2000 Issues

Inside This Issue2 Profile: East Grand

Forks

3 Mycorrhizal Inoculation

5 Watering TransplantedTrees

8 Waste Wood Utilization

9 Rx for Wounded Trees

10 MnSTAC Info

11 Tree Potpourri

VOL. 3, NO. 3 • SUMMER 2000

1MnSTAC has a NEW WEB ADDRESS! Visit us there at http://www. mnstac.org

Summer

2000◆

The Minnesota Shade TreeAdvisory Committee’s mission is to advance

Minnesota’s commitment to the

health, care and future of all

community forests.

Please turn to p. 12.

Rethinking Urban Infrastructure

ot so long ago, many city plan-ners, civil engineers and citi-

zens who didn’t live in the neighbor-hood shared a common view of busystreets: Make them as wide as possible,as straight as possible and keep visualdistractions as far back from the thor-oughfare as possible. “Neat andstreamlined” kept the traffic moving.Residents living curbside usually want-ed reduced speed limits, but their voic-es were often lost in the attention tostraightforward traffic flow.

Today, many more people are sus-picious about the wisdom of creatingutilitarian roadways that encouragepeople to speed through cities, andespecially through residential neighbor-hoods. When the suburban city of St.Anthony contemplated both flood miti-

gation and reconstruction of its 29thAvenue, “How do we slow them down?”became a leading question. “The urbanforest” became part of the answer.

An east-west feeder stretchingabout two-thirds of a mile betweenStinson Blvd. and County 88, 29thAvenue is a fast, heavily traveled com-muter roadway that cuts through aresidential neighborhood. ProjectEngineer and Consultant Todd Hudmersays it “looks like a runway. There isno vegetation on the right of way, andthe whole setting looks like you shouldgo fast.”

In reconstruction and utility worksoon to be undertaken, City PublicWorks Director Jay Hartman says 29th

N

Path Blvd. Parking ParkingThrough Lanes Blvd

COUR

TESY

WSB

An upgradedurban forest

is a key inreworking St.

Anthony’s29th Avenue

from a “runway” (photo) to a

more neighborhood-friendly design.

◆ ◆ ◆

JAN

HOPP

E

29th Ave. Sidewalk/Lighting Plan

COMMUNITY FOREST PROFILE

magine thechallenges.

Alkaline clay-base soil. A shortgrowing sea-son—basicallyJune throughSeptember.Severe wintertemperaturesdropping to–40°F. Acres ofurban forest andfour parks on a river/flood plain that floodsnearly every year, often with serious ice dam-age. And then there’s a year like 1997 whenthe entire city floods, much of it 15-20 feetdeep.

These challenges are all in a year’s workfor Park and Recreation staff in East GrandForks, MN. Yet the city has an urban forestand park system that’s lush, healthy and beau-tiful.

East Grand Forks, population 8,500, liesdirectly across the Red River of the North fromGrand Forks, North Dakota. City park/forestry

staff consists of two full-time employees assisted bypart timers brought in forspecial needs. This smallgroup maintains 21 parksalong with cemeterygrounds, boulevard areasand riverbanks, two indoorice facilities, four outdoorice rinks and an outdoorpool. Community beautifica-tion is important, supportedby a regular line item in thecity budget, the enthusiasticbacking of the city counciland the interest of thetownspeople. Along withother community planting,the city pays for and plantstrees on berms in residen-tial areas throughout thecity each spring. Citizenssign up for the trees andthen take responsibility for

ongoing maintenance. Currently, volunteersare working to beautify State Highway 220roadsides as it moves through town, along withother projects.

The “500-YearFlood” of ’97 obvi-ously created heavystress on EastGrand Forks’ urbanforest. Many treeswere completely

submerged in water. Fuel tank residue, chemi-cals, sediment in the water and ground debrisall assaulted trees and other vegetation. Witha disaster this size, cleaning up, cutting andtrimming away damage were about all parkpersonnel could do to bolster trees. Some treesdied, but species native to or suited to theflood plain did quite well. Common to the cityare oak, ash, cottonwood, elm, basswood andhackberry. Dutch elm disease and ashanthracnose threaten those species, and pre-vention efforts are part of the tree manage-ment program. Planting after the flood hasbeen focused on keeping diversity.

A new Red River Recreation Area projectis sparking lots of excitement and enthusiasmin the community these days. The DNR StateParks System and City of East Grand Forksare collaborating to create the first state recre-ation area in the region. Seven hundred acresalong the river are being developed for publicrecreation with the assistance of state and fed-eral funding. Included will be a campground,hiking and picnic areas and a visitor’s centerhousing interpretative information about thebig flood. Construction will begin in May,2001. Private industry even has a stake; anew Cabela’s is already open. Visitors will beable to get DNR licensing and services, buyoutdoor gear and enjoy recreational facilitiesall in “one-stop” shopping.

East Grand Forks’ urban forest has thebenefit of two long-term tree advocates whowork closely together and complement eachother’s expertise. Dale Skyberg, Superinten-dent of Parks and Recreation, has been withthe city for 20 years and brings a health andphysical education background to park man-agement. Jim Neil, Park Foreman and CityForester, has a 25-year tenure loaded with on-the-job skills.

New Perspectives, Anyone?Working in a small city, Dale

and Jim appreciate the opportunityto communicate with colleagues inother communities. Dale thinks agreat opportunity for sharing ideaswould be for city park and forestrypeople from various communities toget together for a work day nowand then. The group would set adate, bring their own equipmentand come to one community for aday. They’d go through the commu-nity with their local colleagues,observing successes and problems,participating in on-site work, build-ing camaraderie and learningtogether. Are you interested? CallDale at 218/773-8000, or Jim at218/779-7750.

Summer 2000 • ADVOCATE2

East

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DALE

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I Spring and summer flood-ing complicate matters forurban foresters in EastGrand Forks.◆ ◆ ◆

ADVOCATE • Summer 2000 3

Will MycorrhizalInoculations Save YourAiling Tree?By Cindy Buschena

ost, if not all, urban soils havebeen disturbed and altered and

are quite different from a tree’s naturalhabitat. Will the addition of mycorrhizalfungi improve tree and shrub growth inthe urban setting?

A tree colonized by mycorrhizal fungi(a fungus that forms a symbiotic relation-ship with tree roots) has better nutritionas well as fewer incidences of root dis-eases. It is better protected against dam-aging environmental conditions such asdrought and soil accumulations of deicingsalt. And depending on the type of mycor-rhizal relationship, infected trees mayhave an advantage at soil water and nutri-ent access and uptake.

Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi are indis-pensable for many tree species in nature.Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) arefound in all climates and ecosystems, regard-less of the type of soil, vegetation or growingconditions. It is found on the majority of cul-tivated plants. So much has been written onthe benefits of ECM fungi that most peopleare convinced of the advantages. However,relatively few field studies on mycorrhizalinoculation have been published and com-mercialization of mycorrhizal products is stillin its infancy. Although both AMF and ECMinoculum have been available commerciallyfor many years, few options to purchaseeffective ECM inoculum are available innorthern climates and especially the LakeStates.

Is it as simple as following a recipe?Some species of ECM are limited by geo-

graphical area. As with plant materials, theorigin of the fungus is very important whenconsidering purchase of inoculum. Even withthe appropriate fungus, the beneficial effectsof the fungus can be adversely affected byfertilization (phosphorus and nitrogen maybe harmful), liming, pesticide use (in particu-lar, fungicides), and topsoil removal duringdevelopment activities. Temperatures canalso affect mycorrhizal fungi. The majority offungal species grow best between 18°C and27°C, though some have a wider tempera-ture tolerance. Pisolithus tinctorius, forexample, can grow at soil temperatures of34°C or higher, but is not native toMinnesota.

M

Please turn to page 4.

Dispel a Myth

Mycorrhizal fungasstructures in soil.◆ ◆ ◆

Mycorrhizae, from page 3


tion accompanies practices, nutrients or otheradditives that may by themselves cause bene-ficial results in plant health and growth.Confusion is certain: were the benefits due tothe fungi, the nutrients, the organic materialamendments?

The caveat.It is true that mycorrhizal fungi influ-

ence plant populations and communitydynamics, but they are not the answer to allproblems, especially in the urban landscape.If you decide to use mycorrhizal fungi, expectto receive correctly labeled inoculum, clearlyindicating the fungal species and the numberof living propagules. Expect to receive correctand relevant information that is helpful indetermining whether your situation wouldbenefit from inoculation. Do not accept any-thing less.

Remember that interactions betweenmycorrhizal fungi and other components ofthe landscape ecosystem are very complex.The problems with your trees may not berelated to the lack of mycorrhizal fungi. Theyquite often may be related to the presence ofsome other organism or condition that isharmful to the trees.

Cindy Buschena is a research scientist at theUniversity of Minnesota, Department of ForestResources.

In nature, mycorrhizae thrive in leafcompost and other organic materials, notsod. In addition, landscape trees and turf-grasses commonly have different, optimumpH ranges than do mycorrhizal fungi.Compaction, a common condition in urbansoils, results in the loss of pore space whichsubsequently reduces the amount of air andwater available to soil organisms (includingmycorrhizal fungi) and plant roots. Compac-tion can also cause changes in carbon dioxideand oxygen concentrations and diffusionrates, causing significant, long-term plantstress in urban landscapes. Since mycor-rhizal fungi require oxygen to survive, theirexistence and growth may be inhibited orgreatly reduced in compacted, clayey soils.

The urban forest isn’t a greenhouse.Mycorrhizal associations, including inoc-

ulant applications, are ecology issues. Manyclaims of commercial inoculants overlook thecomplexity and incomplete understanding offield behavior of mycorrhizal fungi. Know-ledge of its biology is mainly based on resultsof experiments with culturable fungi thatmay not be ecologically significant. Cultur-able species are the ingredients of commer-cial inocula. Add these commonly used, cul-turable fungi to a potted plant and the plantwill often become phosphorus-rich and growbetter. But it is unknown whether thesefungi improve plant performance beyond thegreenhouse.

Pot experiments are necessary but donot represent ecological reality. Results frompot experiments should not be expected to bethe same as results in the natural or syn-thetic forest. A mixture of easily culturedfungi (AMF and/or ECM) may not have anypredictable benefits in the field. This is espe-cially true if the ECM and/or AMF inocula-

Comparison of the number ofmycorrhizal root tips between a

healthy (left) and a declining(right) white oak. Sample vol-

umes were uniform.◆ ◆ ◆

GARY

JOHN

SON

Many claims of commercial

inoculants overlookthe complexity and incomplete under-

standing of the fieldbehavior of mycor-

rhizal fungi.◆ ◆ ◆

JIM K

IEHNE

ADVOCATE • Summer 2000

Establishing Transplanted Trees

5

ealthy trees thatmature into legacies do

not happen by chance. Ask cityforesters and they may say youneed to match trees that arebiologically adapted to a site.Hopefully you will also findtrees (they’re in short supplythese days) for the site. Ideally,delivered trees must then beinspected to monitor for compli-ance with tree specifications(i.e., depth to the root system,pests, stem condition) included as part of thebid proposal. Short tree planting seasons aresometimes a barrier. Further, at times poorsoil characteristics (e.g., organic matter, pH,aeration, drainage) at the site need modifica-tion. After these hurdles are cleared you stillhave to plant the tree. But does the job endthere?

For some planting programs, the projectends after planting. For others, trees areperiodically watered when maintenance staffare not mowing turf. Others may be morededicated and water trees weekly. All thesescenarios will work during years when rain-fall is frequent and plentiful. During normalyears, however, even weekly watering ofnewly transplanted trees may not be enough.When establishing trees are subjected towater deficits, growth and function of theleaves, shoots and root growth slows to negli-gible levels. This delays establishment andmay even lead to the death of these parts. Inthe worst case scenario, which too oftenneedlessly happens, a net decrease in livingbiomass occurs and the canopy becomessmaller. The tree canopy may now resemblea 1-inch caliper tree rather than the planted2-inch caliper tree. The purpose of this arti-

Establishing Transplanted Trees:

WWWWaaaa tttt eeee rrrr you going to do?By Rich Hauer

H

cle is to shed light on recent scientific-based prescriptions for watering trees toaid establishment.

Water and Tree PhysiologyThe function and growth of plants as

suggested by Justus Von Liebig in 1840(modified later by others) is limited by thefactor present in the smallest amount rela-tive to its minimum requirement. Amplelight, water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, miner-al nutrients and suitable temperatures areall important for plant growth and func-tion. Quite often, however, plant nutrients(e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) aremost commonly thought of as factors thatlimit plant growth. While these along withother nutrients are vital for growinghealthy trees, water is the factor that most


We can see the scorching in this maple’s leaves, a symp-tom of stress from inadequate watering. But the impacton overall vitality and delay in establishment may notbe as obvious.◆ ◆ ◆

GARY

JOHN

SON


often limits growth. In humid regions, wateraccounts for approximately 80% of the varia-tion in diameter growth. In arid regions,water accounts for approximately 90%.

For the most part, trees can only takeup water from soil in proximity to roots.Established trees are in contact with greatervolumes of soil due to wide-spreading rootsystems, and are more capable of obtainingwater. Newly transplanted trees have lesssoil volumes to extract water. Obviously,trees that have root systems severed to facil-itate transplanting (i.e., bare root, balled &burlapped and tree spade) have fewer rootsand a smaller soil volume in contact withroots. Container-raised trees also have asmall root area to obtain water even thoughthey are transplanted with the majority oftheir root system intact. In fact, newlyplanted container-grown trees require dailywatering the first few weeks following trans-planting. Just ask a nursery operator howoften they water their containerized trees!

Is There a Way to Reduce WaterRequirements of Newly TransplantedTrees?

The removal of branches at transplanti-ng, or compensatory pruning, was a commonpractice in the past. The idea was simple:since roots were removed during the trans-planting operation, then the canopy shouldbe pruned accordingly to compensate for theroot loss. It was thought that fewer branchesand leaves meant less demand for water,leading to better establishment. Researchfrom Oklahoma, Colorado and England havefound trees establish more quickly withoutcompensatory pruning when watered fre-quently. With little rainfall or supplementalirrigation, trees pruned and unpruned atplanting establish similarly (See Pruning atPlanting, MnSTAC Advocate, Spring 1999.

Antitranspirants (also known as antides-iccants) have also been suggested to aidtransplant success. Antitranspirants reducewater loss through stomates by either caus-ing stomate closure or covering stomateswith a waxy film that is a barrier to waterloss. In theory antitranspirants seem reason-able, but in practice they may lengthen theestablishment period. While closed orblocked stomates reduce water loss, they alsodecrease carbon dioxide entry into leaves.Less carbon dioxide accordingly reduces themanufacture of energy compounds from pho-tosynthesis.

But what practices can be used to reducewater requirements of transplanted trees?Two methods are mulching trees (SeeMulching, MnSTAC Advocate, Spring 1999)and planting smaller-sized trees. Mulchhelps reduce evaporation from soil surfacesand also adds organic matter to the soil.Smaller trees establish sooner than largertrees and require less water during water-ing. In addition, a berm can be formed at theedge of the root system to insure appliedwater is placed in proximity to the roots.

Prescription or Dosage-BasedWatering

Historically, tree-watering guidelineshave suggested watering trees every seven toten days with 1 to 1-1/2 inches of water.While this frequency and amount of watermay work in some situations, research with-in the last five years from the Morton

Establishing, from p. 5

After planting, form a berm with mulch at the edge of the rootsystem to insure water is placed in proximity to the roots.◆ ◆ ◆

Water so that the bermsends water into proximitywith the root system.

Mulch the tree to a depth of2 to 4 inches, and form adeeper berm at the edge ofthe root ball. (No mulchshould be in contact with thetrunk.

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Arboretum and the University of Florida atGainesville suggests more frequent wateringis necessary for optimal tree establishment.Within two to three days, rootballs of newlyplanted trees will dry to levels that impederoot growth. Newly transplanted trees in theMidwest will benefit from daily watering forthe first one to two weeks, applying approxi-mately 1 to 1-1/2 gallons per-stem-caliperinch per watering. Thereafter, water treesevery two to three days for the next two tothree months and then weekly at the samerate until established.

Remember, newly transplanted trees areabsorbing water from a diminished rootingarea (i.e., apply water to the root ball). Rootsmust generate and grow into surroundingsoils before a larger soil volume can betapped for moisture. Tree roots grow approxi-mately 18 inches in length annually in theMidwest. Trees in Minnesota will becomeestablished within one to one-and-a-halfyears for each caliper inch of stem. Thus, ittakes two to three years before a 2-inchcaliper tree is established. The more closelyyou match your watering frequency to theoptimum the quicker trees become estab-lished.

Labor to water trees is sometimes givenas a reason or excuse for not adequatelywatering newly planted trees. If the waterrequirements of newly transplanted treescannot be met, planting smaller trees is rec-ommended. For example, 1- and 2-inchcaliper trees have less root loss and recoverfaster than trees 2 to 3 inches in stemcaliper. Mulching trees to a 2- to 3-inchdepth is recommended as it helps reduceevaporation and conserve precious water.Incorporating the labor cost of watering treeswithin the tree planting budget shouldinsure adequate watering occurs and treesestablish successfully. If tree planting is partof the contract process, consider includingwatering as an additional component in thebid. Your community forestry program willbe far better off if trees are adequatelywatered rather than if you are continuallyreplanting and not realizing the benefits thatmature and established trees provide.

Rich Hauer is a plant health specialist and editorof the Overstory publication at the MinnesotaDepartment of Agriculture.

Irrigation Guidelines for QuicklyEstablishing Trees(Well-drained sites during the growing season in theMidwest)

■ Less than 2-inch caliper planting stock

Water daily for 1 week; every other day for 1 to2 months; weekly until established

■ 2- to 4-inch caliper planting stock

Water daily for 1 to 2 weeks; every other dayfor 2 months; weekly until established

■ 4-inch caliper planting stock

Water daily for 2 weeks; every other day for 3months; weekly until established

Notes:

• Modified from Gilman, E.F. 1997. Trees forUrban and Suburban Landscapes. DelmarPublishers. 662 pp.

• Delete daily irrigation when planting infall or early spring. Little irrigation isneeded when planting in winter.

• Reduce frequency in cool, cloudy, wetweather if soil is poorly drained (soildrains less than 3/4 inches per hour).Eliminate daily irrigation in poorlydrained soil. Following a rainfall, waituntil all free moisture drains out of the soil.

• Establishment takes 12 months per-inch-trunk caliper.

• Minimum frequency for survival could beonce each week.

• Irrigation can cease once trees drop deciduous foliage in the fall.

• At each irrigation, apply 1 to 1.5 gallons for each inch of trunk diameter tothe root ball.


“So, What Can We Do With This Wood?”very municipality in the state is faced withthis question at one time or another.Whether it’s routine pruning of diseased or

dying trees, utility trimmings, normal storm throwor dealing with the horrendous tree damage fol-lowing storms throughout the state in 1998, find-ing a place for downed wood can be a big chal-lenge. Finding a use for it rather than burning ordumping it a landfill is preferred, but access tocost-effective resources for reuse varies greatly

from community tocommunity.

While long havinginterest in a “use it,don’t bag it” approachto dealing with woodrefuse, the storms of1998 and the huge vol-ume that resultedbecame the catalystfor a program that’sworking well today forthe Minneapolis Parkand Recreation Board(MPRB). After the

storm, of course, there were many types of woodrefuse all jumbled together . . . branches andlimbs, whole trees, good and marginal tree speciesfor reuse. The city was approached by Minnesota

Valley Hardwood to obtain logs.An agreement was reached, andthe company bought and hauledoff the bigger pieces. The higherquality wood would eventuallybecome furniture in Italy andJapan, among other uses. Lowerend wood became pallets, trailerbeds, etc. City handling andhauling were significantlyreduced.

Meanwhile, cleanup crewswere chipping smaller pieces forrecycling as mulch, paths, etc.in the park system. The volumeof chips, however, was over-whelming and it was decided tomake chips available to the pub-lic. Woodchip distribution siteswere selected and advertisedthroughout the city. Crewsdumped the chips in pre-

arranged parking lots and easily accessible areas.Citizens could pick them up at no charge.

Woodchip distribution continues today, and isvery popular with the public. There are now conve-nient neighborhood distribution sites in many partsof the city. Seven chippers and tower (bucket)trucks routinely travel the city, pruning, removinghazardous trees, etc. Chipping is done on the spot;the chips are taken to a nearby site.

While providing a positive link between MPRBand the citizens of the city as well as a responsibleenvironmental solution, woodchip recycling offerssome cost offset benefits too. The problem of whatto do with all the chips is solved without paying forspace, and there is minimal hauling at city expense.Non-storm years yield about 100,000 board feet ofsellable lumber, which amounts to about $10,000.

Have there been problems? Nothing major.Occasionally a resident will not like where a partic-ular site is located. The normal “steaming” thathappens as green wood is drying has caused a fewto think the piles were on fire. As long as the vol-ume in piles is generally matched to the use of thesite, big piles that might attract children or nui-sance behavior are avoided. The city monitors forpublic dumping, but that hasn’t been an issue.

Successful recycling and utilization requires aplan well before any storm strikes. But even in anon-storm year, the plan yields benefits.

Municipalities considering a wood recyclingprogram have a number of issues to sort through,including: How are you going to collect, sort, chipthe wood? Who are the potential buyers or users?What should we try to sell? How can we work withthese people so relationships and work plans are inplace before a major storm occurs? What should wegive away, and how? How can city time and expensebe minimized while not compromising environmen-tal needs, public support or safety? What will be theresponse of city government and community lead-ers, and how can we invest them in our efforts?

In Minneapolis, wood recycling is worth theeffort. It’s working.

Information for this article was provided by RalphSievert and Jim Hermann. Ralph is Director of Forestry,and has been with MPRB for 6 years. He was previouslyCleveland City Forester and an Ohio DNR urban forester.He holds aMasters degree from Ohio State University. Jimis Forestry Programs Manager and has been with MPRBsince 1977. Gaining his forest products and plant patholo-gy education at the University of Minnesota, Jim mentionsbeing influenced by Dr. David French.

Jim and Mike Zins co-chair the MnSTAC WoodUtilization Task Force and are always interested in hear-ing recycling ideas. In a future issue, we will featureMike’s ideas about wood utilization.

Minneapolis has an abundant,enduring urban forest that includes:

☛ 170 park properties

☛ 6,385 acres of park system(land and water)

☛ 70 full-time forestry personnel

☛ 4550 new tree plantings peryear average for past 10years. Plantings represent adiverse population based on ablock-to-block master streettree plan.

☛ 90,639 remaining elms (over121,000 have been removedsince 1963)

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Rx for Wounded TreesBy Cindy Ash

rees have a marvelous defensesystem against diseases, insectsand the environment. It’s called

bark. Just as the contents of our homesare protected by four walls and a roof,important workings inside the tree areprotected by the bark.

Occasionally, however, somethingdamages this protective barrier and aseries of events follows that requiresenergy. Trees with a good energy sup-ply respond to the damage or woundingby quickly sealing off the damaged tis-sues and then, over several seasons, bygrowing new bark over the damagedarea. (Energy, otherwise known asplant food, is created during photosyn-thesis. It is not supplied in a fertilizer.)

A damaged area can be referred toas a “canker.” Simply defined, cankersare localized dead areas on woodyplant parts (branches, trunks androots). They result from hundreds ofdifferent “events” and include damagecaused by insects and diseases as wellas mechanical damage, environmentaldamage and less frequently, chemicaldamage.

Wounds, created when the bark istorn by lawn mowers, pelted by hailstones or pounded with nails, createholes in the protective barrier of thebark . This allows insects and diseasesthat could not ordinarily get into thetree to penetrate and damage it. Ahealthy tree has plenty of energy and“mobilizes” its defenses to the wound.It creates barriers surrounding andbeyond the boundaries of the originalwound. These barriers prevent the tis-sues adjacent to the wounded areafrom drying out. The disease or insectis unable to invade any further and theoriginal wound, still considered acanker, begins to seal over. Trees don’theal like animals do. The damagedareas are always damaged, but aresealed within the tree.

If the tree is stressed, however, asin recently transplanted, fightinginsect or disease problems, strugglingwith soil conditions, lacking water,having too much water or other stress-es, it’s a different story. The tree doesnot have the energy to establish theinternal and external barriers quicklyenough or stronglyenough to prevent sec-ondary insects and dis-eases from causing moredamage and creatingeven larger cankers.Some fungi form perenni-al cankers that enlargeevery year until thebranch, trunk or tree iskilled. Trees often sus-tain severe damage whenthey break at cankeredareas on windy days orduring storms.

Recognizing CankersCankers are usually

easy to identify. Observefirst the color and texture of healthybark. Then, look for areas that are adifferent color, lighter or darker, and

“The right tree in theright place” offers goodfuture protection against

wounding. When weplant species that are

well adapted to the planting site, we give

more energy fordefense when that“rainy day” comes

along.◆ ◆ ◆

T Canker left byhanging lantern◆ ◆ ◆

Nectria cankerin honeylocust◆ ◆ ◆


LINDA

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DON

BREN

EMAN

Forest Health


STAC INFO & NEWS

About MnSTACThe Minnesota Shade Tree Advisory

Committee (MnSTAC) was established in 1974by a group of concerned citizens to address thehealth and well being of community forests.MnSTAC is recognized throughout Minnesotaand the country for its expertise, advice, coor-dination and support for community trees. Itis an organization of diverse individuals whorepresent a broad spectrum of tree-relatedinterests. It fosters and supports local commu-nity tree programs across the state so healthycommunity forests are fully integrated intocommunity development, infrastructure, edu-cation and management.

MNSTAC BOARD OF DIRECTORSPresident: Glen Shirley, City of Bloomington —612/948-8760

(Fax: 612/948-8770)Vice President: Kirk Brown, Tree Trust—612/920-9326Ken Holman, DNR Forestry—651/772-7565Gary Johnson, U of M Forest Resources—612/625-3765Janet Larson, consulting arborist—612/941-6876Mike Max, EnvironMentor Systems, Inc.—612/753-5505Dwight Robinson, MN Dept. of Agriculture—651/296-8578Bob Slater, MN Dept. of Transportation —651/779-5104Mark Stennes, Top Notch Treecare—612/922-3239

Regional MnSTAC CommitteesSoutheast STACChair: Henry Sorensen

651/388-3625 or 651/385-3674Sec./Treas.: Katie Himanga, Heartwood Forestry, Lake City

651/345-4976

Headwaters-Agassiz STAC (HASTAC)Chair: John Johnson

City Forester, City of Thief River Falls 218/681-1835Sec./Treas.: Jeff Edmonds

DNR Forestry, Bemidji 218/755-2891

West Central STACChair: Bob Fogel

Director of Parks, City of Moorhead 218/299-5340Sec./Treas.: Dave Johnson

DNR Forestry, Detroit Lakes 218/847-1596

Northeast STACChair: Kelly Morris

City Forester, City of Grand Rapids 218/326-7600Secretary/Treasurer/Technical Advisor: Dan Jordan

IRRR–Mineland Reclamation 218/254-3369Coordinator: Kathleen Preece

Minnesota BetterFORESTS magazine 218/326-0403 e-mail [email protected].

are slightly sunken into the wood. Thebark itself may be intact or torn open.Cankers commonly start at the attach-ment of a branch stub or at a wound inthe bark. In some cases, the tree mayhave tried to close over the wound

(you’ll see callus tissueforming a ring around thewound), but lacked enoughenergy to contain the woundand the cankered area willhave enlarged. Be especiallyalert for cankers when pur-chasing new trees andshrubs. Remove any treewrapping protecting thetrunk and make a thoroughexam before purchasing.

Responding to Cankersand Wounds

Small amounts of physi-cal damage to trees(wounds) seal over fairlyquickly in healthy trees.Even the numerous cankers

created by small hail stones tend to becontained very quickly.

Larger amounts of damage result-ing from severe hail, a car hitting thetrunk, improper pruning and numer-ous other causes, can reduce the vitali-ty of the tree and predispose it to inva-sion by secondary insects and diseases.Pesticides are not helpful. Your goal isto improve the vitality of the tree.Water during dry periods. Mulch.Properly prune dead, dying or brokenbranches. Remember that the treeitself is responsible for battling mostsecondary (considered weak or non-aggressive) insects and diseases. Byhelping to keep trees healthy, you’regiving them a good chance to win thisbattle!

Dr. Cindy Ash is Director of ScientificServices at the American PhytopathologicalSociety.

Rx, from p. 9

Target canker in maple◆ ◆ ◆

GARY

JOHN

SON


Events/Conferences Aug. 3–4—Vegetation

Management Associationof Minnesota AnnualConference, Holiday Inn,New Ulm. Contact JudyChristensen, 612/470-0993.

Aug. 6–9—ISA AnnualConvention, Baltimore,MD. Contact 217/355-9411.

Sept. 9–12—Grassroots 2000Summit, Lied ConferenceCenter, Nebraska City, NE.Contact Don Mueller,651/772-6148.

Sept. 25-27—FirewiseCommunities Workshop,Brooklyn Park, MN. Contacthttp://www.firewise. org/com-munities/index.htm.

Sept. 26-27—Trees, Peopleand the Law NationalConference, LiedConference Center, NebraskaCity, NE. Contact NADF,402/474-5655.

Sept. 28–30—CommunityForest at Its Best: TreeCity USA NationalConference, Nebraska City,NE. Contact NADF 402/474-5655.

Oct. 1–4—Society ofMunicipal ArboristsAnnual Conference—“Great Lakes: GreatTrees,” Lansing, MI.Contact Bob Cool, 517/349-0999.

New PublicationsFor Extension publications, con-tact the University of MinnesotaExtension Service DistributionCenter, 20 Coffey Hall, 1420Eckles Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108-6069; 800/876-8636. Refer topublication number when order-ing.

ANSI A300 Tree FertilizationStandards. Contact ISA at888/472-8733.

The Big Woods Heritage Forestpamphlet. Contact MN DNRForestry at 651/772-7925.

Conserving Wooded Areas inDeveloping Communities: BestManagement Practices inMinnesota. Contact MN DNRForestry at 651/772-7925.

A Practitioner’s Guide to StemGirdling Roots of Trees. Gary R.Johnson and Richard J. Hauer,2000. BU-7501. $6. University ofMinnesota Extension Service.

Protecting Trees fromConstruction Damage: AHomeowner’s Guide. Gary R.Johnson. Major revision of theoriginal by Miller, Rathke andJohnson. FO-6135 1999 revision.University of MinnesotaExtension Service.

Storm Damage to LandscapeTrees: Prediction, Prevention,Treatment. Gary R. Johnson andBen Johnson, 1999. FO-7415.University of MinnesotaExtension Service.

Tools and Training forTomorrow. Tree Trust AnnualReport, 1999. Contact TreeTrust, 952/920-9326.

Tough Trees and Shrubs forTough Sites. G. R. Johnson, M.Zins, and M. Shippee, 2000. FO-7502. $1. University ofMinnesota Extension Service.

Tree City USA (Video, 7 min, 45sec.). Contact National ArborDay Foundation, 402/474-5655.

Internet◆ Hazard Tree Web Page,

USDA Forest Service, Stateand Private Forestry St. PaulField Office: willow.ncfes.umn.edu/Hazard/hazard.htm

Tree Potpourri◆ International Society of

Arboriculture:www.ag.uiuc.edu/~isa

◆ Livable Communities:www.livablecommunities.gov

◆ Minnesota Department ofNatural Resources:www.dnr.state.mn.us

◆ NEW! MnSTAC:www.mnstac.org

◆ Minnesota Society ofArboriculture: www.isa-msa.org

◆ National Arbor DayFoundation:www.arborday.org

◆ National Tree Trust:www.nationaltreetrust.org

◆ National Urban andCommunity Forest AdvisoryCouncil:www.treelink.org/connect/orgs/nucfac/index.htm

◆ The Simple Act of Planting aTree: www.treelink.org/simpleact/index.htm

◆ Tree Climbers DiscussionGroup: spectre.ag.uiuc.edu/archives/isa/treeclimbers

◆ Tree Climbing:www.treeclimbing.com

◆ Tree Link: www.treelink.org◆ University of Minnesota

Forest Resources Extension: http://www.cnr.umn.edu/FR/extension/pages

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A quarterly newsletter pub-lished by the MinnesotaShade Tree AdvisoryCommittee.

Managing Editorial Group:MnSTAC EducationCommittee (Cindy Ash, RichHauer, Gary Johnson, JanetLarson, Don Mueller, JeffRick, Gail Steinman)

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will take on a whole new look. No longer will itbe straight as an arrow, or even the samewidth. Gently varied curbs will define the road-way, which will not lose lanes, but will becomenarrower in some spots. Parking spaces andtraffic lanes will be placed strategically to cre-ate a new mood. Lighting will be enhanced, anda sidewalk, curving gently with varied dis-tances to the curbs, will be installed on thenorth side of the street.

An upgraded urban forest is key to therelaxed feel. Eighty to 100 new trees will beplanted closer to the street, with residentschoosing (from several site–appropriate species)the trees that will be planted in front of theirown houses. Boulevards will be furtherenhanced with other vegetation to create road-side green space. The “runway” will becomemuch more like a parkway. The peaceful effectis expected to calm the traffic, encourage slow-er speeds and improve safety.

Of course flood mitigationis improved at the same time.Declared a federal disasterarea by President Clinton in1997 because of its propensityfor flash flooding, St. Anthonyhas federal and state fundingfor flood protection projects.Representing WSB andAssociates, Minneapolis, con-tracted engineering and consultant service provider,Todd Hudmer lauds St. Anthony for its interest and ini-tiative in seeking green solutions. Extensive tree andshrub plantings, green space and neighborhood pocketparks not only add beauty and environmental richness,but will function as holding areas to slow storm watersin the predominantly clay-based community.

Rethinking Infrastructure, from p. 1

Central boulevardplantings can also helpcalm a busy thorough-fare, as in southMinneapolis’ 31stStreet project, shownbefore (left) and after.◆ ◆ ◆

GARY

JOHN

SON

GARY

JOHN

SON

Documents

2000 Issues