Cohabitating with Bark Beetle

They aren't going anywhere soon.....

Bark beetle is not unfamiliar to the Pacific Northwest and is in fact native to North America. Bark beetles are a natural pest that has played an important role in our forests ecosystem. They target stressed trees that can not defend themselves properly. The trees are the perfect host for feeding and egg laying due to their protection from physical elements and the abundance of sugars in the phloem tissue. Bark beetles that affect pine trees specifically feed on the phloem tissue and do not affect the actual sap wood of the tree. They cause mortality in trees in two ways, either by introducing a fungi we commonly know as "blue stain" or by girdling the trees. In the PNW, we have several bark beetles that are vectors for the blue stain fungi, but not all  bark beetles are. Rapid decline that leads to tree mortality from bark beetle usually is identified from crown dieback and the sign of orange and yellow needles at the tip of the crown. The discoloration of the needles is the process of necrosis, dead tissue. The crown is dying from the top down due to the fact that water and nutrient transportation is being cut off or blocked. It is "cutoff" due to girdling or it is      " blocked" from blue stain fungi growing rapidly throughout the sapwood and blocking water transport. The effect of beetle damage is often times irreversible depending on the type of damage, the beetle that is identified and the size of the attack.

Due to an ever warming climate, bark beetle numbers are increasing. The research points to warmer and shorter winters, the larvae aren't battling extreme colds that can cause mortality. Also, with large fires, food is so readily available and trees are defenseless, populations are increasing. With this information, we understand attacks are inevitable and we look toward preventative measure to help our trees defend themselves.

The defense system of a tree is a process built through evolution in response to pressures and stresses. The resin pressure and flow of trees is the primary defense system to stop beetle attacks. This is the only natural defense and response of a tree.  Remember,  bark beetles are attracted to stressed trees or downed and dead tree material. So if trees are being attacked they are stressed! So our main concern is, how do we keep our trees from not being stressed?

Water.Space.Nutrients.

Water, trees need supplemental water when we have been experiencing years of drought. Space, trees need adequate space so they don't have to fight for water and nutrients. Also, they need space away from new construction, driveways, roads, sidewalks, things that cause compaction or loss of roots. However, there are efforts we can make to lessen stress in these scenarios. Nutrients, trees might need supplemental food or fertilization depending on site conditions and history. Often times, in the urban environment, the natural process for soil to obtain organic material and food is disrupted by our need or the requirements of having a clean yard or space.

These are efforts every homeowner can make to ensure their trees have the best chance for a healthy defense systems. It is vital that homeowners with high valued trees reach out to a certified arborist who can identify these conditions and create a plan for proper urban forest health. We also offer biological andchemical preventative measures, but the need should be assessed prior to application or installment. Our staff has two certified arborist that can asses tree health and develop plant health care needs. Call us today for a certified and free consultation.

Certified Arborist:

Boe Brodhun #PN-9329A

Todd Ebens #WI-0457A

More information can be found here:  https://www.fs.fed.us/research/invasive-species/insects/bark-beetle.php

Who is your Caretaker?

 Have you taken a walk through a botanical garden? If you have, I’m sure nothing less than a complete appreciation for the plants was discovered within your soul. That’s the beauty of living plants, some ranging from 40 to over 100 years old! It is nothing less than inspiring! One aspect of these plants’ success and grandeur that is often overlooked is the caretaker. The caretaker changes hands throughout the years, but the quality and care remain the same. We have a deep sense of appreciation for these botanical gardens, but most forget they can have the same results in their yard.

What we must understand is that trees rely on growth hormones as they age. These hormones are triggered in different ways and determine the architecture of the tree and its form. Spread out trees with large canopies are often broadleaf trees and have a decurrent form while evergreens usually have one central lead and are called excurrent. Each form is significant for balance and in determining strength for events that cause loading. Occasionally, stress or natural competition can cause branching habits that do more to hinder the development of the canopy than to help it.

Pruning is the caretaker’s method of treating or fixing any potential flaws that we know will cause failure or disease. Due to this, it is necessary for the proper growth and development of your plants that you have a certified arborist annually inspect your landscape. It is healthier and more cost effective to prevent through corrective action than to recorrect with less than satisfactory results. Remember, plants and trees add immense value to our landscape: economically, emotionally and environmentally. It is in our best interest to give them the care they need.

Boe Brodhun ISA# PN-9329A & Todd Ebens ISA# WI-0457A

Is your Soil Hungry?

What happens if the human body doesn’t receive food or water?… We suffer because we are living organisms. Our bodies require food for energy and nutrients, water for cell and organ protection and nutrient delivery and so much more!

What’s the correlation though?… Believe it or not, there are more species of organisms in the soil than there are above ground! These organisms include everything from mammals and insects to bacteria and viruses that are invisible to the naked eye. A single handful of soil contains millions of individual living organisms.

Why are you telling me though?… To inform you that our local soils suffer from our urban activity. Trees in our urban environment are stressed from boundaries that inhibit root growth. They lack sufficient water due to structures and roads, lawns and evaporation from limited forest debri or mulch . They have deficiencies because they are outside of their natural and rich eco system. In these nutrient dense environments needles, bark and cones are reused and constantly break down to provide organic material. Fungi thrive off of decaying organisms. Together with bacteria, fungi are responsible for breaking down organic matter and releasing carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus into the soil and the atmosphere. Mammals and insects are constantly turning the soil, creating pore space for better soil structure and constantly fertilizing the soil with their waste. The eco systems of forests, grasslands and wetlands constantly provide the proper activity and functions to keep their soils fertile. Since our trees are often displaced from their natural environment , we can reintroduce beneficial nutrients just by simply fertilizing.

Can you feed my soil so it’s satisfied? Yes, we can! At Urban Forest Tree Service we use BioPak Plus which is a premium dry, soluble 3-in-one fertilizer, microbial nutrient, and microbial inoculant treatment for ornamentals and trees. It improves plant vigor while growing in stressed conditions. It includes humid acids, which may aid in mineral nutrient uptake. We apply this fertilizer by drenching the root zones of smaller plants, shrubs and new plantings with 5 gallon buckets of mixed fertilizer. For trees or shrubs with larger root zones we inject the fertilizer directly into the root zone with a high pressurized soil probe. We recommend introducing a premium fertilizer every 1 to 3 years to increase the health, vigor and life of your plants.

Reach out for a consultation so that we can get your trees full and green again. What we see above ground is often an indication of what is below ground. With the proper care, your landscape can once again be the talk of the neighborhood.