Hidden Post Hurricane Irma Impacts

Hurricane Irma caused substantial issues for our tree canopy. Torn limbs, toppled trees split trunks this damage is very visible and very apparent. Unfortunately, there was also a more hidden indirect impact. Florida's nurseries and plant farms took a substantial hit from the high winds and heavy rains. This will cause near and future issues as we try to replant lost/downed trees due to potential shortages of replacement trees. Hurricane Wilma in 2005 caused tree shortages that took 6 months to overcome. Hopefully, the industry can rebound sooner from the effects of Irma. I have also included several links to additional stories/articles pertaining to the effects of Hurricane Irma as it relates to the landscaping industry.

Photographs used courtesy of the FNGLA.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/weather/hurricane/article173502081.html
http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/2017/09/14/hurricane-irma-impact-floridas-nursery-landscape-industry-suffers-significant-loss/
http://www.lawnandlandscape.com/article/ll-091517-hurricane-irma-impacts-florida-landscapers-fngla/

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/politics/os-hurricane-irma-florida-agriculture-20170918-story.html

Post Hurricane Irma Cleanup/ Tree Replanting

Fort Lauderdale sustained some significant tree damage including downed trees and significant canopy loss. The majority of the damage is proving to be from either high winds, excessive ground saturation and or poor tree structure and lack of appropriate tree planting space. So far the tree species with the most damage include  Ficus, Tabebuia, Mahogany, Seagrape and Hong Kong Orchids.

While most of South Florida continues to clean out from under the debris generated by Hurricane Irma, here are some links to a few articles on saving your trees, tree debris cleanup for Fort Lauderdale and how to remediate storm damage.

http://www.miamiherald.com/living/home-garden/article173399206.html
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/weather/hurricane/fl-reg-hurricane-irma-debris-removal-20170911-story.html
http://fortlauderdale.gov/Home/Components/News/News/1580/16?backlist=%2F

http://blog.davey.com/2017/03/what-to-do-if-a-storm-damaged-my-tree/https://www.arborday.org/media/stormrecovery/4_treefirstaid.cfm

Hurricane Harvey Effects and Historic Tree Survival

Hurricanes can cause significant damage to newly installed and existing tree canopy. Trees with structural defects, those planted too deeply, improperly pruned and or planted in too small a space often experience significant storm related failures. You can reduce the potential for a storm related failure by following proper tree pruning principles and utilizing an ISA Certified Arborist to inspect your trees annually. There are also lessons to be learned from older trees that have survived multiple and or significant storm events and escaped relatively unscathed. Per the included article link below a 1,000+ year old Live Oak tree survived the effects of Hurricane Harvey with minimal damage. Note the ample growing space and robust structure of the tree, both possible factors in why the tree was able to survive.

Photograph Courtesy of the Independent US.

 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/hurricane-harvey-oak-tree-1000-year-old-survive-tropical-storm-goose-island-state-park-a7920576.html

The Value of Regular Inspections for High Risk trees/ and The Aftermath of Missed Ones

Annual risk assessments/inspections of your canopy trees by an ISA Certified Arborist can save you time, money and even your life. Recently a large Elm tree failed in New York City's Historic Central Park causing significant injuries. This particular tree can be considered high risk due to its limited planting space something that should always be kept in mind when planting new trees make sure enough space is available for the root system. Also of note the tree did receive an annual inspection but due to its high risk should most likely have been inspected on a more frequent basis or through use of a more advanced technique such as through use of a resistograph. A weblink to the full article is available here: https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20170816/upper-west-side/central-park-tree-injuries

 Photograph Courtesy of Fox News/ Associated Press

Does My Tree Need to be Removed/ Why Perform an Annual Inspection?

Recent research has confirmed the importance of proper tree selection, planting depth, tree quality and adequate space for proper tree establishment. Of equal importance is an annual inspection to schedule/perform required maintenance including pruning, mulching, treatment for diseases/insect infestations and fertilizing for nutrient deficiencies. But what are some of the sudden warning signs to be aware of that may indicate your tree needs to be inspected by an ISA Certified Arborist?

• Sudden unexpected lean/shift in the root plate area. This could be due to a recent wind event, broken pipe underneath the tree or from recent root pruning due to a street and or sidewalk repair. Can be remedied in some cases with younger trees. 
• Canopy suddenly turns brown/yellow or defoliates completely (not seasonal related). Could indicate lightning strike, fungal infection, chemical spill etc. Can potentially be treated with fungicides, insecticides, soil remediation or other alternatives.
• Sudden limb/branch shedding in calm weather. Substantial loss of canopy/branches/limbs can be indicative of root zone damage and or major issues that require an immediate onsite inspection from an ISA Certified Arborist. Can potentially be addressed through structural pruning.
• Large cracks/scorch marks with bark loss. Could indicate lightning strike and or high wind events that might have compromised a tree's structural integrity. Tree may or not be salvageable depending on size of cracks and tree structural integrity. 

It's a good rule of thumb to have all your canopy trees evaluated at least annually by an ISA Certified Arborist and as part of a routine tree maintenance plan. Often the observed defects/failure events can be remedied but sometimes tree removal becomes the only/best option.

For additional information concerning tree risk assessment please visit Dr. Ed Gilman's website below:

http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/hazard-trees.shtml

Laurel Wilt Disease

Florida has a robust economy based in large part on the agricultural industry and to a lesser extent revenue sourced from fruit trees such as citrus. Avocado trees are also a part of the fruit trade and recently a disease has arrived that is devastating the avocado tree and its family relative the red bay tree. The redbay ambrosia beetle is host to a fungus that disrupts the transportation of water and nutrients within an infected red bay or avocado tree causing the tree to wilt and eventually die. Identification and removal of potentially infested trees is essential if we want to eradicate this disease and save our beloved Avocado and Redbay trees. Links to information on the diseases and who to report potentially infected trees to is listed below.

Photograph Courtesy of James Johnson, Georgia Forestry Commission

Note frass tubes left by feeding Redbay Ambrosia Beetles.

Redbay Ambrosia Beetle     Laurel Wilt Disease

Kids Ecology Corps./ Tree Related Volunteer Work

I recently had the pleasure of attending the final day of a program entitled "Amazing Kids, Amazing Planet" which focused on promoting a healthy lifestyle, a food growing/gardening component and a greater appreciation of the environment as a whole championed by the Kid's Ecology Corps. and Heal The Planet. Together they have accomplished some amazing things engaging kids in discussions and exercises about the benefits of trees/nature/leading a healthy lifestyle. I was afforded the opportunity to conduct a nature walk, during which time I was able to talk about the importance of our urban forest canopy, point out various native tree species along with identifying several invasive exotics (air potato, sansaveria etc.). Reaching out to our younger generation and empowering them to believe in a healthy environment and healthy urban forest, will help secure our trees for the enjoyment of future generations.

Additional information for the Kids Ecology Corps., heal the planet and the "Amazing Kids, Amazing Planet" program are available here:

Kids Ecology Corps     healtheplanet