Failing trees - the board decides to let the "firs and pines" die.

Our board stated in the most recent newsletter "All of our firs and pines are dying.....and must come down."

That's a sad position to take and an excuse to stop spraying and caring for the many conifers and related species on the property. In fact, back in 2008 I was told the same thing about our trees by the Landscaping Director at the time.  Boards may change, but doing as little as possible is not an excuse.

I'll remind the reader that the current board raised fees and is now reducing landscaping care.  I was angry in November when the  board decided to raise fees, even though there was a projected, substantial budget surplus for 2018.

Now, that same board wants to cut expenditures for tree maintenance.  When people ask my why I am no longer is on the board, this is one example.

Meanwhile, other trees are nearing end of life, really!  Back in 2008 when I expressed concern to the board I was addressing our many ornamental trees, which have a normal lifespan of 25-35 years. This association is now 50 years of age. While some trees are doing well with annual care, others are obviously in trouble.

Emerald Ash Borer Found in Wheaton

The City of Wheaton announced that the emerald ash borer has been found in the city limits. If you think you spot a borer, bring it to the attention of the association. I have not met our new "Landscaping Director" who will, I expect, be at tomorrow's association meeting. The press release suggests the owner call the city but in our case, we as individuals don't own the trees, so I suggest we contact FUPM in the event of an emerald ash borer sighting. Our previous president was concerned about this. We have a large number of ash trees. These are an asset.

The press release is at the end of this post and there is also a link to a short informational video.

Click for Instructional Video on the Emerald Ash Borer

PRESS RELEASE: Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Emerald Ash Borer Confirmed in Wheaton

WHEATON, Ill. – The City of Wheaton has received official confirmation from the Illinois Department of Agriculture of the emerald ash borer’s presence in Wheaton. An ash tree in the parkway of the 2100 block of Glencoe Street was confirmed to be infested with the emerald ash borer.

Upon learning of the tree on Glencoe Street, the City of Wheaton’s Forestry Division inspected parkway ash trees within a half-mile radius of the infested tree and identified two additional trees that were infested. Both trees were located within two blocks of the tree on Glencoe Street in northeastern Wheaton. The Forestry Division removed all three infested trees on April 16.

In May 2008, the City began implementing an ash tree reduction program in response to the threat of an emerald ash borer infestation. Crews will continue with the program but will remove trees confirmed to be infested before other ash trees. The Forestry Division will continue to monitor the ash trees in the area for signs of infestation.

Signs of a tree infested with the emerald ash borer include D-shaped exit holes in the tree’s bark, heavy woodpecker damage (as woodpeckers like emerald ash borer larvae), dieback in the canopy of the tree, and sprouts growing from the tree’s trunk and roots. If you think your ash tree has been infested, call the Forestry Division at 630-260-2122. 

It's That Time for Winter Care of Our Trees

This is a tree situated near my unit. Looks typical. Can you spot a problem with this tree? (Hint: click on the photo to enlarge).

The problem is what arborists call "Water Sprouts". This tree has many of them. A "water sprout" is a vertical growing shoot, which steals energy from the tree. Trees should be trimmed so their energy is directed to growing a canopy. This tree appears to have been neglected and has many water sprouts. I know, I have been watching it. Some of the sprouts are now 5 feet in length and over one inch in diameter at their base. In the following photos, there are yellow arrowheads to point to some of the water sprouts.

If we want these assets to thrive and live a full life, they must be properly cared for. Otherwise, they will be stressed, will become diseased and will die. We then get to spend our fees on replacing them. So, how do you want your fees spent, and how do you feel about our trees? Let the board and our managers know.

Before I get some negative comments, let me also say that I brought my concerns to the board during "homeowner" sessions of the association meetings. I asked general questions about caring for our trees and doing things to extend their lives, and I expressed my concerns. This year, I suggested that the board consider spraying fruit bearing trees to diminish their fruit, in lieu of chopping them down, as some unit owners have requested. I also pointed out the "water sprout" problem. These sprouts should be trimmed each year, as part of the winter care of our trees. However, that is not occurring regularly. I have suggested to the board that they consider hiring an independent arborist to inspect our trees and give an opinion. We are a very short distance from the Morton Arboretum. It should be relatively easy and simple to do this.

I suggest that, after reviewing these photos, that you take a few minutes when walking our grounds and look for water sprouts.

It's all a choice. We have trees, over 800 of them and the shade and wildlife they bring. So shouldn't we care for them?

Here are a few photos of several trees, with the water sprouts flagged. Some of the sprouts are are new growth, from 2009. Others are obviously several years old.

Here's another view

Even more water sprouts!

=============
Comment:
All Photos on this site are copyrighted and are watermarked. They may be copied only with permission.