The Newport Tree Society: News Updates

RI Tree Steward Program - Tuesdays: Sep 9 - Oct 21

2008-09-29T18:28:00.000-07:00

Tree Stewards

The Tree Stewardship combines learning about and caring for trees, as well as understanding how people and trees can best grow together! This course includes six evening and two Saturday outdoor workshops covering a variety of introductory arboriculture classes including: tree biology, identification, planting and pruning, health, urban forestry and soils.

TUESDAY EVENING CLASSES: 6:30 TO 9:00 PM
September 9 - October 21 2008
Jamestown Philomenian Library
26 North Road
Jamestown , RI 02835
TWO SATURDAY WORKSHOPS
October 4 & 18

See also http://www.ritree.org/pdfs/tree_steward_class_fall%2008.pdf.

RI Tree Council - Oct 3 - Arboriculture in Urban Planning

2008-09-29T18:02:00.000-07:00

Rhode Island Tree Council
Sustaining Trees World Wide, Green Landscaping
Effective Arboriculture in Urban Planning

http://www.ritree.org/pdfs/2008_Local_To_Global_Annual_Conference.pdf

Keynote Speaker: ‘Urban Forestry in Beijing , China ’

Ron Henderson is a landscape architect and a building architect. He is founding principal of L+A Landscape Architecture in Providence , RI where he has directed the planning and design projects in North America, Europe and Asia . Since 2005, Ron has traveled frequently to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to exhibit his work and to lecture on urban social space and landscape ecology in urban environment. Currently, Ron teaches at Beijing ’s Tsinghua University where he is the Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture and Deputy Director of the International Master in Architecture Degree Program. He has also led and assisted on several major projects in China including the recent the creation of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Forest Park and the Fuzhou University Landscape Master Plan. During his conference lecture Ron will present a fascinating glimpse of Beijing and the important role trees play in urban planning. As Ron has intimated in numerous e-mails he has sent RITree over the past few years the Chinese have their own way of doing things even when it comes to arboriculture. But while some may seem strange to us they are technically sound and very effective. In his talk Ron will share with us some of these methods. A few of which we may want to adopt ourselves here.

9:30 am - Registration / Coffee
10:00 am - Welcome & Opening Remarks - Frederick W. Stolle, Esq., Chairman, RITree Council
10:15 am - Douglas Still, City Forester Providence R.I.
11:00 am - Ron Henderson, ASLA, AIA - Founding Principal - L+A Landscape Architecture
- Associate Professor, Tsinghua University , Beijing
12:00 pm - Lunch & Award Ceremony
1: 15 pm - Frank Crandall - President Wood River Evergreen, Hope Valley , RI
2:00 pm - John T. Campanini, Jr., Technical Advisor, RITree Council
2:30 pm - Guided tour of the trees of Aldrich Mansion (optional)

ISA Education Credits available for attending arborists
Registration, includes lunch $40.00

2008-07-27T11:38:00.000-07:00

News release from the Tree and Open Space Commission, City of Newport RI

In association with Scott Wheeler, Newport Tree and Parks Supervisor, July 14, 2008

Newport’s elderly beech trees need tender loving care,

and new generations to replace them

Fourth of July weekend brought not only the noise of fireworks, but also the sound of another beech tree crashing onto a Newport street. This time it was a large specimen on an estate at the corner of Narragansett and Clay that people had admired for decades. Two weeks earlier, a major limb of a colorful copper beech had fallen onto signs near the Narragansett-Bellevue Avenue intersection. Although at first glance the trees appeared to be in perfect health, both failed during moderate wind or rain events because of internal decay between the tree’s large leaders. Fortunately, no one was hurt and a Tree and Grounds Division crew quickly opened up the street to traffic. [See photos.]

Scott Wheeler, Newport’s Tree and Parks Supervisor who is also the City’s Tree Warden and a certified arborist, says: “We are seeing more structural failures from decay in beech trees. Most of our specimen beeches have reached old age. A fungus called Phytophthora is attacking many of them. These beeches are vulnerable because they are weakened by age, and also because buildup on former estates is squeezing into their growing space.”

To help tackle this critical problem, the Newport Tree and Open Space Commission (appointed by City Council) has teamed up with Scott Wheeler to produce an information bulletin on good care and replacement of beech trees. One of its themes is that owners should engage qualified tree services with licensed, certified arborists to monitor their beech trees carefully and take remedial steps if need be. For example, a properly installed cable system might forestall collapses like those on Narragansett Avenue. Equally important is what residents themselves can do to provide beeches with healthy settings, such as limiting soil compaction, preventing root damage from excavations, adding mulch, and watering during drought periods. The bark and roots of beeches are very sensitive. Burying irrigation systems or parking vehicles underneath beeches can do much damage, not to mention banging into or carving on beech trunks.

The Commission’s new bulletin urges owners to plan for decline of their old beeches by planting replacements now. That way, the younger trees will have gained considerable size when their large cousins are lost. At a moderate cost, the City can help property owners to obtain and plant suitable trees within 20 feet of a right-of-way. For locations farther in than 20 feet, another concerned group – the Newport Tree Society – has an annual specimen tree sale.

The entire beech-care bulletin (Information Bulletin #4) is on the Public Services/Trees and Parks section of the City’s web site, www.cityofnewport.com. Also downloadable there are three other tree-care bulletins, details of Newport’s street tree planting program, and recent initiatives of the Tree and Open Space Commission.

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This news release and photos are from Dr. David W. Brown, information point person, Newport Tree and Open Space Commission, phone 401-848-9427 (day & evening), djbrown2d@yahoo.com.
Newport Tree and Parks Supervisor Scott Wheeler is at 401-845-5802 (office) and swheeler@cityofnewport.com.

Newport Tree Commission Meeting: Sept 11

2007-09-09T05:39:00.000-07:00

Open to the public, the next Newport Tree Commission Meeting will be held on September 11, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. The Tree Commission meets the 2nd Tuesday of every other month. Location: 2nd Floor Conference Room of City Hall.

Stop by to hear Tree and Parks Supervisor Scott Wheeler's news updates, and join in the discussion regarding plans for upcoming projects.

For more information, contact Tree Commission Chairperson Susan Ruf at (401) 849-0296 or ruf@cox.net.

New Hardiness Zones Reflect Warmer U.S. Temps

2007-05-15T15:21:00.000-07:00

The National Arbor Day Foundation has posted a new 2006 Hardiness Zone map. Along with this map is a comparison map of 1990 versus 2006 Hardiness Zones, which reflects warming temperatures across the United States.

From the NADF press release:

"Much of Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio...have shifted from Zone 5 to a warmer Zone 6. Some areas around the country have even warmed two full zones."

Newport Tree Commission 2007 Meeting Schedule

2007-02-12T11:11:00.000-08:00

The Newport Tree Commission has scheduled meetings for 2007. All meetings are held in the second floor conference room at 7 p.m. Dates are Jan. 9, March 13, May 8, July 10, Sept. 11 and Nov. 13. All residents are welcome to attend. Meeting agendas, recent minutes and the Tree Ordinance are online at http://new.cityofnewport.com. For more information, contact David Brown at (401) 848-9427, or Tree and Parks Supervisor Scott Wheeler at (401) 845-5802. (Excerpt from the Providence Journal East Bay Briefings.)

Newport Tree Warden Receives Gold Oak Leaf Award

2006-11-20T10:26:00.000-08:00

"Newport’s City Forester and RITree’s very own Scott Wheeler was given the Gold Oak Leaf Award in recognition of his many years of dedicated service to the NE-ISA at the recent conference. NE-ISA President Karen Doherty presented this prestigious award to Scott at the conclusion of the luncheon banquet on Monday, October 30. In her remarks, President Doherty thanked Scott for his many contributions over the past 10 years, which have helped make the New England Chapter a very strong, well-respected organization. All our members congratulate Scott Wheeler on this well-deserved honor. " -- Excerpt from the Fall/Winter 2006/07 issue of "RI Tree Sentinel," the newsletter of the Rhode Island Tree Council.

Newport Tree Commission Update

2006-09-15T14:33:00.000-07:00

The Newport Tree Commission discusses a possible strengthening of Newport's existing Tree Ordinance and creation of a Landscape Ordinance, and gives an update on the situation at Eastbourne Lodge in it's September 12, 2006 Meeting Minutes.

Eastbourne Lodge

2006-04-05T14:26:00.000-07:00

Providence Journal: Luxury duplex proposal draws opposition from neighbors.

What Eastbourne Lodge might look like without its tree canopy....