing test scores to both for no additional cost. Please be sure to add both of your certification numbers when you sign in. Tests with passing scores may be submitted only once to each organization.

*Members of ISA may apply the 0.5 CEUs toward Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, Tree Worker/Climber, Tree Worker/Aerial Lift, or BCMA management or science credits.

California UFC members will receive credit for passing the test. Please add your CaUFC number after your ISA and/or SAF certification number.

ASCA members may submit your ISA certification record to the ASCA and receive credits one for one.

MTOA members must follow the ISA instructions indicated above.

To take the test by the pay per test option, click on the 'Pay Now' button below where you can send payment online securely with your credit card or Pay Pal account.  After your payment is submitted, click on ‘Return to Merchant' / gibneyCE.com.  That will take you to the test sign in page followed by the test.  Members with certifications from both ISA and SAF, please be sure to add both of your certification numbers.  These numbers are important for reporting purposes.

To take the test as an annual subscriber with reduced rates, click on Password and enter your test password which will take you to the test sign in page.  If you would like to become a subscriber see our Annual Subscription page for details.

When you have finished answering all questions you will be prompted to click ‘next’ to send your answers to gibneyCE.com.  You can then click ‘next’ to view your test summary.  A test review of your answers is available upon request.

All passing test scores are sent from gibneyCE.com to your organization(s) at the end of every month and they will appear on your certification record 4 to 6 weeks* after that. ISA maintains a record of CEU credits on their website.
*SAF requires 5 passing test scores before reporting.

Test re-takes are allowed, however you will have to pay for the retake if you are using the pay per test option. You can spend as much time as you would like to take the test but it is important not to leave the test site until you have answered all the questions and see the 'sending your answers' response.

What is the Secret to a Tree's Longevity?
By Len Phillips

Many of the Ginkgo biloba trees in China are confirmed to be more than 1,000 years old. By examining the ginkgo's genetics, scientists found that the ginkgo vascular cambium contains no program for senescence, or death but, the tree continues its program for making youthful defenses even after growing for hundreds of years. Older ginkgo trees also produce just as many seeds and their leaves are just as resourceful as those of young trees. Though it has yet to be tested, the researchers believe other old trees may have a similar pattern of genetic programming.

Being modular organisms, every year a ginkgo grows new wood, new roots, new leaves, and new sex organs. A person on the other hand is born with all of the reproductive parts in the body and at a certain point people just get old and die.

Although ginkgoes live for many, many years, they do age. The trees grow taller with the cell-generating region called the apical meristem, producing growth in height and width, with the growth of the vascular cambium. Over time, weather or other things prevent the apical meristem from forming and elongating, limiting a tree’s height, and each year, leaves die and fall off. But the cambium, contained within the tree’s trunk, remains intact and active. Sometimes ginkgo trees may be reduced to just hollow stumps, but with the cambium intact, they can still produce leaves, stems, and flowers. Some trees even remain alive as stumps, and re-sprout years after the rest of the tree has died or been cut down.

The ginkgo's secret is maintaining a healthy defense system and being a species that does not have a predetermined senescence or aging program. As ginkgo trees age, they show no evidence of weakening their ability to defend themselves from stresses. Researchers in the US and China studied ginkgo trees aged 150 to 667, extracting tree-rings and analyzing cells, bark, leaves and seeds. They found both young and old trees produce anti-oxidants, anti-microbial chemicals, and plant hormones, that protect against drought and other environmental stressors. Genetic studies showed that genes related to aging did not automatically switch on at a certain point in time, as happens in other living organisms such as grasses, people and animals.

Another feature of the ginkgo is that it is a monotypic species. These are trees that are the only species within their genus. However, the other monotypic trees do have a predetermined senescence program. Examples of these monotypic trees are: Cercidophyllum japonicum - Katsura tree, Cryptomeria japonica - Japanese cedar, Davidia involucrata - Dove tree, Eucommia - Hardy Rubber Tree, Fitzroya cupressoides - Alerce, Maclura - Osage Orange, Metasequoia glyptostroboides - Dawn redwood, Sequoia sempervirens - Coast redwood, Sequoiadendron giganteum - Giant Sequoia, and Wollemia nobilis - Wollemi pine. According to researchers, these trees existed before the last ice age, which wiped out their natural pests. However, all these trees are be believed to have a senescence program.

Thus, while a ginkgo tree that has lived for centuries might appear dilapidated due to winter damage or lightning strikes, all the processes needed for healthy growth are still functioning. Researchers suspect the picture will be similar in other long-lived trees, such as the giant sequoia, which has wood packed with anti-microbial chemicals.

Apart from a consistent supply of food, light and water, the ability of the ginkgo to live to a great age and large size is thought to be linked to several factors. These include a slow growth rate, cellular adaptations and relative protection from secondary influences such as pests, drought, development, diseases, climate extremes, catastrophic physical damage and logging operations.

Although ginkgoes live long, they also age. Weather can damage the apical meristem, limiting a tree’s height over time. Each year, leaves die and fall off. But the cambium, contained within the tree’s trunk, remains intact and active. Researchers found that cell division tends to slow down after the age of 200, but the cells are still viable. They generate defenses and carry water and nutrients so the tree grows and stays healthy. Essentially, trees like ginkgo could live forever because they do not die of old age.

Although humans are quite different from trees, contemplating them serves some purpose. Peter Crane, an evolutionary biologist and author of “Ginkgo: The Tree that Time Forgot,” said contemplating long-lived trees might help us to see further into a future than many of us tend to look at. “It’s kind of a way of calibrating how quickly our world is changing and reminding us that we shouldn’t always be thinking in the short term.”

The ginkgo tree has been growing on this planet for 200 million years. This really puts our own species and our own individual existence into a clear perspective. We may not be at the center of everything. The universe does not revolve around us. Humans have only been here for two to three million years. That ought to encourage us to look at the big picture as we think about our relationship with the natural world. If we continue to consume fossil fuels and spew out carbon dioxide, and global warming continues to heat the planet, it will soon be impossible for the human race to survive. But the ginkgo tree will live on!

Sources

Crane, Peter, “Ginkgo: The Tree that Time Forgot”
Koop, Fermin,“The secret behind Ginkgo biloba’s near-immortal lifespan”, Environment Issues, January 15, 2020.

Tree of the Seminar
Ginkgo biloba ‘Autumn Gold’
By Len Phillips

Ginkgo biloba ‘Autumn Gold’ commonly called ‘Autumn Gold’ Ginkgo, is an all-male cultivar typically growing with a broadly round spreading habit. It is considered to have the best golden autumn color among all the ginkgo selections.

The distinctive fan-shaped leaves of ‘Autumn Gold’ feature two-lobed, somewhat leathery, fan-shaped, rich green leaves with diverging (almost parallel) veins. The leaf blades have a central dividing lobe, hence the botanical species name, biloba.

Picture in your mind the installation of 25 Autumn Gold ginkgo trees on the perimeter of a mini-park. I found the autumn color on this cultivar was spectacular, especially when all the leaves turned a uniform golden yellow usually on the same day. It was also a beautiful sight when back-lit by early morning or late afternoon autumn sun. The golden leaves persisted for several weeks. When the leaves dropped, they all dropped rapidly, again usually on the same day. Where the leaves fell beneath the tree, they remained like a golden carpet that lasted for a couple of weeks, weather and landscape maintenance permitting.

In winter the tree has an exotic charm with a stark silhouette that has bristling spiky buds on graceful arching limbs. The picturesque dark brown branches contrast nicely against the winter snow.

This male cultivar of Ginkgo is practically disease and insect pest free and resistant to storm damage. Because it is a male cultivar, ‘Autumn Gold’ is fruitless. It will grow to about 40 – 50 feet (12 – 15 meters) tall with a 25 – 30 feet (7 – 9 m) wide spread. It tends to grow slowly. The tree is easily transplanted and grows best in USDA Hardiness Zone 4 – 9. However, Zone 4 is right on the edge of winter survival so in this Zone it is best to install the tree in a sheltered location.

Ginkgo trees can live for hundreds of years, so they are best planted in large open landscapes where they have plenty of room to grow and be appreciated as they age. ‘Autumn Gold’ is an excellent selection for a variety of uses, including lawns, as a street tree, or a shade tree at a home, in a city park, or near commercial buildings. The reason it is an excellent selection is because it transplants easily and tolerates most soils from acid to neutral as long as the site is evenly moist and fertile. It is a tough tree for difficult sites because it is tolerant of air pollution, urban conditions, soil compaction, heat and salt. Because of all these tolerances, it is often installed as a city tree and in highly trafficked public areas.

Ginkgo biloba was selected as the 1996 Urban Tree of the Year by a vote of the members of the Society of Municipal Arborists. This tree's popularity comes from having almost no pest or disease problems and low maintenance after an early structural pruning. Autumn Gold is tolerant of soils, salt, and pollutants, and it has no problem fruits.

Appreciate ‘Autumn Gold’ Ginkgo because of its beautiful autumn color and seedless character while being a very tough city tree.

Sources

Dirr, Michael A. and Keith S. Warren, “The Tree Book”, Timber Press, 2019.

Gilman, Edward F. and Dennis G. Watson, “Ginkgo biloba ‘Princeton Sentry’,” US Forest Service, Fact Sheet ST-278, November 1993.
J. Frank Schmidt & Son Nursery photo
Learn 2 Grow, “Ginkgo biloba 'Princeton Sentry',” Plant Search, 2017.

The Death of Our Forests
Edited by Len Phillips

America was not ready for the COVID pandemic and it is not ready for the next pandemic to strike our woodlands. Humans and trees both suffer during plagues. In the past 200 years, voracious insects and fungi have swept across North America with frightening regularity, first killing the American chestnut, then the American elm, the Eastern hemlock, and most recently, all of the ash. Each of those trees anchored natural ecosystems, human economies, and cultures. While climate change and wildfires grab the headlines, invasive species have proven to be a far greater threat to forest biodiversity in America. These plagues have also enhanced climate change. Research has found that rotting trees killed in the US by forest pests release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere just like wildfires.

As much as we were unprepared for the Corona virus that has killed thousands and thousands of people in the US and millions of people worldwide, we are not ready for the next tree pandemic either. However, tree plagues differ from human pandemics. On the plus side (from a tree’s perspective), insects and diseases are often specific to a genus, so except for wildfires, no plague or disaster has hit every tree at once. On the minus side, people can stay indoors and get immunized, but trees have to stand there and take it.

Similarity between Plagues
In many ways however, tree plagues are surprisingly similar to human plagues and treatments can help us manage both types of threats. Human and tree plagues move around the globe via travel and trade. Early explorers in the 15th century brought smallpox, measles and other viruses to the New World, killing a substantial number of native people. Diseases and viruses have been leaping oceans ever since. Columbus’s arrival also set in motion the transplantation of Asian, European and American flora, but also new plants with insects and diseases.

In the millions of years since the continents separated from what had been a larger land mass called Pangea, trees like chestnut and ash had diverged into distinct species that provided sustenance to specialized communities of insects and microorganisms. Trees evolved defensive chemicals as a sort of tree immune system to keep all the pests at manageable levels. That’s why, for example, white oak trees can sustain more than 500 caterpillar species while retaining enough leaves to feed the trees themselves.

The trans-ocean movement of tree species starting in the 1700's upended things. Occasionally, a pest landed on a tree similar enough to its host tree to be digestible, yet dissimilar enough that the tree lacked defenses against the pest. In the early 1950's, for example, woolly adelgids from Japan were discovered in the United States. The tiny insects found the sap of Eastern hemlocks delicious and began to multiply, decimating hemlock trees. By the time the problem was raising alarms in the 1970s, the outbreak was too large to be contained. It may be thousands of years before the hemlock regains the abundance it had a mere five decades ago.

Infestation Examples
The story of the hemlock infestation highlights a parallel to human pandemics. There is usually a lag between when tree plagues begin to take hold and when they become noticeable. Once established, they become extremely difficult to eradicate and can cause billions of dollars in damages and dead trees. In California, sudden oak death, a disease caused by a nonnative fungus-like pathogen, was first noticed in the 1990s. It has killed millions of trees and had devastating effects on coastal forests in California and Oregon.

Ash trees have been decimated by the emerald ash borer, an Asian beetle that first struck in suburban Detroit in the early 1990s. It has since killed hundreds of millions of trees and threatens the 16 known ash species native to the United States, plus the insect species that feed on the ash without harming the tree.

At the present time, the spotted lanternfly, native to East Asia arrived in Pennsylvania in 2014 and is demolishing orchards and vineyards at a cost of millions of dollars a year as it moves toward the west.

Solutions
Perhaps the most straightforward measure to address this problem would be to stop importing trees and plants. But that is unlikely to happen. The horticulture industry, which generated more than $4.5 billion in sales of nursery stock in 2019, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department, has long thrived on offering customers a profusion of plants from around the world. Regulators have instead developed risk-assessment protocols and banned or quarantined imports of some trees and woody plants known to harbor dangerous pests. These measures have helped, but not stopped the problem. Because pests usually specialize on a single plant genus, scientists recommend banning imports of close relatives of native trees. Recent innovations have given scientists even more precise tools to identify new insect or pathogen threats. By planting trees native to the United States and Europe in China, for example, researchers have discovered insects native to Asia that could do major damage to American or European trees. Similar experiments are underway to identify threats to Asian trees growing in the US.

Regulating live plants won’t be enough. The emerald ash borer and another destructive invader, the Asian long-horned beetle, hitchhiked to the United States not on live trees but on wooden packaging material used to move freight. The spotted lanternfly is thought to have arrived in egg form on landscaping stone. Regulators have responded by requiring wood packaging to be heat-treated or fumigated. Requiring shippers to use alternative packing materials could be an even more effective solution.

Inspections of incoming shipments for insects or diseases that could attack trees are not effective. Only a small fraction is inspected. Still, live insects are detected in an average of some 800 shipments annually, according to investigators. An unknown number however, do slip through.

Travelers also have a role to play, by being responsible consumers and transporters of plants. An entomologist at the Forest Service worries about pests hitchhiking on exotic plants carried on airplanes and in traveler's luggage, which is barely inspected. He is also concerned about the boom in e-commerce, which the COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged.

In recent years, a chorus of voices including ecologists and public health experts have called for preserving forests and trees to head off a host of ills, from urban heat stress to global climate change and human pandemics. Indeed, it has become clear that deforestation increases the chances that humans will be exposed to more dangerous pathogens.

But far less attention has gone to slowing the expanding tide of plagues that humans, global trade, weak regulatory systems and carelessness, have inflicted on trees. If we want forests to protect us, we first need to protect the forests.

Source

Popkin, Gabriel, “Invasive Insects and Diseases Are Killing Our Forests”, New York Times, Feb. 7, 2021

The History of American Elm Cultivars
By Len Phillips

Since the Declaration of Independence by the United States in 1776, to the present, the American Elm (Ulmus americana) has been the most favored tree in the US. Elms with their vase shape, arching over the street, have been providing a cool roadway shade for generations of travelers.

But it was not always this way. Early settlers systematically waged war on the ancient elms by cutting them down because they regarded the trees as an enemy to be overcome by any means. Trees created shade which hampered growth of their crops, and trees provided protection from the native American Indians, and trees were hiding the wild animals necessary for the early hunters survival. The Indians tried to discourage settlers from destroying their lands and their magnificent trees, especially the elms, but to no avail.

As the US grew, an event occurred on July 3, 1775 that honored the most famous tree in America. It happened to be the Washington Elm on Cambridge Common, across the river from Boston, Massachusetts. It was so called because it was in the shade of this tree that George Washington is said to have first drawn his sword to take command of the American army. The trunk of this tree at that time was measured at 13 feet 2 inches (4 m) in circumference.

In 1837, Oliver Wendell Holmes, poet and physician went west of Boston to search for very large elms. He encountered the Great Elm in Springfield, Massachusetts that had a trunk circumference of 24 ft, 5 in. (8.5 m) In the Medfield, MA, home of Thaddeus Morse, an elm trunk was measured to be 36 feet (11 m) in circumference.

The American elm soon became the most widely planted street tree from the middle of the 19th century, until 1929, when Dutch Elm Disease (DED) was identified, and the disease proceeded to kill almost every living American elm. The tree had become popular because of its upright trunk and vase-shaped canopy with branches arching over the street. The tree had a coarse texture and was fast-growing to a height of 80 feet tall while the crown spread to 70 feet (21 m) wide. It had dark gray bark and dark green leaves that cast a cool shade over the street and people below. The tree was also common in the forests until they started being destroyed by DED.

From the 1930's to the 1960's, efforts were focused on the search and application for chemical treatments that could be sprayed on the trees or require an injection into existing elms with the intent that it would kill the elm bark beetles that were the carriers of DED. Treatments to kill the elm bark beetle were expensive and only partially effective.

Because of the limited success with sprays and trying to preserve the existing elms that were being killed by the elm bark beetle, focus changed to develop an American Elm look-alike that was resistant to DED. Replacing the classic American Elm had been a challenge for nurseries and tree professionals. In the 1970's and '80's the search began to find a replacement tree. The replacement had to be a cultivar that was resistant to the disease, growing on its own roots, and have the classic vase shape. The reason for growing on its own roots is because the American elm cultivars are compatible only with the American elm rootstock and this is the only proven way to propagate disease resistant American elms.

In 1970, Alden (Denny) Townsend had become a geneticist at the U.S. National Arboretum, and in 1984 he decided to organized the great American elm survivor contest. The contest compared the growth of nine, new or rare, American elm clones and/or cultivars that survived the original waves of Dutch elm disease. The names of some of the moderately successful trees were American Liberty, Independence, Delaware, New Harmony, Princeton, and Valley Forge. A couple of Asian elms included in the contest were National Arboretum introductions – Prospector and Frontier. The trees would be allowed to grow for two years and were then injected with DED. The trees that survived the injection were New Harmony, Valley Forge, and Princeton.

New Harmony Elm was developed by Denny Townsend at the National Arboretum and is a very fast-growing elm that needs extra pruning to control the amount and direction of growth. It has excellent tolerance to DED and grows to 75 ft (21.5 m) tall and 70 ft (20.5 m) wide. It comes very highly recommended by nurseries around the country.

Princeton Elm is the most widely planted of the new elm cultivars because of handsome dark green leaves and symmetrical outline. Its branching habit has proven to be problematic with crowded and narrow crotches that lead to breakage in storms. It has a nice oval to vase shape. DED resistance is varied. Princeton Nursery claims that cuttings from the original Princeton elm are all resistant to DED, while seedlings tend to be less tolerant and less uniform with the vase shape. It grows to 75 ft. (21,5m) tall and 50 ft (15m) wide. (For more information about this tree, see the next article.)

Valley Forge Elm showed the greatest resistance to DED of all the tested elms. The tree is extremely vigorous and requires extra pruning in its early years. This tree has a broad vase shape and grows very fast in warm climates, so it might do very well with global warming. This tree grows to 70ft (20.5 m) tall and wide.

American Liberty Elm was developed by John Hansel, the founder of the Elm Research Institute. It was a group of 6 selections. However, Independence was the one clone that was named and is probably the best of the 6 selections. American Liberty presented a mixed resistance as well as a variety of growth rates and vase shaped forms. Future studies determined that the slow growth rates and low survival rates concluded that American Liberty elms were not suitable for replacements of the American Elm. However, they do remain very popular because of the Elm Research Institute promotion. This tree grows to 75 ft (21,5m) tall and 70 feet (20.5 m) wide. However, the trees do not have consistent growth nor reliable DED resistance, and so it is not recommended by many nurseries.

Sources

Jonnes, Jill, “Urban Forests”, Penguin Books, 2016.
Dirr, Michael and Keith Warren, “The Tree Book”, 2019.

Princeton Elm
By Len Phillips

In 1922, Princeton American Elm was first admired in a cemetery and cuttings were selected by William Flemer because the tree resembled the classic American Elm. The tree had a dense symmetrical upright vase-shape and large, leathery, dark green leaves that change to yellow in autumn. Ten years after Princeton Elm was introduced in New Jersey, it was discovered that this tree was also resistant to Dutch elm disease (DED). Besides resistance to DED, the Princeton elm also demonstrated a resistance to damage from the elm beetles. This elm is not a hybrid or a cultivar, but a true American elm selection with a proven record of DED resistance and longevity as a classic American street tree. However, according to some sources, seedlings from this tree are susceptible to DED, while cuttings from the original Princeton American Elm are resistant. Arborists should be aware of this when purchasing Princeton American Elms.

In 1989, Denny Townsend at the National Arboretum began the Great American Elm Survivor contest with the 9 potentially DED resistant cultivars being evaluated. Princeton Elm was one of the trees in the contest. When these trees grew to a mature size they would be evaluated and a winner declared (see previous article for more information about the contest).

Meanwhile, in 2007, the Princeton elm was in stores and nurseries and it marked the return of the elm tree to the mass market. In 2008, 88 Princeton elms were installed in front of the White House to line the edges of the pedestrian promenade. These trees marked the return of a great American elm tree.

Finally at the end of the contest, Princeton and New Harmony elms were selected as the preferred elms for growth rate, branching patterns, and the vase-shaped form as well as having pest and insect resistance. Both trees proved that genetics and properly raised trees make a big difference in the quality of the full-grown tree.

The other trees in the Arboretum contest are also available in the market-place because they are resistant to DED, but they do not have the typical elm “vase shape”.

Here are the details of the winner.

Trade Name:                          Princeton Elm
Botanical Name:                   Ulmus Americana ‘Princeton’
Parentage:                             Selection from a street tree near Princeton Nurseries in New Jersey
Family: Ulmaceae
Hardiness Zone: 2 – 9
Height                                     60 – 80 ft.
Spread                                    40 – 50 ft.
Habit:                                      Vase shaped
Flower: Not showy, reddish, very early in spring
Fruit:                                       1/2" long samara, greenish, mature in May – June
Spring Foliage                       Greenish red in March
Summer Foliage: Dark green leaves in summer, leathery
Autumn Foliage: Turns yellow in autumn
Bark:                                       Dark gray with ridges, often scaly
Growth Rate: Fast, 10 ft. in 5 years
Planting:                                 Easy to transplant bare root or B&B because of its fibrous root system, excellent
  choice for a CU-Structural Soil project
Pruning:                                 Best to prune in autumn to avoid attracting the elm bark beetle.
Propagation:                          They are propagated by rooted cuttings
Site Requirements: Tolerates urban conditions, prefers rich, moist soils, any pH
Pest Resistance:                   Excellent resistance to Dutch Elm Disease especially if the tree is cloned from the
original Princeton Elm
Storm Resistance: Good
Salt Resistance: Excellent
Other Comments: Upright vase shape, excellent for street tree use
Available from:                     Most large nurseries
Photo

The test that follows contains 10 questions. Before taking the test be sure you have read the article carefully. The passing grade is 80% on the entire test.

ISA will award .5 CEUs* for a passing grade. SAF members will earn 0.5 Cat. 1-CF for every five passing test scores. The cost for taking this test is $10. If you purchase an annual subscription for 15 credits, the cost per credit is reduced by 50% (see Annual Subscription link below). We will report all passing test scores to ISA and/or SAF. If you are a member of ISA and SAF we will report your passing test scores to both for no additional cost. Please be sure to add both of your certification numbers when you sign in. Tests with passing scores may be submitted only once to each organization.

*Members of ISA may apply the 0.5 CEUs toward Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, Tree Worker/Climber, Tree Worker/Aerial Lift, or BCMA science credits.

California UFC members will receive credit for passing the test. Please add your CaUFC number after your ISA and/or SAF certification number.

ASCA members may submit your ISA certification record to the ASCA and receive credits one for one.

MTOA members must follow the ISA instructions indicated above.

To take the test by the pay per test option, click on the 'Pay Now' button below where you can send payment online securely with your credit card or Pay Pal account.  After your payment is submitted, click on ‘Return to Merchant' / gibneyCE.com.  That will take you to the test sign in page followed by the test.  Members with certifications from both ISA and SAF, please be sure to add both of your certification numbers.  These numbers are important for reporting purposes.

To take the test as an annual subscriber with reduced rates, click on Password and enter your test password which will take you to the test sign in page.  If you would like to become a subscriber see our Annual Subscription page for details.

When you have finished answering all questions you will be prompted to click ‘next’ to send your answers to gibneyCE.com.  You can then click ‘next’ to view your test summary.  A test review of your answers is available upon request.

All passing test scores are sent from gibneyCE.com to your organization(s) at the end of every month and they will appear on your certification record 4 to 6 weeks* after that. ISA maintains a record of CEU credits on their website.
*SAF requires 5 passing test scores before reporting.

Test re-takes are allowed, however you will have to pay for the retake if you are using the pay per test option. You can spend as much time as you would like to take the test but it is important not to leave the test site until you have answered all the questions and see the 'sending your answers' response.

Francis A. Bartlett
Edited by Len Phillips

Bartlett Tree Experts was founded in 1907 by Francis Alonzo “Lon” Bartlett. The company grew to become the world's leading scientific tree and shrub care company. Lon was born on November 13, 1882 in Belchertown, MA. He graduated from Massachusetts Agricultural College (now the University of Massachusetts Amherst) in 1905, where he would later accept an honorary doctoral degree. As a prominent dendrologist, Lon taught horticulture at the Hampton Institute in Virginia for two years before a benefactor of that college persuaded him to relocate to the New York area, where many valuable shade and ornamental trees were declining and dying at the time. Lon accepted the challenge and founded the Bartlett Tree Experts Company.

In 1913, Lon established the Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens at his residence in North Stamford, Connecticut to be used as a training school for his company employees. By 1927, there was enough scientific work in progress to warrant the establishment of the Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories, located first in North Stamford, and, since 1965, on a large property in Charlotte, North Carolina. Bartlett was the first company to use power spray equipment to manage landscape pests, and the first company to develop practical cabling and bracing methods to reinforce structurally weak trees.

In the 1920s, Lon expanded the company into several Northeastern and Eastern Seaboard states, and as far west as Chicago. In 1922, public utility companies were asking for Mr. Bartlett's help in keeping their power lines clear of excessive tree growth that tended to cause outages during storms. That was the beginning of the public utility line clearance division, which until February 2001, when it was sold, supplemented the basic private tree care operations.

During the Great Depression of the 1930s, the Public Utility service was extremely active as rural America electrified, and this sustained the business. In the 1940s, another expansion occurred when Public Utility service offices were opened in almost all of the states east of the Mississippi River.

From its over 100 offices worldwide, Bartlett helps both residential and commercial customers maintain beautiful, healthy trees. In addition, as a government contractor, they offer competitive bids and provide quality tree service with timely implementation.

Mr. Bartlett had a great curiosity and set about learning all he could about the physiology and care of trees and shrubs. His mission was to be able to provide preventive care that would assure good health, longevity, beauty, and safety for his clients' trees. He used the slogan, "America's Trees are Worth Saving."

Bartlett was the first company to establish and maintain an Integrated Pest Management program for total preventative plant health care. Lon also instituted a financial support program for students pursuing careers in arboriculture and related fields.

The tree research facility's professional staff of renowned scientists led in the development of practical cabling and bracing methods to reinforce structurally weak trees. The company introduced modern fertilization methods including Soil-Rx prescription treatments for specific plants. Bartlett also learned how to successfully control a tree disease by the use of chemicals introduced directly into the sapwood. The company also learned how to formulate a fertilizer called “Bartlett's Green Tree Food”, that was designed to meet the nutritional needs of landscape trees and to maintain an Integrated Pest Management program for total preventative plant health care.

Francis Alonzo Bartlett died on November 21, 1963 in Stamford, Fairfield, CT. at the age of 81, and his company continues to grow and thrive.

At Bartlett, trees are more than just a business. The company is committed to increasing tree planting and stewardship in their communities. That's because the employees know that urban tree populations depend on large-scale participation to thrive and grow.

Lon was dedicated to developing environmentally sound products and promoting the products on his clients' properties. With the Bartlett Legacy Tree Program, Bartlett continues to provide tree seedlings to help with reforestation efforts, and teaching people how to care for trees.

The test that follows contains 10 questions. Before taking the test be sure you have read the article carefully. The passing grade is 80% on the entire test.

ISA will award .5 CEUs* for a passing grade. SAF members will earn 0.5 Cat. 1-CF for every five passing test scores. The cost for taking this test is $10. If you purchase an annual subscription for 15 credits, the cost per credit is reduced by 50% (see Annual Subscription link below). We will report all passing test scores to ISA and/or SAF. If you are a member of ISA and SAF we will report your passing test scores to both for no additional cost. Please be sure to add both of your certification numbers when you sign in. Tests with passing scores may be submitted only once to each organization.

*Members of ISA may apply the 0.5 CEUs toward Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, Tree Worker/Climber, Tree Worker/Aerial Lift, or BCMA management credits.

California UFC members will receive credit for passing the test. Please add your CaUFC number after your ISA and/or SAF certification number.

ASCA members may submit your ISA certification record to the ASCA and receive credits one for one.

MTOA members must follow the ISA instructions indicated above.

To take the test by the pay per test option, click on the 'Pay Now' button below where you can send payment online securely with your credit card or Pay Pal account.  After your payment is submitted, click on ‘Return to Merchant' / gibneyCE.com.  That will take you to the test sign in page followed by the test.  Members with certifications from both ISA and SAF, please be sure to add both of your certification numbers.  These numbers are important for reporting purposes.

To take the test as an annual subscriber with reduced rates, click on Password and enter your test password which will take you to the test sign in page.  If you would like to become a subscriber see our Annual Subscription page for details.

When you have finished answering all questions you will be prompted to click ‘next’ to send your answers to gibneyCE.com.  You can then click ‘next’ to view your test summary.  A test review of your answers is available upon request.

All passing test scores are sent from gibneyCE.com to your organization(s) at the end of every month and they will appear on your certification record 4 to 6 weeks* after that. ISA maintains a record of CEU credits on their website.
*SAF requires 5 passing test scores before reporting.

Test re-takes are allowed, however you will have to pay for the retake if you are using the pay per test option. You can spend as much time as you would like to take the test but it is important not to leave the test site until you have answered all the questions and see the 'sending your answers' response.

How to Grow A Tiny Forest
Edited by Len Phillips

While most people think forests require many acres, tiny forests can be started in one square yard (1 sq. meter) up to the size of a tennis court. The forest is densely planted with native trees and shrubs. Tiny Forests are not just an pleasant spot for butterflies, birds, bees and small mammals; it is a great place for people too. In the outdoor classroom, children learn about nature and it also serves as a meeting place for the local community.

Around the world, there’s a growing movement to create tiny forests in cities to improve their livability and help fight climate change. Tiny forests do most of the things large forests do such as, muffle city noise, absorb carbon from the air, soak up storm water, provide habitat for wildlife, and cool the air in summer. Tiny Forest is not just about restoring nature: it is about creating a healthy environment, where people can (re)connect to nature. The goal of Tiny Forests is to create a natural habitat for people in the city. Research shows that children who spent a lot of time in nature, grow up to be healthy, happy and creative adults, that want to contribute to society.

The tiny forest movement began in Japan over 40 years ago. It starts with the proper soil preparation and the optimal mix of native plants. A barren patch of land can grow and expand to cover about a square yard a year and start looking like a forest in as little as three years, as opposed to decades for seedlings planted in an existing large forest. The tiny forest provides a rewarding experience for urban school children and neighborhood volunteer groups. Thousands of kids never visit nature. How can we expect people and especially children who never visit nature, to care about nature, to have concern about the loss of biodiversity, and the certainty of global warming and climate change?

During a tsunami in Japan, a tiny forest installed eight years earlier stood firm and helped protect a local business from flood debris, while other local plantings washed away. Today, a great forest wall of 14 million native trees is now being installed along Japan’s east coast.

The theory behind the tiny forest method is that by planting vegetation far more densely than in a conventional forest, the trees will grow tall quickly to compete with each other for sunlight and water. By using the right mix of trees and shrubs, the forest will end up with lush, verdant layers.

Here are the basic steps:

Learn what trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants grow naturally in your region. Native plants do much better than non-natives, with less maintenance, and will attract more diverse native wildlife.
Soil in developed urban areas is likely compacted, so prepare the ground by turning the soil and adding organic soil amenities like wood chips, charcoal or biochar, and healthy compost or locally available soil inoculants such as fungi and micro-organisms.
Plant the seedlings close together, about five saplings per square yard, using sticks for support.
Add a mulch layer on top of the soil to keep moisture from evaporating.
Keep the forest well-watered during periods without rainfall, and free from weeds for the first two years.

After two to three years a tiny forest should be well enough established to take care of itself with minimal upkeep.

So far, more tiny forests have been created in Asia and Europe than in the United States. Some tiny forests have been planted in Seneca, South Carolina, and Maysville, Missouri. It seems only a matter of time until the idea spreads throughout the United States, and while most tiny forests have been built in cities, they are a great idea for suburban areas with too much grassy lawn and too few trees. Depending on the location, some tiny forests will have to be fenced for a few years to keep out browsing animals.

Kids who plant their own forest, learn how to maintain it and follow nature lessons in the outdoor classroom, will grow up loving nature and will help to restore our planet to it’s former glory. Schoolchildren and the local community are involved in every step of the process.

Sources

BBC podcast, “A forest down your street”
“Shubhendu Sharma’s Afforestt”
Shubhendu Sharma

Preserving New Jersey’s land and natural resources

The test that follows contains 10 questions. Before taking the test be sure you have read the article carefully. The passing grade is 80% on the entire test.

ISA will award .5 CEUs* for a passing grade. SAF members will earn 0.5 Cat. 1-CF for every five passing test scores. The cost for taking this test is $10. If you purchase an annual subscription for 15 credits, the cost per credit is reduced by 50% (see Annual Subscription link below). We will report all passing test scores to ISA and/or SAF. If you are a member of ISA and SAF we will report your passing test scores to both for no additional cost. Please be sure to add both of your certification numbers when you sign in. Tests with passing scores may be submitted only once to each organization.

*Members of ISA may apply the 0.5 CEUs toward Certified Arborist, Municipal Specialist, Tree Worker/Climber, Tree Worker/Aerial Lift, or BCMA management, or science credits.

California UFC members will receive credit for passing the test. Please add your CaUFC number after your ISA and/or SAF certification number.

ASCA members may submit your ISA certification record to the ASCA and receive credits one for one.

MTOA members must follow the ISA instructions indicated above.

To take the test by the pay per test option, click on the 'Pay Now' button below where you can send payment online securely with your credit card or Pay Pal account.  After your payment is submitted, click on ‘Return to Merchant' / gibneyCE.com.  That will take you to the test sign in page followed by the test.  Members with certifications from both ISA and SAF, please be sure to add both of your certification numbers.  These numbers are important for reporting purposes.

To take the test as an annual subscriber with reduced rates, click on Password and enter your test password which will take you to the test sign in page.  If you would like to become a subscriber see our Annual Subscription page for details.

When you have finished answering all questions you will be prompted to click ‘next’ to send your answers to gibneyCE.com.  You can then click ‘next’ to view your test summary.  A test review of your answers is available upon request.

All passing test scores are sent from gibneyCE.com to your organization(s) at the end of every month and they will appear on your certification record 4 to 6 weeks* after that. ISA maintains a record of CEU credits on their website.
*SAF requires 5 passing test scores before reporting.

Test re-takes are allowed, however you will have to pay for the retake if you are using the pay per test option. You can spend as much time as you would like to take the test but it is important not to leave the test site until you have answered all the questions and see the 'sending your answers' response.