Arborist News Audio

This second article about wood decay by Christine Balk, Chelsi Abbott, and A.D. Ali focuses on identification and management of wood decay fungi encountered in urban settings. Learn the three types of wood decay fungi that can cause damage, and the role that decay plays in increasing tree risk. (A,T,L,Bs)

One biotic problem for trees is wood decay fungi. This article by Christine Balk, Chelsi Abbott, and A.D. Ali, the first of a two-part series, provides an overview of the complexities of fungi, explains the general life cycle of a fungus, and describes what to look for when identifying fungal fruiting bodies. (A,T,L,Bs)

The survival of tree-dependent wildlife species is influenced by how arborists manage trees, even in urban areas. In this article, Brian French explores wildlife considerations when making care decisions about trees. (A,M,Bp)

Learn about conducting tree inventories in this issue’s CEU article by Jerry Bond. This article explores setting tree inventory objectives, the benefits and costs of tree inventories, and the resources needed to be successful. (A,M, Bm)

Learn more about palms in this second part of Palms: Woody Giants of the Monocots. This article explores symptoms of nutrient deficiency and other abiotic and biotic factors, including insects and diseases. (A,T,M,L,Bp)

Are palms considered trees? That depends on whether you’re asking a botanist, ecologist, or forester. But no matter the specific definition used; as an arborist you may have to deal with palms. In part one A.D. Ali and Leonard Burkhart Jr. examine palm identification and pruning.(A,T,M,L,Bs)

In this second podcast on Root Pruning, the authors look into selective versus non-selective pruning, dealing with stem-girdling roots, and how pruning can effect a tree’s long term health and stability.(A, Bs)

Roots are a vital component to any tree’s health. Recognizing and understanding the types of roots, and how they function is the first step in good root management. Original story by Larry Costello, Gary Watson, and E. Thomas Smiley (A, Bs)

PHC-Plant Health Care, is a holistic approach to evaluating a tree’s condition, taking into consideration both the plant, and its environment instead of focusing on any single component such as insect pests or disease causing organisms. (Original story by Chelsi Abbot and A.D. Ali) (A, Bs)

The idea that rapidly growing trees are the most pest resistant and stress tolerant is highly ingrained. But is that always true? Trees face both abiotic and biotic attacks daily, and studies are beginning to question just how resistant, and whether cultural practices generally thought to help a growing tree, may in fact increase the stresses it faces. (A, Bs)

The fate of a tree can be in jeopardy in all phases of a construction project, and the highest levels of success are achieved when the arborist is brought in as early in the process as possible. This month’s CEU article looks at the planning and design phases of managing trees during construction. (A,M, Bm)

Every tree has its own system for moving water and nutrients through stem and branch. Christine Balk and A.D. Ali explore this natural plumbing in trees. (A, M, Bs)

Injection is an extreme, but sometimes necessary step in addressing proper tree care. In this second of two part article Shawn Bernick and E. Thomas Smiley examine the pros and cons to be taken in consideration when contemplating injection sites on a tree. (A, M, Bp)

Injection is an extreme, but sometimes necessary step in addressing proper tree care. Shawn Bernick and E. Thomas Smiley examine the pros and cons to be taken in consideration when contemplating tree injection. (A, M, Bp)

Bark is a complex and important tree tissue, by better understanding bark structure and function arborists will be prepared to interpret problems, and apply protective mechanisms in managing landscape trees.(A, Bs)

Lightning is an extremely powerful and pervasive force of nature, with an estimated 100 million strikes annually in North America. Authors Thomas Smiley, William Grahm jr., and Scott Cullen take a look at what can be done to protect trees, and the buildings and people around them. (A, T, L, Bp)

Lightning is an extremely powerful and pervasive force of nature, with an estimated 100 million strikes annually in North America. Authors Thomas Smiley, William Grahm jr., and Scott Cullen take a look at what can be done to protect trees, and the buildings and people around them. (A, T, L, Bp)

In part two of their article on managing urban soils, the authors delve into soil modifications, and soil amendments, as well as tilling techniques that can help improve urban soils(A, M, Bp)

Assessing urban soils is the first step in creating a healthy urban forest. Assessments can be quick and field based or more in-depth laboratory analysis. This month’s article looks at the most effective sampling techniques, identifying the important soil parameters, and understanding the results and how it will affect tree health. (A,U,T,M,L,Bp)

The terms callus and woundwood have been a source of confusion for working arborists and researchers almost since their first use more than a century ago. Christopher Luley examines the anatomical and functional differences between the two. (A,U,T,M,L,Bs)

Budgets can list the cost of tree maintenance, but what are the eventual costs of not caring for the urban forest? Richard Hauer, Jessica Vogt, and Burnell Fischer exam efforts to quantify the trade off between early tree care costs, and long term benefits of a healthy urban forest. (A,U,T,M,L,Bm)