City Trees is a premier publication focused on urban + community forestry. In each issue, you’ll learn how to best manage the trees in your community and more!
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/599208
Not Yet on the SMA Listserve? Join Us! 32 City Trees "The information I have gathered using the SMA Listserve has been invaluable! This is the place to connect with your peers, regard- less of their location." —George Gonzalez, Retired Chief Forester, City of Los Angeles, California Where else can you access professionals from around the world who are entrenched in the same challenges as you? One of the greatest benefits of your SMA membership is access to the community of professionals respon - sible for creating and sustaining community forests. The SMA Listserve is an amazing forum where you can pose questions and share your chal- lenges with other SMA members who are quick to reply with great insight. Everything from new member advice, to tree guards and grates, to pruning cycles, to drafting ordinances and policies. It's 4 simple steps! 1. Log in to the SMA website with your username and password 2. Go to "My Profile" on the side bar 3. Click the "My Features" tab 4. Click "E-Lists" and subscribe! "The Listserve is one of the primary reasons I belong to SMA. I find the fact you can pose a question and receive experience-based feedback invaluable. Plus everyone is so willing to share documents and experiences. Something you don't find in other professions." —Melinda Jones, Consulting Arborist/ Executive Director, ReLeaf Michigan "I like the Listserve for its quick and easy way to pose a question to folks across the country. I appreciate being able follow other peoples' questions and subsequent discussion in a linear format, to learn along the way too." —Jared Goodman, Program Coordinator, Capacity Building Department, Texas A&M Forest Service *** You can't get insight from across North America and beyond any- where else! Exchanges like the excerpt below are happening almost every day and this invaluable resource is only a few clicks away. Casey Jo Kellner, Urban Forester of City of Springfield, Missouri, asked: We are in search of the average time it takes to prune (structural, clearance, hazards) a mature street tree for a 5-year cycle, 10-year cycle and a 15-year cycle. If anyone has this information in their own maintenance records or could point me to a recent study, that would be very beneficial. I realize that there are many variables associated with the size, species, condition, location and maintenance history (as well as crew size and equipment) that would play into the amount of time it takes to prune. We are trying to get this information so we can illustrate to administration the benefits of a shorter pruning cycle (longer living, healthier trees, greater benefits) and what it will take to get our community to that level of service. If you respond, please also indicate the crew size and equipment for that crew. Neal Aven, Urban Forestry & Environmental Programs Manager for the City of Surrey, BC, answered: Surrey manages more than 80,000 street trees and 20,000 park trees and we are planting approximately 5,000 new caliper trees each year. The majority of our street tree inventory is under the age of 40 and our park tree inventory has a much more broad and balanced age distribution. All of these trees are pruned on a regular schedule that is based on the age of the tree. For street trees, we prune each tree at age 3, 6, 9, 14, 19, 24, 29… (ie – a 3-year cycle that moves to a 5-year cycle). During the 3-year cycle phase, we prune approximately 7 trees per hour, on average. During the 5-year cycle phase, we prune approximately 1.25 trees per hour. For park trees, we prune each tree at age 4, 8, 12, 19, 29, 39, 49… (ie – a 4-year cycle that moves to a 10-year cycle). During the 4-year cycle phase, we prune approximately 3.5 trees per hour, on average. During the 10-year cycle phase, we prune approximately 0.8 trees per hour. The above hourly averages are a blend of City and contracted crews that generally consist of 2 to 3 staff. Ground-based and climbing crews carry out the majority of our work and lift trucks are deployed where appropriate. A key part of our rationale for our pruning frequencies (3-year that moves to 5-year for streets and 4-year that moves to 10-year for parks) is the impor - tance of young tree training to set up sound structure in our trees to reduce their likelihood of failure in the future. Hope this helps and please contact me directly should you be interested in additional detail. *** "I am a relative newcomer to SMA, but I am thrilled with the Listserve and consider it one of the major perks of membership." —Erica Smith Fichman, TreePhilly Program Manager, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation "The Listserve is one of the best membership benefits and was an invalu- able tool for me to learn the who's who and what's what of urban forestry. "Lurking" on the Listserve was a great way to learn about the profession, meet great people, and to grow connections." —Nancy Buley, Director of Communications, J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co. Staying true to the mission of SMA, there's even room for the camaraderie. Our jobs are hard enough and it's great to have friends who can relate. Here's an exchange many of us got a kick out of. DS: In case you ever needed to know what to do with a gaping wound on a busted Bradford, this homeowner has it figured out. SC: I like the way that despite the use of sheet metal and big spikes to reinforce the concrete, it's still good old duct tape that's holding the whole "system" together! DS: I had to take a photo of that one, before the tree goes to Bradford pear heaven. SS: I hate to break it to you, Doug, but those things don't go to heaven ... DS = Douglas Still, City Forester, Providence, RI | SC = Steve Cothrel, Superintendent of Parks & Forestry, Upper Arlington, OH | SS = Steve Shurtz, Urban Forestry and Landscape Manager, Baton Rouge, LA "Obtaining a fast response to an issue or question that requires a quick reply for projects that I am working on in real time is invaluable. I also value the Listserve as a tool for learning new things from other participants' issues and questions." —Terry Flatley, Certified Arborist - Municipal Specialist, Urban Forestry and Natural Resources Manager, City of Renton, WA