Tree Wizard's Newest Certified Arborist!

We are proud to announce that Tree Wizard now has its fourth ISA certified Arborist! Congratulations to Mike McCrosky for passing his Arborist certification exam, we are all so grateful and proud of all your hard work and skill!

Emerald Ash Borer in Oklahoma

Emerald Ash Borer

Emerald ash borer, or EAB is an invasive wood-boring insect native to Asia that was first identified in 2002 in Michigan, although it is suspected it was introduced to North America in the 1990's. It has progressed from the eastern part of the country toward the west, often traveling along interstate highways carried by wood products. On October 14^th, 2016, it was confirmed in the northeastern part of Oklahoma. If you look at the map you can see the infestation is creeping across the country. It will only be a matter of time before it hits central Oklahoma.

This pest is a significant threat to urban and rural forests. EAB attacks all species of ash and has the ability to kill healthy trees in the span of 3 years. It has killed millions of ash trees in the United States since its arrival and caused firewood/ wood product quarantines in infested counties. EAB has also cost municipalities and property owners millions of dollars. (check out http://www.emeraldashborer.info/ for more information.)

How to identify EAB:

Although it is unlikely you will see the adult borer, it is a metallic green color and about 2/3^rd the diameter of a penny.

More likely you will notice ash trees with dying or dead branches in the upper crown, and shoots or suckers along the trunk. Other symptoms included heavy feeding from woodpeckers and bark splitting exposing feeding galleries that look like spaghetti tunnels.

Luckily, our understanding of how EAB can be managed has increased since it's arrival and it is now possible that some ash trees can be protected even in areas with a large infestation. Dealing with this pest will be something our community will need to discuss in the near future. According to recent research, it is more cost effective for a community focus on saving and treating ash trees than removing and replacing them, in some cases as much as two-thirds the cost.¹

http://www.emeraldashborer.info/ ( January 30, 2017)

Please contact an arborist if you think you might have an infestation or have an ash tree and would like to know more about how to deal with this pest when it does arrive in central Oklahoma.

1Clifford Sadof et al, “Tools for Staging and Managing Emerald Ash Borer in the Urban Forest,” Arboriculture & Urban Forestry 43, no. 1 (2017): 15.

Oak Leaf Blister

Oak leaf blister is a fungal disease that is found in many species of oak. We diagnosed a tree on the northwest side of Norman with this disease this week. The early stages can present on red oaks as light-colored spots that are cupped or raised on one side. It is usually not a serious problem for the health of the tree, although it can diminish the aesthetic appeal of the tree. 

The light-colored spots are a symptom of early stage oak leaf blister. 

Tree Risk Assessment Qualification

Congratulations to Don, Stefanie, and Mariah on receiving their ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification!

The International Society of Arborculture describes the Tree Risk Assessment Qualification as a program that "trains arborists how to use the methodologies outlined in the ISA Best Management Practices for Tree Risk Assessment. This qualification promotes the safety of people and property by providing a standardized and systematic process for assessing tree risk. The results of a tree risk assessment can provide tree owners and risk managers with the information to make informed decisions to enhance tree benefits, health, and longevity."

http://www.isa-arbor.com/certification/becomeQualified/becomeQualified.aspx

From Left: Stefanie, Mariah, and Don, the Tree Wizard's newly qualified arborists!

The Tree Risk Assessment Qualification was great because it gave us an organized, methodical way to assess the risk of trees. It helped teach us how to apply our knowledge in arboriculture to the inherently subjective area of tree risk assessment, and provided a language that allows us to understand risk and then communicate that to our customers in a consistent, widely-used format.

Our Newest ISA Certified Arborist!

The Tree Wizard now had Three ISA Certified Arborists on Staff!

Congratulations to Mariah Menzie for passing her arborist exam and becoming the third ISA Certified Arborist at Tree Wizard! Great work! 

Ice Damage 2016

The recent ice storm hit El Reno and Yukon more than OKC and Norman, but we saw these all over central Oklahoma. One of the many reasons it's important to keep your trees trimmed ahead of the storms!

Bagworms

The tree wizards found a blue atlas cedar infested with bagworms in south eastern Norman. 

These pests can do a lot of damage to trees in the cedar family in this area.

Bagworms often show up around late summer, and can sometimes be controlled by simply picking off their bags and burning them. Make sure not to just throw them in the yard, because the female bagworm and her eggs will survive through the winter, crawl back to the tree and reproduce! 

Note the discoloration of the bags. They usually hang below the limb and can be dime-sized or larger like this one.

It is important not to ignore this problem because bagworms can defoliate a tree and after a while will cause the tree stress, making it more susceptible to other diseases and environmental factors. 

Bagworms are gross.