Residential Ash Tree Inventory and 2010 Tree Distribution is Completed!

HMEG's 2010 Residential Ash Tree Inventory  has long been completed, but we want to share the final reporting on the project.  Over 25 neighbor volunteers (including a 4-year old, 6-year old, and 2 dogs) counted trees on residential properties and identified how many of those are ash. There are over 6,700 trees and approximately 680 ash trees making our residential ash population about 10% as compared to the public (boulevard, park) ash population of 17%. Also collected were how many properties had space for tree plantings and these addresses were given first chance at HMEG shade tree distributions.  No other neighborhood in St. Paul has conducted this kind of survey and it could not have happened without the efforts of neighbors Tanner Larsen (as part of an internship) and Barb Spears.  Thanks to all volunteers!

To see a full write-up of the project, see an e-copy of the Shade Tree Advocate Winter 2011 issue:  http://issuu.com/mnstac/docs/shade_tree_winter_2011.

You’re Invited to Get a FREE TREE From the Hamline Midway Tree Team!

As a community, we are facing losing all of our ash trees due to the Emerald ash borer. Neighbor volunteers have surveyed the Hamline Midway neighborhood this summer to identify ash trees and tree planting spaces on residential properties. Further, the Hamline Midway Tree Team has secured sponsorship to distribute free trees and we want to give one to YOU!

Most of the trees come from Outback Nursery, a native plant nursery in Hastings whose owner has a connection to the neighborhood. Others have been donated. Trees are offered first-come, first- served based on availability, limited to one tree per property and cannot be planted on the boulevard. See your choices below.

Available Tree Species

American Basswood, Tilia americana. Zone 3-6. 5-gallon container. Ht. 50-60' W 30-40'. Full sun to partial shade. Shade tolerant. Golden yellow fall color. Fragrant flower clusters.

Black Walnut, Juglans nigra. Zone 4-7. (Donated - native). Approx. 2-gallon container. Ht. 50-75' W 50-75'. Tolerates drought. Full sun. Golden yellow fall color. Edible nuts. Large nuts.Allelopathic.

European hornbeam, Carpinus betulus. Zone 4-7. (Donated – non-native). 1-gallon container. Ht. 50-60’ W 40’-60’. Dense dark green foliage. Yellow fall color. Ribbed nutlet. Fluted bark.

Hackberry, Celtis occidentalis. Zone 3-5. 7-gallon container. Ht. 50-75' W 50-75'. Full sun to part shade. Tolerates dry polluted conditions. Persistent small, purplish berries. Yellow fall color. Very high wildlife value.

Red Pine, Pinus resinosa. Zone 2-4. 2-gallon container. Ht. 75' W 35-55'. Full sun. Minnesota State Tree. Also called Norway Pine. Long dark green needles. Reddish bark. Canopy becomes open and flat-topped with age.

Swamp White Oak, Quercus bicolor. Zone 4-5. 5-gallon container. Ht. 50-60' W 40-50'. Tolerates most soils. Requires wet to moist acidic soil. Flood tolerant. Exfoliating two-tone bark. Yellow orange fall color. Persistent leaves in winter. Fibrous root system. Resistant to salt and soil compaction. Very high wildlife value.

Tamarack, Larix laricina. Zone 2-5. (Donated - native). 1-gallon container. Ht. 50-75’ W 15’-30’. Midsize tree. Soft needles turn straw yellow in fall before dropping, medium to fast growth rate; prefers full to partial sun.

Yellow Birch, Betula alleghaniensis. Zone 2-4. 5-gallon container. Ht. 60-70' W 30'. Full sun to part shade. Yellowish-bronze, exfoliating bark. Beautiful yellow fall color. Resistant to
birch borer. Very high wildlife value.

Recipients MUST pick up their tree on October 2 at the Hamline Midway Coalition parking lot between 8:00am –12:00N. Tree care experts will be on hand with information and free advice. FREE mulch available – bring your own container. Assistance with delivery and tree planting may be available upon request.

Reserve your FREE tree by September 26!

E-mail
treeteam@hmeg.org
or call Barb at
651-646-5568.

Be sure to call Gopher One before you dig: (651) 454-0002

We Take Donations! If you can offset your free tree with $10, $15 or more, your investment will go right back into the tree fund for future plantings. Checks can be made to HMC. Thanks!

Major funding from the Community Organization Partnership Program and McKnight Foundation via the Hamline Midway Coalition.

A project of the Hamline Midway Environmental Group www.HMEG.org

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This information can be downloaded as a pdf flyer too.

HMEG is Talking Trees!

Hamline Midway Ash Tree Inventory Underway!
The Hamline Midway Environmental Group Tree Team has recruited 18 neighbor volunteers to help count the number of ash trees in our neighborhood. We want to know how the residential ash population compares to the known public (boulevard, park) ash population of about 17%. This will help us identify areas in the neighborhood that are more susceptible to ash tree loss due to the Emerald ash borer (EAB). We could still use volunteers (of all ages) and would be happy to teach you how to identify ash trees and conduct a very simple inventory by August 1! If you'd like to help, please contact the Tree Team at treeteam@hmeg.or or Tanner at 651-917-1248.
Trees for the Hamline Midway Neighborhood!

Fall Tree Planting
In conjunction with the ash tree inventory, the Hamline Midway Environmental Group Tree Team will be offering trees this fall to neighborhood residents to plant in their yards. Funding is provided by Councilman Russ Stark from the Community Organization Partnership Program (COPP) and the HMC Board from the McKnight Foundation. This summer, the Tree Team will be determining the species of trees to be offered and developing the project. If you are interested in a tree, please contact the Tree Team at treeteam@hmeg.org or Barb at 651-646-5568 to get your name on the list. More info to come!

MN Dept of Ag offers new information for homeowners considering EAB treatment

The HMEG members at the April meeting discussed how treating a tree could be done in a community fashion. For example, if there is one valuable ash tree that shades many backyards, or neighbors together want to stagger the boulevard losses on their block, folks could together cover the cost of treatment. (Note, St. Paul's Forestry Dept. should be contacted if treating a boulevard tree is being considered)

Also note that treatment is not 100% effective, nor is it a 1 time commitment. More info is available in the the 2 page pdf brochure. Regardless of your decision on whether to treat with pesticides or not, do plant a tree this year!

Information from the MDA:

Consider These 3 Things before Choosing to Use an Insecticide:

1. Identify if EAB is Near
To prevent unnecessary use of insecticides, first identify how close EAB is to your property. If you want to protect a high-value ash tree, the rule of thumb is to start chemical treatments when an EAB infestation is confirmed near your property. Your ash trees may be at risk if your property is within 15 miles of an EAB infestation, or if your property is within a county that has been quarantined for EAB (as of April 2010, the list of quarantined counties in Minnesota includes Hennepin, Ramsey and Houston Counties). Treatment programs that begin too early may be a waste of money and may have unintended environmental consequences. Check the MDA’s Interactive EAB Survey Map at http://gis.mda.state.mn.us/eab/ for current EAB infestations.

2. Consider Removing and Replacing the Ash Trees on Your Property
Consider whether ash trees on your property are worth protecting. Trees enhance a property’s value, but it may be more cost effective to replace a small or struggling ash tree than to pay the cost of ongoing treatments. In addition, trees in poor or declining health are not likely to respond well to insecticide treatments. Treat with an insecticide only if the tree is apparently healthy or
less than 50 percent of the crown is discolored or has sparse foliage. Consider tree removal if your ash tree has:

• Greater than 50 percent crown dieback
• Extensive mower or trimmer damage
• Existing EAB damage (see www.emeraldashborer.info/files/E-2938.pdf)
• Poor location such as under power lines or too close to a structure
• Poor planting
• Previous topping or extreme pruning

3. Remember Treatment Requires a Long-Term Commitment
Once EAB arrives in an area, it will remain a constant threat to ash trees for many years to come. It is likely that protective treatments will be needed for the rest of the tree’s life.

EAB Interactive Map

Thanks to Amy Sparks, Executive Director, St. Anthony Park Community Council, District 12 for this great info!

There is an interactive map of the Emerald Ash Borer infestation at http://gis.mda.state.mn.us/eab/. You can search by address (use the Find button in the upper left corner). It shows removed trees, standing awaiting removal, removed no EAB found and more.

It took me some time to figure out how to find stuff so I'll give you a clue: In the upper right hand corner, click on Legend. Then click on the + sign next to Emerald Ash Borer Detection so you find out what the symbols are. If you click on a the info button (an I with a circle around it), then click on a particular dot, you can get an address most of the time.

Emerald Ash Borer confirmed to have moved into southeast Minneapolis

Below is the press release about the find of the Emerald Ash Borer in Prospect Park, Minneapolis in February 2010. It was a happening that folks were expecting, but dreaded to hear. One-fifth of the boulevard trees in Minneapolis are Ash. The continuing infestation of EAB only highlights the efforts by the Hamline Midway Environment Group (HMEG) to fundraise around community tree planting projects.

If you live in a 5 mile radius from St. Anthony Park (Saint Paul) or Prospect Park (Minneapolis) please plant a tree this season!

Here are some of the local press available on this announcement:

• Minnesota Public Radio
• Start Tribune
  

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Thursday, February 25, 2010

Minnesota Department of Agriculture confirms emerald ash borer infestation in Minneapolis trees


The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) today confirmed an emerald ash borer infestation in four trees in the Prospect Park East River Road neighborhood of Minneapolis within Tower Hill Park. This infestation is within a mile of the St. Paul neighborhood in which the tree pest was found last year. The infestation was discovered through an ongoing survey of ash trees in the vicinity of the South St. Anthony Park neighborhood, where EAB was found in May 2009. While this marks the first time emerald ash borer has been found in Minnesota outside Ramsey County, state officials said the discovery was anticipated. Last fall, scientists determined that the St. Paul infestation had been in place for about three years prior to detection. Since the
adult beetles can fly up to 2 miles each year, officials expected that the bug had spread into Minneapolis. “When we found the St. Paul infestation last May so close to the border of the two cities, we knew there was a good chance we’d find it in Minneapolis,” said MDA Plant Protection Director Geir Friisoe. “That’s why we included Hennepin County in the initial EAB quarantine, even though it had only been confirmed in Ramsey County.”

The EAB quarantine in place for Ramsey and Hennepin Counties prohibits moving from the counties any items that may be infested with EAB, including ash trees and ash tree limbs, as well as all hardwood firewood. This quarantine remains in effect in 2010. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s Forestry Division is responsible for planting and maintenance of public trees on Minneapolis city streets and parkland. The Park Board’s forestry division has been working with MDA to prepare for the arrival of EAB. Next steps will include removal of infested trees and an intensified survey of all ash trees in the surrounding area.

EAB is an invasive beetle that kills ash trees. Its larvae kill ash trees by tunneling into the wood and feeding on the tree’s nutrients. Since its accidental introduction into North America, EAB has killed millions of ash trees in 13 states. The metallic-green adult beetles are a half inch long, and are active from May to September. Signs of infestation include one-eighth inch, D-shaped exit holes in ash tree bark and serpentine tunnels under the bark. Officials remind Minnesotans they can take the following steps to keep EAB from spreading:

• Don’t transport firewood. Buy firewood locally from an approved vendor, and burn it where you buy it;
• Be aware of the quarantine restrictions. If you live in a quarantined county, be aware of the special restrictions on movement of products such as ash trees, ash limbs, and firewood. Details on the quarantines can be found online at http://www.mda.state.mn.us/plants/pestmanagement/eab/quarantinefaq.aspx; and

• Watch for signs of infestation in your ash trees. If you suspect your ash tree could be infested by EAB, visit www.mda.state.mn.us and use the “Do I Have Emerald Ash Borer?” checklist.
MPRB Emerald Ash Borer Preparedness Plan

CONTACT:
Michael Schommer Communications Director , Minnesota Department of Agriculture 651-201-6629
Janell Wojtowicz Communication Specialist Minneapolis Park and Recreation, Board 612-230-6414