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News from the International:The ISA Strategic Planning Session and Board Meetingby John Giedraitis, ISA TexasChapter member of the ISA Council ofRepresentativesEver wonder what’s going on withthe international side of this 20,000 member organization known as ISA?This past March 14-16, I had the honorof attending the ISA Board of Directorsmeeting at the ISA headquarters inChampaign, Illinois.If you recall, about two years agothe governance structure of ISA waschanged. We now have an elected15 member ISA Board of Directorswho is responsible for the strategicdirection, fiscal oversight and policydevelopment of ISA.Also established two years ago was theISA Council of Representatives (COR)made up one voting member from eachISA Chapter, Professional Affiliate(SMA, UAA, AREA, SCA) and theISA Certification Board. I am currentlyyour ISA Texas Chapter representativeto the COR and also its Secretary.Since our COR Chair Craig Hallam(Australia Chapter) couldn’t make it, Istood in and would like to share whatour ISA Board of Directors and ISAstaff are doing.I was very impressed with our Boardand their focus on strategy, policyand the big picture. I can also reportthat ISA has an excellent staff (over40 now) that is focused and workingto implement the Board’s direction.Briefly, here is a recap of staff reportsand Board planning that may be ofinterest to Texas:3. Z133: Should be published thissummer.“I was veryimpressed withour Board andtheir focus onstrategy, policyand the bigpicture.”4.    Revisions to A300: Three of theANSI A300 Standards for TreeCare Operations are to be revisedin 2012. Tree Care IndustryAssociation is the secretariatfor, and publisher of, the A300Standards. Although ISA hasno control over publicationdates, the three titles for whichwe expect revisions are: Part5 – Construction Management,Part 6 – Transplanting, Part7 – Integrated VegetationManagement. As each A300 isrevised, ISA takes the opportunityto revise the corresponding BestManagement Practices (BMP) as6well. Revisions to BMPs usuallyfollow 3 to 12 months after A300revisions, depending on the extentof the revisions.5.    Tree Appraisal: the Council ofTree and Landscape Appraisershas been working on the 10thedition for 12 years and a draftshould be out shortly for review.The 2012 Texas update is nowavailable online.6.    Arborist News: Has a newmanaging editor and you will see achange in content soon.7.    Conference and EventsCommittee: Texas is hosting theInternational Conference in 2016.This year’s annual conference andtrade show will be in Portland atthe Oregon Convention Center.Red Lion has the lowest roomrates and the Double Tree isclose. The International TreeClimbing Championship will be inLaurelhurst Park (10-minute busride). Early registration ends May31. Register soon!!!8.    Publications: Gary Watsonhas rewritten his tree plantingbook and Chris Luley has a newbook on pruning. The Tree RiskAssessment book is now out. Thearboriculture dictionary is nowin nine languages and more ISApublications are being translatedevery year.9. ArborPod: These free podcastswhere you can earn CEUs havebeen accessed tens of thousands oftimes by ISA members since theywere launched six months ago.Have you seen these informativeand entertaining podcasts?10. Online Learning – Introductionto Arboriculture: The sames1.    Member and Certificant NeedsAssessment: Soon you will begetting a member survey fromISA. Please fill it out so that ISAand the Texas Chapter can serveyou better.2.    ISA Committees: here are 20or so international committeesincluding Tree Climbing, PlantAppraisal, Hispanic, BMPs,Certification and others. Pleaseconsider giving back to the ISAand/or your Chapter by joining anan ISA or ISAT committee.

sISA Board Meeting Cont’daward-winning, interactivetraining series that was previouslyonly available through CD-ROMsis now also available in ISA’sOnline Learning Center. Thispackage deal enables users to takeall 25 online courses available inthe Introduction to ArboricultureTraining Series for a discountedprice.Publications, podcasts and theOnline Learning Center are allunder “Education and Research”on ISA’s main page.11. Tree Risk Assessment: This is aqualification and not a certificationand it will be launched early nextyear. This is the first qualificationfrom ISA and policies andprocedures and BMPs are beingwritten now.12. Certification: ISA is workingon promoting credentials toother groups. Certified Arboristrecertification rates are decliningslightly worldwide (81%),probably due to the depressedeconomies. A committee wasformed last fall to look at how torevamp the Certified Tree Workercertification to serve industryneeds better. Computer BasedCertification Testing: 2,600 sitesavailable worldwide.on the Board for making studentmembership more affordable tocollege students.You can be proud of ISAT and ISA.They are both working hard to supportyou and our industry. If you have anyquestions, issues or comments, pleaselet me know. As your representativeto the ISA, I will make sure that yourvoice is heard.13. Membership: 2011 saw the firstdecline in worldwide membership(-2.5%) and so far in 2012membership is about the same aslast year. There was considerablediscussion at the meeting onstrategic growth in new and maturemarkets worldwide. StudentMembership: There is supportNationwide 24/7 crisisresponseIndustry leadingequipment resourcesUnmatched safety recordContact your Nelson representative todayto discuss your vegetation management needs:Elmer Vargas at 1-817-225-60717Highest standards forcrew professionalism

Why iTree? Why You Tree?by Micah Pace, TFS Urban RegionalForester, DallasSince the first public release of theiTree Tools suite in 2006, communitiesaround the country have begun tolook more closely at what the urbanforest does and why it matters. Infact, in 2005 the Texas Forest Serviceparticipated in one of the first pilotprojects for the program UFORE(Urban Forest Effects, though nowcalled “Eco”) in an eight-county studyin and around the Houston area. Theresults of the Houston Regional Studyprovided a close look at the regionalforest population and the multitude ofenvironmental services it provided.Though the iTree suite of tools hasgrown since the early days, addingseveral new tools for users, the twomain flagship programs remain“Eco” (previously called UFORE)and “Streets” (previously calledSTRATUM). While both programsare designed to estimate and describethe environmental services and relatedmonetary values derived from theurban forest, they focus on differentcomponents of the resource and requirevery different data collection protocols.As you might expect by its name, theStreets program was designed to lookat publically managed street trees.On the other hand, the Eco programwas designed to look at the urbanforest as a whole. Projects using thisprogram collect data on both publicand private trees in both developed andundeveloped locations. Regardlessof the differences between these twoiTree programs, they both help toeffectively communicate, in a scientificand logical way, our passion for andinnate knowledge of why urban treesare important. Ultimately, iTreecreated a new form of communicationbetween resource managers and localleaders, helping to justify and supportfunding public tree care programs.iTree can also aid tree protectionduring development projects andcan be used to develop speciesspecific recommendations forremoval and planting based ondesired benefits.So the answer to the question “WhyiTree?” was answered six yearsago. However, it still seems that thequestion, “Why You Tree?” still mustbe answered. I pose this questiondirectly to municipal tree managers,since they are in charge of managingpublic trees in a relatively large andwell defined geographic location, butalso to commercial arborists and urbanforestry consultants that work withour local cities who can offer theseservices to communities that are lessinclined to do so alone. Why not benext to conduct an iTree study?In 2009 the City of Arlington, Texasstepped to the plate (Get it? TexasRangers . . . Arlington baseball . . .”stepped to the plate” . . . alright I’llstick to iTree and leave the bad jokesand loose references to our prizededitor) and conducted their owncity Eco study. The Arlington EcoStudy was a success and allowed thecity’s urban forester to garner moresupport for his city-wide tree inventorysystem, which incorporates iTreebenefits values and an important riskcomponent.There have been several othercommunities utilizing iTree tools.For example, the City of McAllen isutilizing the Streets program for its city8inventory data. The City of Irving isalso incorporating iTree in its currentinventory project. So what about you?I asked this question to Travis Sales,the CityofMesquite ParksServices Manager,a couple years ago and every time Isaw him or talked to him since. (I canbe a real pain!) This year was theyear! The City of Mesquite has begunits very own Eco study and plans tocomplete all field data collection byOctober 2012.I invite those of you who havecontemplated an iTree study but justhave not had the opportunity to do so,or perhaps have been a little hesitantto undertake such a task, to considercoming to Mesquite and participatingfor a couple days to see firsthand thatyou too can iTree!If your community is interested inlearning more about its urban forestand the environmental services itprovides, contact your local TFSregional forester for more informationabout the iTree suite of tools and howto conduct a project in your area. Staytuned for results from the Mesquitestudy later this year!For more information regarding thevarious iTree studies mentioned herecontact Micah Pace, Dallas RegionalUrban Forester with the Texas ForestService at mpace@tfs.tamu.edu .

Editor ’s Noteby Oscar MestasWhat do all of these folks have in common: Salvador E. Alemany, Greg Carver, Kathleen Craig,Ginny Crow, Maisy Crow, Shirley Crow, Stuart Crow, Chris Jordan, Claire Jordan, Jefferey May,Jenna May, Grady McGahan, Jimmy Olsen, Dan Patterson, Pete Smith, and Tim Sullivan. Give up?Well if you visit the following link, http://stihltourdestrees.org/2012-rider-gallery/ , this will take youto the Tour des Trees Rider Gallery. All the folks mentioned above are Tour des Trees cyclists who havelisted Texas as their home state. I invite you all to visit the rider gallery and support your favorite Texan.On this webpage you can find out more information on your favorite rider and donate to the cause.I’m a little biased on my choices; I have decided to support my two TFS colleagues, Pete Smith andSalvador Alemany. This is the 20 th anniversary for Tour des Trees and these folks are going to beaveraging about 85 miles a day. The riders have a fun-filled, seven-day tourtotaling 585 miles traveling to the Oregon coast and inland to the Dalles and finallysettling in Portland. If I were a betting man, and had to pick a favorite betweenPete and Salvador as to who will come in before the other, I would say thatSalvador has the edge on Pete. Sorry, Pete. So take a few minutes and donate afew bucks, it’s only a click away. The proceeds go to benefit the TREE Fund.Treaty Oak Seedlings for Sam Houston IVGretchen Riley, Famous Trees of Texasprogram coordinator, had a recentbrush with living history. Sam HoustonIV – a direct descendent of GeneralSam Houston, the first President of theRepublic of Texas – wrote to inquireabout the fate of the Treaty Oak inAustin.Pete Smith and Gretchen Rileyflank Sam Houston IV andBilly Price at the Sam Houstonhomeplace and museum site inHuntsville.By sheer coincidence, TFS had justreceived the last Treaty Oak seedlingsgrown by American Forests’ HistoricTree nursery, and Gretchen and PeteSmith (both of College Station) wereable to deliver two trees to Mr. Houstonwhen they met in Huntsville at the SamHouston Museum.Billy Price and SamHouston IV pose nextto a Stephen F. Austinlive oak growing atthe Sam Houstonhomeplace site inHuntsville.Houston’s plan is to plant them at thesite where Stephen F. Austin died inDecember 1836, near West Columbia,TX, on land owned by his childhoodfriend, Billy Price. Price was instrumentalin growing Stephen F. Austin oaksaplings and distributing them to schoolsand courthouses across Texas abouttwelve years ago.–Pete Smith9

Storms OverF2 and F3 TornadosHit DFW Areaby Courtney Blevins,TFS, Ft. WorthOn Tuesday April 3, 17 tornadosripped across the Dallas-Ft. Wortharea, leaving areas of damage fromArlington to Sulpher Springs east ofDallas. The tornados were of varyingstrengths, with the strongest beingclassified as F3. The most seriousdamage appears to be in the town ofLancaster, a Dallas suburb.In the Crosstimbers region (Ft. Worth),both Arlington and Kennedale werehit by F2 and F3 tornados. Althoughdamage overall in the cities was minor,in the areas hit it was severe. Unlikehurricanes or ice storms which causedamage, region-wide tornados arespotty, with no damage at all in someareas right next to neighborhoodscompletely destroyed.Photos below show damage in Lancaster. More tornado photos on page 12.Tree damage was heavy, with mostdamage being large limbs twisted andripped from the trees. Where the F3tornados hit, large trees were liftedcompletely out of the ground includingmany huge post oaks. As expected,most limb damage and split trunksoccurred on species such as Bradfordpear and Arizona (Berlandier) ash.As of two weeks after the storms, bothcommunities are still trying to clean uplarge amounts of debris and some areplanning on drafting storm debris plansfor future tornado outbreaks.Lancaster Was theWorst!by Micah Pace, TFS, DallasLancaster definitely got hit harder. Thedamage is approximately five miles longand 200 yards wide, and more than 300homes were destroyed.The response effort in Lancaster is beingled by the City of Mesquite, the Cityof Dallas, and Dallas County. Otherentities involved include: RockwallCounty, City of Rowlett, Duncanville,and DeSoto. At this point all roads areopen and crews are looking at one moreday of debris removal. In speakingwith the City of Lancaster staff, we saidthat once the major response effort hasquieted, a residual tree risk assessmentshould be conducted to ensure the safetyof the trees left behind. They plan tocontact me when they are ready.The big difference between Forneyand Lancaster was the size of the areadamaged and the fact that the trees inForney are generally younger/smallerthan the ones in Lancaster.10

the Urban ForestEpic Hail Storm inMcAllenMcAllen, Texas, was in the path of anepic hail storm on the night of Thursday,March 30. The damage left in its wakewas incredible. Leaves and brush poseda serious public safety issue, obstructingstreets and creating the potential forstorm water system blockages. Video ofthe ‘McAllen Hail Storm’ can be foundonYouTube.My area ofresponsibility forthis storm was toMy neighborhood was at ground zeroclear roads andfor this once-in-a-lifetime storm. Thealleys of trees andnorth-facing windows of our home were tree limbs thatknocked out and horizontal hail deluged were causing anthe interior. My wife and I duckedobstruction. Webehind a wall as the hail was sailingcombined ourthrough the air. It was a frighteningmost experiencedexperience to say the least. My initialtrimming crewobservations included:with a grappleunit working Hail as large as baseballs piled two feet systematicallyhigh in the back yard.in four separate Four inches of rain and two feet of hail quadrants in themake for very cold feet.city. We used Trees stripped bare with leaves andfour teams of twotwigs everywhere.trimmers in pickup Catastrophic damage to cactus andtrucks to categorizesucculents.the locations Who invited the wood processor?and equipmentIt looked liked a giant mulcherneeded to clearwent across McAllen and shreddedany obstructionseverythingthat they could notin its path.complete. Usingthis approach, we did not experience anyDealingservice interruptions for City serviceswith thefor Monday residential trash service.aftermathCity management authorized overtimeof thefor this storm so we went on 12-hourstorm wasdays for eight straight days and 10a logisticalhour days thereafter. At the height ofchallenge11the work, we had approximately 230staff working on the cleanup, greatlyincreased from 30 staff working onbrush pickup and tree trimming on anormal day.sby Mark Kroeze, Urban Forester,City of McAllen Public Worksfor the City of McAllen. We had tofigure out how to efficiently removeseveral thousand yards of leaves andbrush from the street. We received helpfrom a majority of the cities in the RioGrande Valley with street sweepers,grapple truck, loaders, and open-topbrush haulingtrucks. As I writethis on April 12, weare finally startingto see the light at theend of the tunnel.Above are before and after pictures ofthe hail damage to trees standing on thesame spot at Tulip Circle in McAllen.The first picture was taken February 24,2009. The second picture was taken afterthe hail storm that hit McAllen March 30,2012. The clean street was after severalpasses with a street sweeper.

sStorms Over the Urban Forest cont’dAll television channels in the areawere interested in speaking to theMcAllen Forestry Department aboutcoping with hail damage to trees. Theadvice given was to remove onlybroken and cracked branches, monitorthe releaf process for the next 8 weeksand then remove dead branches, andensure trees are properly wateredthrough summer.sDFWtornadodamageMcAllen Hailstorm cont’dAll in all, mother nature really threwa surprise at McAllen and I wouldencourage you to think about theemergency response protocols youhave in place for your city or business.Helping Owners ofDamaged TreesAfter the March 29 hailstorm inMcAllen, many concernedhomeowners wanted to know what todo about their storm-damaged trees.To get the word out, Texas AgriLifecommunications specialist RodSanta Ana interviewed urban foresterSalvador E. Alemany, and the resultingarticle is full of information on howto care for damaged trees and how todecide if professional help is needed.ssDFWtornadodamageIn general, storm-damaged trees needwater to reduce stress. They could alsorequire specialized care, dependingon the type of damage and the typeof tree.The articleincludedAlemany’srecommenda tions on oaks,cedar elms,and severalvarieties ofpalms thatare popular inMcAllen.The entirearticle is atthemonitor.com/opinion/McAllenwater-60063hail stormmcallenneed.html .sThanks to Courtney Blevins for Dallas-Fort Worthtornado photos, Micah Pace for Lancaster tornadophotos, and Mike Kroeze for McAllen hail storm photos.12

Follow Up:Emerald Ash Borer Trapping Studyby Micah Pace and Oscar Mestas,TFS Regional Urban ForestersIf you remember the Pest Post articlein the March issue, it mentioned theemerald ash borer (EAB) study thatwas under way and that TFS waslooking for partners and locationsto set traps. Well a lot of TFS urbanforesters and partners have beenvery busy setting traps. As you drivearound, you may spot thesehuge purple boxes in trees andyou will know that there havebeen a lot of busy people outthere.will be placed into a glass vialwith 70% isopropyl (rubbing)alcohol. If the insect is toowide to fit in the 4-dram vial,it is not an EAB and doesn’tneed to be collected. Vialswill be labeled with the date,county, trap number, andcollector name and then sent toTFS Entomologist, Joe Pase, inLufkin for the final assessment.TFS Regional Urban ForesterMicah Pace states, “This willbe the fifth year to conductthis survey, but this year thenumber of traps has greatlyincreased from 200 to over1700.” The traps used in thissurvey –EAB Purple Traps –are hung in trees and maybe conspicuous along someroadsides. In the Dallas-FortWorth Metroplex traps arebeing placed in 10 differentcounties.In Kaufman County, the Texas ForestService is being assisted by theKaufman County Urban Forester, PamCorder. She has been invaluable inassisting with urban forestry-relatedinquiries from residents throughout thecounty and in the location of trap sitesand placement of traps.According to Micah, trap installationbegan last month and is ongoing. Theywill be monitored once in late May orJune, and then removed from the fieldin August. Lures should be replacedduring the first revisit (late May orJune). When traps are examined in lateMay or June and then again in August,any beetle samples resembling EAB(about ½-inch long, elongated body)s Regional Urban Forester MickeyMerritt finishing up after hanginga trap in White Park in ChambersCounty.sExtension Associate, Dr. CharlieHelpert, hanging an EAB Purple Trapfrom an ash tree.Certification TestsThese are the remaining certification tests schedu

The San Antonio Arborist Association and the ISA Texas Chapter are sponsoring a Bilingual Tree Worker Workshop May 24 in San Antonio. This is the third year this popular event has been offered. It is targeted to regional tree workers in the tree care industry with English as a second language. While general local tree care topics will be discussed,