yard by yard: replanting after asian longhorned beetle
DESCRIPTION
Yard by Yard: Replanting After Asian Longhorned Beetle Mollie Freilicher, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation Since the discovery of Asian longhorned beetle in Massachusetts in 2008, communities in Worcester County have lost over 32,000 trees, dramatically changing many neighborhoods. Since 2009, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation has partnered with federal agencies and the Worcester Tree Initiative to replant trees, harnessing federal and state funding and developing a methodology for managing a large-scale tree planting program. This talk will cover hurdles, successes, and the lasting partnerships resulting from the replanting.TRANSCRIPT
Yard by Yard: Replanting After Asian Longhorned Beetle
Mollie FreilicherMassachusetts Department of Conservation
and RecreationUrban & Community Forestry Program
Acknowledgements• Eric Seaborn, former Program
Coordinator, DCR Urban and Community Forestry
• Peter Church, Director of Forest Stewardship, DCR
• Julie Coop and Mary Cardwell, DCR, ALB Cooperative Eradication Program
• Clint McFarland, USDA-APHIS, ALB Cooperative Eradication Program
• John Parry and Bill Frament, U.S. Forest Service
• Peggy Middaugh, Worcester Tree Initiative• Arbor Day Foundation
The Setting
0 10 20 30 405Miles
Legend
ALB Quarantine, Worcester County (10/17/11)
Worcester County
¯
Maples in Worcester
Discovery of ALB in 2008
Cutting
Granville Ave Before
Photo by Ken Law USDA-APHIS
Granville Ave After
Photo by Ken Law USDA-APHIS
Worcester Tree Initiative
StateCity/Towns
Phases of Replanting
• 2009-2010: Phase 1 - USDA funds • 2010-2012: Phase 2 - ARRA funds• 2013-2015: Phase 3 - USDA & state funds
First public meeting, August 2008
In the Beginning
Improve diversity Collect data
Ensure proper planting Utilize property owner support Local partnerships
• Assist Worcester Tree Initiative
• Assist City of Worcester
Phase 1: USDA-APHIS
• $500,000 from USDA APHIS• Phase 1 Model
– DCR staff conduct site visits with property owners
– Collect GPS data on new trees
– Contractor plants trees with heavy equipment
Phase 2: ARRA
Replanting Foresters Site Visits
Planting by Seasonal
Crews
$4.487 Million
The ARRA Model
1 Replanting Forester
Supervisor
8 Field Replanting Foresters
40 Seasonal Laborers
15,000 Trees
UCF Program Coordinator
1 Data/Logistics Replanting Forester
1 Forestry Assistant (Logistics)
The ARRA Crews
2 Replanting Foresters
10 Seasonal Laborers
Approximately 65 Trees/Week
X 4
• Four Panasonic toughbooks
• “Sketchmapping” software
• External GPS • Plot trees• Enter data
Collecting Data
• 23 fields of data• Address• Species• Location• Notes• Access• Drop-down
menus & text entry
Collecting Data
• 1.0-1.5 in. caliper• Large shade trees &
ornamental trees• Non-host species• Container stock• Some balled & burlapped• Delivered weekly• Stored at the DCR chip
dump
The Trees
Lots needed!
• Transportation– Trucks
• Rack• Dump• Pick-up
– Vans– Trailers– Watering tank
• Hand Tools– From shovels to pruners
• Safety Equipment• Computers
– Laptops and desktops– Printers
• Arbor tie• Stakes• Hoses
The Equipment
Staffing levels supported• Planting• Appointments• Data• Scheduling
ARRA Planting
Seasonality
Spring, Fall Planting SeasonOrganize Planting ScheduleContact DigSafeManage CrewsPlant TreesSchedule Appointments to Site TreesTrack Data
Winter, Summer
“Off” Season
Schedule Appointments to Site Trees
Post-Planting Inspection and Data Collection
Conduct Other Analyses
Water Trees (summer)
Track Data
Program Model• Tree Giveaways• Neighborhood Outreach• Tree Steward Program• Educational workshops• Young Adult Foresters
Worcester Tree Initiative
Photos courtesy of the Worcester Tree Initiative
City Planting
• Planting Partnerships--DCR, WTI, and the City of Worcester
• Street Trees• School Plantings• Park Plantings
– Dodge Park
• Caring for New Trees
Working Together
Trees for Tracks
• 2011 and 2012• CSX, ACTrees & Worcester
Tree Initiative– And DCR and City of
Worcester– Dodge Park
Exciting Projects
Sweetgum
Ginkgo
Swamp white oak
Littleleaf lindenWhite oakRed oak
Pin oak
Dawn redwood
Honeylocust
Photos are from the University of Connecticut Plant Database. Swamp White Oak insets: Paul Wray, Iowa State University, Bugwood.org.
Trees for Replanting
Blackgum
Crabapple
White firKousa dogwood
How to Continue Planting?
• $3 million in federal and state funding
• Scaled-back program
Phase 3: The Post-ARRA Era
The Post-ARRA Era
3 Replanting Foresters
20 Seasonal Laborers
7,000 Trees
UCF Program Coordinator
3 Long-term Seasonal Laborers
1 Long-term Forestry
Assistant
Direct Grants to
Municipalities
April 2013
• 12-week planting season• 1,229 trees• New yard at a city facility
The Post-ARRA Era
Planting
American arborvitae
Fir, White
Dogwood
Japanese tree lilac
Spruce, Colorado
Cherry, SargentServiceberryHoneylocust
Cherry
Sweetgum
Dawn redwood
Blackgum
Linden
Oak, Red
Crabapple
TuliptreeBeech
Pine, Eastern White
Oak, PinGinkgo
Oak, Swamp White
Oak, White
Species as a Percent of Total Trees Planted 2009-2013
Plantings by Tree Type
Conifer Ornamental Shade Tree0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
39%
32%29%
Perc
ent
Shade Tree Preferences
Oak, EnglishCucumber magnolia
OakKentucky coffee tree
ZelkovaOak, ScarletOak, White
Oak, Swamp WhiteHophornbeam
GinkgoOak, Pin
HornbeamBeech
TuliptreeOak, Red
LindenBlackgum
SweetgumHoneylocust
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Percent of Shade Trees
Challenges
Where we are Today• 7th planting season• Over 26,000 trees
planted– DCR– Worcester Tree Initiative– Towns and Cities
Where We’ve Applied the Model