Arborist
The mission of the Bowling Green Arborist is to provide a high quality urban forestry program to the community, in conjunction with expert advice on private tree care. The Arborist cares for the City trees within the road right-of-way, as well as regular line clearance tree trimming program for safe and reliable electricity.
The City of Bowling Green urban forest includes more than 8,300 trees in the public right-of-way, public parks, and green spaces. A healthy and safe urban forest includes: wildlife diversity, higher property values, air and water quality, storm water management, energy savings from summer and winter extremes, and quality of human health.
What's New in the Urban & Community Forestry Program: August 2010
Frequently Asked Questions: Click here for more information.
New Photos in Photo Gallery
Fungal Disease on Trees:
In 2010, we have seen a high level fungal leaf diseases with all the spring rains and warmer weather. Typically most leaf disease are minor and do not impact the tree or shrub. The leaves look unaesthetic and make the tree or shrub look unhealthy. The tree or shrub will push a new flush of leaves in mid July or early August to replace the diseased leaves. Click here for OSU Extension Factsheet on Leaf Diseases.
Leaf Disease on Rhododendron
Leaf disease on dogwood.
Leaf disease on river birch.
Click here for How to Maintain River Birch Trees
Maple Bladder Galls on Freeman Maple Tree.
Click here to
learn more about Maple Bladder Gall. This is a temporary condition and
does not harm the the tree.
Landscape Guide for Developers, Businesses and Home Owners is now available to the public. Click here for PDF copy.
Tree Service Request Click here.
2010 Spring Tree Planting:
The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) tree planting started on April 29, 2010 and will be competed by May 7, 2010. A total of 30 new tree will be planted CDBG designated areas in the city. Twenty new trees will be planted on Conneaut Avenue to replace trees removed for the new sewer line installation in April 2009. A total of 50 new utility compatible trees will be planted to replace large trees that were removed from under the electric power lines. The utility compatible trees will not grow taller than 25 feet and will not require any pruning for the electric power lines.
Bagworms Sited in BG:
Bagworms are hatching and larval are in Instar 1 about 1/4 inch long in the city. Bagworms can defoliate and cause tree mortality in one season. Click here on more information on how to control bagworm.
City of Bowling Green Rain Garden Initiative:
Buckeye Yard and Garden Online: Buckeye Yard and Garden online provides timely information about Ohio growing conditions, pest, disease, and cultural problems. Updated weekly between April and October, this information is useful for those who are managing a commercial nursery, garden center, or landscape business or someone who just wants to keep their yard looking good all summer.
Growing Degree Days and Phenology for
Ohio: Provides estimated dates of
when plants bloom and insect pests hatch throughout the growing
season.
AMERICAN NURSERY & LANDSCAPE ASSOCIATION - American Standard for Nursery Stock. Click here for more information.
NEW - EMERALD ASH BORER (EAB) UNIVERSITY - FREE WEB-BASED TRAINING PROGRAM ON EMERALD ASH BORER. Click here for to register for new classes or view archived webinars.
Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has reached epidemic populations levels in the City of Bowling Green. Businesses and Home Owners should to have their private ash trees inspected by the Municipal Arborist or a Professional Tree Service to determine the options available for managing EAB. Click here for latest research on EAB insecticide treatments. Click here to determine the percentage of canopy thinning on ash trees.
There is an Oyster Shell Scale insect outbreak in Bowling Green on Freeman maple trees, elms, and honey locust. Small trees that are 4 inches in diameter or smaller are attacked and killed from the scale insect. Click here for more information on Oyster Shell Scale.
Improper pruning of a private tree. Note the tree was stubbed off and does not have adequate foliage to maintain the tree. The tree will go into decline and eventually will die back. The tree is predisposed to insect and disease problems.
Tree City USA Awards Ceremony - April 21, 2010 in Ottawa, Ohio
Honorable Mayor John Quinn accepted the 30th Consecutive Tree City USA Award and 17th Consecutive Growth Award from Drew Todd, ODNR Urban Forestry Coordinator at the Northwest Ohio Tree City USA Award Ceremony in Wapakoneta, Ohio. Bowling Green Tree Commission members Tom Striggow, Walt Ferrell, Dick Horton, and Jo Anne Searle attended the ceremony. Public Works Director, Brian Craft, Public Works Director, Public Works Supervisor, Kent Reichert, Public Works Operators Adam Schoendorf and Dominic Picciuto and City Arborist, David S. Bienemann attended the ceremony. Click here for more information on Tree City USA and Arbor Day.
Arbor Day Celebration - April 27, 2010 with the
Bowling Green Christian Academy
The City of Bowling Green and Bowling Green Tree Commission celebrated Arbor Day with the Bowling Green Christian Academy 3rd, 4th, and 5 th Grade students. The National Arbor Day Foundation Poster contest winners were as follows: 1st Place with $30 in Downtown Bucks - Rebecca O'Hare, 2nd Place with $20 in Downtown Bucks - Lexie Palmer and 3rd Place with $10 in Downtown Bucks - Kathryn Fyfe. All students received a certificate of participation, free tree seedling, pencils, stickers, and tree planting brochures from the National Arbor Day Foundation. The Montessori School received an Arbor Day Video, Global Warming Posters, and handouts for future Arbor Day classes. Click here for more information on Arbor Day Celebration.
The Ohio State University EAB Research Team on June 5,
2009.
The Ohio State University (OSU) with cooperation from the City of Bowling Green are working on a three year research project to determine the genetics that make ash trees from Asia and Europe resistant to Emerald Ash Borer. Click here for more information.
Pictures above from Country Club Drive after routine maintenance pruning (Linden on left and Locust on right).
Routine Maintenance Pruning
Routine Maintenance trees are defined as trees recommended for horticultural pruning to correct structural problems or growth patterns which could eventually obstruct traffic, pedestrians walking on sidewalks, interfere with utility lines, or buildings. Trees in this category are large enough to require bucket truck access or manual climbing. Our crews prune a maximum of 25% of the canopy from the trees. We will move into Ward 3 (South of W. Wooster and East of S. Main) in 2009.
Picture above shows the S-shaped galleries left by the Emerald Ash Borer larvae.
Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) spreads throughout the City Of
Bowling Green.
The numbers of trees identified as infested with Emerald Ash Borer has increased significantly throughout Bowling Green. The City is taking pro-active measures to deal with EAB and now is encouraging citizens with ash trees to consider future actions for their trees.
Bowling Green residents and businesses are encouraged to consider options for managing ash trees. Two primary options available: removal/replacement or insecticide treatment. Removal and replacement prior to infestation is the most cost effective option. Dead and dying frequently cost 2-3 times more to remove than live trees due to unpredictable nature of dead wood. The risks to surrounding structures and to the lives of qualified arborists who remove these hazardous trees is a major factor in the cost. For tips on hiring an arborist, visit http://www.treesaregood.org/ for a consumer guide How to Hire and Arborist.
Systemic insecticides may be an option to prolong the life of highly valued ash trees prior to infestation. The Ohio State University Extension Office has developed specific recommendations on insecticides. Click here for more information. While insecticide products are not 100% effective and are preventative measures, it is an EAB management option.
ODOT Certified Training
The Public Works Division staff, Electric Division staff, and Parks & Recreation Department staff attended safety training in aerial bucket truck operations, chainsaw operations, and chipper operations. Our goal is to provide the best service to the residents of Bowling Green and our urban forest.
Our Tree City USA Program has planted over 1700 trees from May 2004 through May 2009. The goal is to plant the "Right Tree in the Right Place" by selecting trees that fit the planting site based on soil type, drainage, infrastructure (power lines, gas lines, water & sewer lines), visibility triangle and long-term capital improvement projects. The City Arborist coordinates with multiple City Departments to include the preservation of trees or tree replacement programs to maintain the canopy effect. All new subdivisions and new business plans are now reviewed by the City Arborist to offer recommendations on future tree plantings and landscape design plans.
Priority Pruning of Large Trees 2010:
Our internal City tree crews will be working on pruning large trees primarily on the east side of the City of Bowling Green in Ward 1 & Ward 2, City Park, and the Bowling Green Country Club. The crews will be pruning out dead and diseased branches, broken/crossing branches or branches that extend over the street or sidewalks.
Priority Removal Trees 2010:
Our internal City tree crews will coordinate on removing priority trees on the east side of the City of Bowling Green in Ward 1 & Ward 2, City Park, and Bowling Green Country Club. Priority trees are defined as trees that are dead or have one or more defects that cannot be maintained by pruning. The majority of trees in this category have a large of percentage of dead crown and potential safety hazards. Large dead and dying/diseased tree are high liability risk are included in this category.
Train Pruning of Small Trees 2010:
Picture 1 (Top) shows proper train pruning of smaller
trees. Picture 2 (Center) we are pruning 25%-30% of lower
branches. Picture 3 (Bottom) shows our City tree crew training
the tree.
The Urban and Community Forestry staff will be working in the new Subdivisions from May 2009 to August 2009. The crews are pruning smaller trees to remove dead branches, crossing branches, and branches that extend over the street or sidewalk areas. The objective is to train the tree to provide safe clearance for motor vehicles, signs and pedestrians. The pruning corrects the structure and form of the young trees to help grow healthy and strong as they mature.
