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/65193
Like most of the southeast U.S., South since the late 1990s. Since 2009, most of the state has seen drought conditions ranging from moderate to exceptional. The effects of this dry weather have varied, but much of it has been beneficial to urban forestry. Carolina has experienced a number of drought years Any arborist knows that stress factors in trees are cumu- lative. Newly planted trees, over-mature trees, and dam- aged trees predictably fared poorly in the hot, dry weather unless supplemental watering was provided. The positive benefit to this was to reinforce the need for purchasing quality planting stock, selecting the best tree species/ cultivars for the site, and installing them properly. An ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act— the President's stimulus program) grant to the South Carolina Forestry Commission was passed through to dozens of communities to pay to remove hazardous trees and replace them with appropriate, high quality, properly installed trees. Specs provided to the com- munities helped to educate both municipal tree manag- ers and contractors with regard to tree quality, proper installation, and hazard tree assessment. Statewide, this resulted in over 900 hazardous trees removed and over 1300 new trees planted. This grant program came about from the effect of the drought on our city trees. We will continue to see the effects of drought on our city trees for some time to come. If normal weather patterns resume, it will still take a number of years for estab- lished trees to replenish their carbohydrate reserves. Meanwhile, insect outbreaks or further drought will chal- lenge municipal forestry programs but will also encour- age quality urban tree management. — Jimmy Walters, Urban Forester, South Carolina Forestry Commission Green wells are a key part of the drought management strategy in Campbelltown, Adelaide, Australia. Photo by Henry Haavisto fertiliser also helps to buffer the plants from stress. Green wells placed around the base at planting time assists with watering of the trees, as they can hold up to 50 litres (13.2 US gallons) and maintain efficient bowl integrity around the base of the tree. They also help to reduce mechanical damage from grass trimmers and lawn mowers. These measures are only a small sample of what we are using to reduce the impacts of climate change. Perhaps it is also time to remember an old Chinese proverb, "The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is today." —Henry Haavisto, Manager of Urban Trees, Campbelltown City Council, Adelaide, Australia 22 Throughout the southern tier of the United States we have experienced a severe drought. Some cities are harder hit than others; Savannah, Georgia is no exception. One of our methods in dealing with the drought is utilizing the right tree for the right site. Here we plant trees that can handle drought conditions and the high reflective heat we have in our southern city. Some species, once established, handle the drought better than others. For example, crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia sp.) is a top performer for us; other species that perform well are trident maple (Acer buergerianum 'Aeryn'), lacebark elm (Ulmus parvifolia), and nuttall oak (Quercus nuttallii). How do we establish trees during a drought? We use tree watering bags to help the tree grow a viable new root system. The slow release of water over a period of time is a textbook way to establish a good root system. We also like to use a wetting agent in the water that goes into the bags. Savannah, like many other cities, City Trees