Burlington residents might be city dwellers, but they live in the midst of a forest -- an urban forest.
"Trees on city property and on private property all make up the urban forest," said city arborist Warren Spinner.
Urban forestry, or stewardship of community trees, has become a vital part of residents' involvement in the livability of the city. "The citizens of Burlington are very interested in their trees. We found that out after the ice storm. They wanted to know what they could do to help," Spinner said.
Residents continue to help care for trees through the volunteer organization Branch Out Burlington! and its Tree Keeper program. For 10 years, Branch Out Burlington! has worked with Spinner and other groups to provide education and tree planting. The Tree Keeper program matches young trees from the Burlington Community Tree Nursery with residents who agree to give them basic care.
Ninety-three trees are available for spring for people who sign up by Nov. 1, said Polly Thompson of Burlington, coordinator of the program. "We've learned that a fall cut-off date is necessary to give Warren time to inspect the sites before they are snow-covered," she said. "He won't put a tree just anywhere."
Spinner added that he really does evaluate every site where a resident proposes to plant a tree adopted from the nursery. Because most are planted between sidewalk and street, he looks at the width of the greenbelt, checks for utilities and the surrounding environment, then provides free training for Tree Keepers -- residents who have agreed to water, prune and monitor a tree.
Mark the spots
Trees and arborists alike have confronted challenges resulting from extended periods of wet weather this year. "The thing that rings my phone the most is giant tar spot," Spinner said. The large black spots, only affecting Norway maple leaves, remind residents of an oil spill.
Giant tar spot, anthracnose and apple scab, each caused by a different fungus, gained a toehold on trees that had no dry time to slow the fungus spores. Spinner and Ann Hazelrigg of the University of Vermont Extension Plant Diagnostic Clinic said although the affected leaves are unattractive, most trees will recover if they are otherwise vigorous. The leaves will have produced energy reserves for the tree before they fall. Because spores of fungal diseases overwinter in fallen leaves, raking and removing them will help to limit the spread of disease.
Light brown spots and curled leaf edges usually signal anthracnose on maples, ash and other shade trees. Apple scab, with its darker olive-brown spots turning black followed by falling leaves, is a scourge of one of Burlington's most popular ornamental trees -- crabapple. The best preventive is planting varieties resistant to scab, Spinner said, but added, "Some that we usually consider resistant got it this year."
John Padua, co-owner of Cobble Creek Nursery in Monkton, a wholesale grower of crabapple trees, recommends as the most scab-resistant kinds Firebird, Prairiefire and Red Jewel for red flowers, and Dolgo and Selkirk for white flowers. Several local nurseries offer those varieties. Watch your head
Joggers and walkers report skirmishes with greenery growing over sidewalks and pedestrian paths. Shrubs, hedges and low tree branches often need to be pruned for safety. Spinner suggests that homeowners wanting help with pruning, tree planting and care can find it on the Web site of the International Society of Arboriculture (www.isa-arbor .com; click on "Consumer Tree Care").
A public nuisance resulting from vegetation near a public right-of-way can be reported to the Burlington Department of Parks and Recreation, who in turn will notify property owners and request a nuisance abate- ment within 10 days, Spinner said.
When a low tree limb must be removed, the pruning should be done without causing the bark below the cut to peel. William deVos, a consulting arborist and owner of Treeworks Ltd. in Montpelier and Charlotte, advises first making a cut on the underside of the limb a few inches from the trunk; then removing most of the weight of the limb with a cut several inches farther out; and completing the process by cutting next to the trunk, at the collar of the limb.
More tips
USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forest Program coordinators in Vermont work closely with Spinner and with tree wardens in other cities and towns to enhance understanding of the role of trees in communities. Danielle Fitzko, state coordinator of the program, said they soon will air a public service announcement jointly with the University of Vermont Extension about problems created by "volcano mulching" or piling mulch too deeply and too close to tree trunks.
"Mulch should be kept to a depth of 2 or 3 inches," Fitzko said. Good mulching technique will conserve moisture and keep trimmers and mowers away from the trunk. Deep mulch next to it can promote bark decay.
Burlington's city arborist and three arborist technicians oversee about 8,500 street trees and 3,000 trees in city parks. They plant, prune, cable and, when necessary, remove trees. Their goal, Spinner said, is to inspect each tree on an average of every four years.Burlington Free Press
