Tree Service Canada #5 Spring 2008

Volume 2 Issue 1 Spring 2008 $5.00

Publications Mail Agreement #40050172 Customer Agreement #4956370RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO4623 William Head Rd. Victoria BC V9C 3Y7 email: [email protected]

www.brandttractor.com

INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT

More award winners on page 13

BANDIT CHIPPERS FROM

I SA ONTARIO NEWS

OUTLOOK: 2008

Bill Schroeder (left), of Alliance Tree Care, in Winnipeg echoed the thoughts of other Prairie arborists recently when asked about his

concerns for 2008. Said Schroeder: “To me, the most glaring issue which affects all

arborists everywhere, is the lack of training and education required to actually become an arborist. In Manitoba, passing a written exam (similar to the ISA exam) is all one needs to gain an arborist license. Take that, buy a truck and a chainsaw and you have yet another “Tree Care” company. I know I am not alone when I say that the field of arboriculture should be regulated more like electricians or plumbers.

A written exam should only qualify you to enter a journeyman program where you would have to work under a certified journeyman arborist for a minimum of 24 months. During this period each candidate should have to undergo periodic, hands-on assessment by an independent body (regional ISA chapter.) Once a license has been obtained, continuing education (such as the ISA requirements) should be mandatory to maintain that license.”Turn to page 7 to hear what is on the minds of other arborists.

Professional Qualifications, Insects & Drought Are Key Concerns in PrairiesStraighttalk with five arborists

B Y J E F F R E Y C A R T E R

A shortage of skilled tree service workers is behind the current push for an arboriculture

apprenticeship program in BC.Bill Hardy, chair of Hort Ed BC and a director

with the BC Landscape and Nursery Association, is involved with the effort.

“We approached members of the arborist community a year ago to see if there was interest,” Hardy says.

“At the first meeting we held to talk about this we had representatives from 52 companies attend and they’re all saying the same thing—we can’t get enough help.”

Hardy feels the development of an apprenticeship program would encourage more people to consider a career in the tree service sector. It would also provide another avenue of training.

There are currently certification programs available through the International Society of Arborists (ISA). Yet Hardy says the ISA certificate program and diploma courses haven’t translated into enough workers to meet industry needs.

B.C. falls under the Pacific Northwest Branch of the ISA which also covers Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. ISA representative Dana Hatley says there are more than 300 certified arborists in B.C. who are members of the ISA’s Pacific Northwest Chapter.

Possible Arborist Apprenticeship Program for BC

Continued on page 6

Joyce Burnell accepts the Honourary Membership Award from ISAO Past President Karen Moyer at the ISA Ontario Chap-ter's recent conference. The activist proves an individual can make a difference. Burnell may be best known for her leadership in saving centuries-old white oak from the chainsaw in Halton Region.

Page 2 TREE SERVICE CANADA SPRING 2008

Page 3TREE SERVICE CANADA SPRING 2008

B Y PAT K E R R

You’ve likely heard of the emerald ash borer and the Asian long horned beetle but you may have missed another of Canada’s least wanted: the Sirex wood-

wasp. When Sirex noctilio or the European woodwasp arrived in Australia in the 1980’s it caused eighty percent mortality in some plantations of radiate pine, by 1994 it was well established in South Africa. Then in 2004 it was discovered in New York State and in Ontario in 2005. The 2007 surveys showed it is now not only in southern Ontario but also in Manitoulin, Muskoka, southern portion of Nipissing, Lennox Addington, and Hamilton Wentworth districts. Surveys are planned for 2008 focusing on finding the leading edge of its spread in Ontario and continuing in Quebec, and the eastern provinces. Dan McKenny of Canadian Forest Service is also working on models for its spread and potential impact on the wood supply and harvest. The high-risk pathways for introduction are untreated green pine round wood, untreated green pine lumber, wood packaging from green pine and pine firewood. Loretta Shields of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency says, “It is still unclear if Sirex noctilio will impact Canadian forests to the same degree as what has happened in Australia, New Zealand and other countries in the southern hemisphere. The biodiversity in our pine forests is far greater than compared to the pine forests of Australia. Scientists are currently studying the competitive interactions of S. noctilio with our native pine pests”. In Australia the spread was contained by the release of a nematode Beddingia siricidicola, which penetrates the eggs of the Sirex woodwasp, and renders them sterile. This nematode is already in Ontario and New York State. Studies are ongoing to determine the effectiveness of the strain that is in North America. Timely thinning of pine stands helps keep S. noctilio populations in check. It is also considered important not to prune pines during the woodwasp’s flight sea-son of July through September.

Sirex another of Canada’s least wanted

When Sirex noctilio, or the European woodwasp, arrived in Australia in the 1980’s it caused eighty percent mor-tality in some plantations of radiate pine. It was discovered in Ontario in 2005.

in the news

B Y PAT K E R R

Forestry is big business in Canada but in many areas urban forests are forgotten

or neglected. In 1993, The Canadian Forest Service developed an idea to fund and sup-port municipalities and it took root. Today 355 communities have shared two million dollars in award grants and more will be handed out this year. The program started as a method of financ-ing urban tree maintenance but it grew to promote and encourage innovative ideas and encouraging community’s to develop their own forestry departments. Backed by BC Hydro, Ontario Tree and Trans Canada each recipient receives $3,000 to $20,000 or up to fifty percent of their program’s cost. Applications are available at Treecanada.ca by December each year and they are due usually by February the following year. Programs must be relevant to other munici-palities, involve the community, be publicized and evaluated in two to five years. Past ideas include: Mississauga’s solution to their gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) outbreak that included aerial spraying with a bacterial insecticide and public education to encourage manual inte-grated pest management techniques, Oakville’s UFORE assessment, (an American program to quantify the urban forest structure and its effects to determine the economic value of the for-est,) Annapolis Royal’s program for sanitation pruning, detection and injection for Dutch elm disease, and Quebec City’s elm maintenance as part of their 400th anniversary celebration.

GREENBACKS FOR GREEN STREETS

Funding for innovative urban forest programs

Green Streets WinnersThe following communities received funding through the Green Steets program in 2007:

Langley

Kelowna

Langford

Prince George

Surrey

Ottawa

Brampton

Vaughan

North Bay

Wasaga Beach

Brockton

Pembroke

Marathon

St. Hubert

Lachute

Quebec


in the news

w w w. p a c i f i c a r b o r i s t . c o m

154 Riverside Dr., North Vancouver BC V7H 1T9

[email protected]

Your complete source of tree and landscape

equipment and supplies.

F E A T U R E P R O D U C T S

The Professional Arborist’s Choice

Ropes

Climbing Gear

Brush Chippers

Soil Probes

Root Feeding Augers

Log & Ball Carts

Hand Tools

Chipper/Shredders

Fiberglass Poles

Telescoping Poles

Bucket Tool Holders

Hand Saws

Pole Saws

Pruners

B Y PAT T K E R R

How much carbon does a politician produce? Tree Canada estimates MP Steven Blaney, of Quebec, expends 20 tonnes of carbon annually to run his office and

travel and he is just one of Canada’s 308 federal politicians in the house of commons and there are another 105 members in the Senate. The Green Party offsets the travel expenses of their leader during elections and the NDP does some tree planting but motivating political leaders to support the plant-ing and maintenance of more trees just received a boost. Federal Conservative Steven Blaney is Canada’s first official carbon neutral politician. That’s 166 new trees for his home riding of Levis-Bellechasse this spring. Blaney says, “I am taking practical steps to offset greenhouse gas emissions, and encourage companies to pursue their efforts to reduce and offset their emissions. This will be a unique way to celebrate the International Year of Planet Earth.” Wonder how much carbon is produced by Stephan Harper, Stephane Dion, Gilles Duceppe, Jack Layton and Elizabeth May? How ever you look at it. That is a lot of trees and a lot of support for urban forests.

POL IT IC IANS PRODUCE CARBON

166 trees offsets MP’s carbon impact for one year

Federal Conservative Steven Blaney is Canada’s first official carbon neutral politi-cian. That’s 166 new trees for his home riding of Levis-Bellechasse this spring.

B Y PAT K E R R

“Celebrating the planting of 75million trees requires something special”. Michael Rosen president of Tree Canada related. Their first choice was a sugar maple for Canada’s flag to represent the work Tree Canada does across the country but it was unsuitable for planting in Ottawa. A close second was the elm to remind tree service workers to “never give up on a specific species” and its suitability for the hard surface site. The Prospector Elm or Ulmus wilsoniana proved to be both Dutch elm disease and elm leaf beetle resistant. Although its origin is Asian it has the shape and leaf size and yellow fall foli-age of the American elm. Like most elms it is an excellent choice for urban environments with soil compaction, restricted root zones and some salt. The elm was a perfect match for the ByWard Market Square in Ottawa. “We wanted a central location available to all of Canada,” said Michael. This district is the oldest commercial and residential part of Ottawa. The building originally con-structed in 1848 was rebuilt in 1926 and then restored as a historic district in 1975. Tree Canada continues to plant hundreds of thousands of trees annually through several programs including Green Streets Canada and Grow Clean Air. Corporate sponsors include Shell, Ikea, Aveno, Honda and The Gap. The complete list is at www.treecanada.ca.

75 million trees! Like most elms, the

Prospector Elm is an

excellent choice for

urban environments

with soil compaction,

restricted root zones

and some salt.

B Y PAT K E R R

Science Enterprise Algoma (SEA), in Sault St. Marie has a number of

pending programs that may be of interest to urban foresters. Errol Caldwell, Executive Director of SEA, says they are almost ready to start mail outs requesting professional and researcher support towards their dream of a new aquatic and forestry invasive lab in Sault St. Marie, Ontario. This would not reduce the function of the existing labs but it would assist in the massive amount of work that needs to be completed on inva-sive species. The provincial and municipal governments have agreed to support this goal and they now await the political pro-cess at the federal level. SEA’s goal is to develop educational

courses that promote public awareness and assistance to decrease the pathways for invasives. The target audience is loggers, urban foresters, nursery operators and they are establishing links with existing aquatic programs run by hunter and angler groups. The models are scheduled to be complete March 2008 and the courses could be up and running within the year. The material will also be copyright free to encourage teacher use in classrooms. Consideration is ongoing to have the courses accredited with a college or uni-versity but the original goal to ensure the courses are free and accessible to all might prevent accreditation. The SEA web site is www.seainnovation.com. Funding for these programs is provided by government and private donation. The sponsors are listed on the web site.

New education program targets urban foresters

Errol Caldwell, Executive Director of SEA, says the organization is working towards development of a new aquatic and forestry invasive lab in Sault St. Marie, Ont.


in the news

Save up to 20%or more!

CONTACT US TODAY

1-800-240-7055www.treesure.ca

Canada’s only insurance plan tailored for the unique needs of the tree service industry.

HUGH WOOD CANADA LTD.INTERNATIONAL INSURANCE BROKERS

TREESUREInsurance for arborists

We Understand Your Business!

London Forestry Services Ltd.

519-494-7783

SURPLUS EQUIPMENT SALE!!Since 1991

Will Ship Canada WideBuy with confidience... not surprises

04 Vermeer BC1000XL low hrs $14,900

04 Vermeer BC625A low hrs, 6” $7,800

04 Vermeer SC352 35hp, diesel, $13,900

01 Vermeer SC252, stumper, low hrs, $7,800

06 Vermeer SC252 25 hp, low hrs, $9,400

06 Vermeer BC600XL low hrs, 6”, $9,400

TREE SPADE• 3 point hitch

• Loader mount• skid streer mount

24” - 50” rootball size

Stump Grinders• 3 point hitch up to 90 hp• skid steer mount

Stump Grinders• 3 point hitch up to 90 hp• skid steer mount

Brush MulcherBrush Mulcher

TREE SPADE• 3 point hitch

• Loader mount• skid streer mount

24” - 50” rootball size

SEE DEALER FOR PRE-SEASON DISCOUNTS

B Y PAT K E R R

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has confirmed the emerald ash borer was found in

a one half-kilometer strip just east of highway 404 along Shepherd Avenue by a ministry of natural resources employee who just happened to be in the area. Murray Pink, Acting Regional Director SW Region for the CFIA said, like all EAB discoveries they expect this infestation was four to five years old before it was noticed. At the time of writing they are awaiting a ministerial order to restrict movement of wood material including fire wood, nursery stock, wood packing, logs and chips out of the municipality of Toronto. To date the CFIA has quarantined areas five kilometers around outbreaks however in this case it was decided to include the entire municipality.

Intensive surveys done two kilometers around the hot spot revealed no other outbreaks. The 2008 surveys will continue in Vaughan and the outlying areas. “The big concern is to slow the spread to the parks and recreational areas outside of the city. The public was supportive and respected the quarantine areas around London and Essex County.” No tree cutting is planned at this time.

Estimates indicate six percent or 25,354 of Toronto’s street trees are ash and there are about

equal number of privately owned ash trees and more in ravines and naturalized areas. Removal of all ash in Toronto would cost approximately $8,253,900. This does not include disposal of the wood, and chips and replacement is estimated at another $8,000,000.

In the 1980’s ash trees were used in Toronto for naturalization and it was a strong hope for natural regeneration in ravine areas. When EAB was dis-covered in Ontario, Toronto forestry started doing routine destructive sampling for EAB and stopped planting ash on streets or funding the planting of ash in parks. Specialists trained to specifically look for the EAB did all pruning and removal of ash trees but none was found. Richard Ubbens is a reg-istered professional forester and Director of Forestry for the city of Toronto said, “It is like looking for the proverbial needle in the hay stack.”

Ubbens says, “This is not a tree-level concern it is about managing an entire resource. The bottom line is to make sure trees are as healthy as possible with a focus on the environment to ensure there is adequate nutrients, water and the essentials for trees. Increasing stress on trees makes them more suscep-tible to damage.”

To date the CFIA has quarantined areas five kilometers around outbreaks of the EAB in Ontario. However in the recent case in Toronto it was decided to include the entire municipality.Photo: Ches Caister, CFIA staff

TORONTO GOT THE BUG (AGAIN)

Quarantine expanded in attempt to contain EAB


You can do it all with Canada’s only full arboriculture diploma

and Bachelor of Applied Science Degree programs. Increase your

career opportunities in the art, science, technology and business

of urban forest management. Short burst training also available.

www.oldscollege.ca

for the environment

ISA certification requires three years of practical experience under a certified arborist or two year’s experience and a college degree. A written exam is also involved.

Hardy says an apprenticeship program would provide a more solid background compared to certification. The program would likely require 6,000 to 7,000 hours of on-job experience in conjunction with college courses. The exact design of the program will need to be worked out.

“The ISA certification is not sufficient . . . If you hire a journeyman you know you’re hiring someone that has technical experience.”

There currently are no journeyman arborists in B.C., unless they have been recognized by another jurisdiction. In order to initiate an apprenticeship program, arborists currently working in the field would first need to be recognized as journeymen by taking an equivalency exam, Hardy says.

Apprenticeship programs in British Columbia fall under the jurisdiction of the Industry Training Authority (ITA).

The ITA was established in 2004 in B.C. as a government agency with legislated authority to govern and develop the industry training system in the province. It continues to be funded by government but is directed by industry through a nine-member board that represents a range of industry and training expertise. The ITA, in turn, funds Hort Ed BC.

Arborist education programs vary across Canada B Y J E F F R E Y C A R T E R

Besides the ISA’s arborist certification programs offered throughout Canada, educational and training opportunities for the tree service industry vary from

province to province.In B.C., here are arboriculture studies within Kwantlen University’s horticulture

program at Langley, according to the University website. This includes study of tree and shrub form and function, diagnostics, practical trimming and pruning and practical tree maintenance, preservation and repair.

There is also a horticulture diploma program with an arboriculture major at Olds College in Alberta. The Olds program includes a wide range of studies, including park and urban tree management, tree diagnostics, risk assessment, climbing and pruning, and utility right-of-way management. There’s also work experience that will help participants earn ISA certification.

Alberta-based Arboriculture Canada Training & Education offers customized training courses to tree service companies and organizations across Canada.

In Ontario, aspiring arborists have a choice between ISA certification, an existing apprenticeship program or a college certificate program. In addition, Davey Tree Expert Service operates an in-house training program.

Joe Outram is responsible for the arboriculture certificate program at Sir Sanford Fleming College in Lindsay, Ontario. He’s also familiar with Ontario’s apprenticeship program.

The Ontario apprenticeship program requires 6,000 hours of field time along with 20 weeks of college programming at either Humber College or Lambton College, Outram says. Apprenticeship programs in Ontario are administered by the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.

Whether an arborist is certified or has successfully completed an apprenticeship, proper training is crucial, says Outram who has 30 years experience as professional logger and 27 years experience as an arborist.

“The arborist trade is among the top five most dangerous trades in North America,” he says.

cover story

Hort Education BC is assessing industry interest in an apprenticeship program

APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM CONTINUED FROM COVER

“The arborist trade is among the top five

most dangerous trades in North America.”

~ Joe Outram


cover story

B Y S H I R L E Y B Y E R S

Recently Tree Service Canada asked Prairie arborists about their concerns for the 2008 season. With some editing for space, here are their answers:

Gerard Fournier

Gerard Fournier, For Trees, Didsbury, Alta

The number one problem in Alberta would be lack of staff. There’s a huge labour shortage, particularly skilled labour. Lack of qualified and equipped contractors has led to the hiring of inexperienced, uncertified labour with often disastrous results for the trees.

The consumer is often the loser in this game, with homeowner insurance becoming liable when these fly-by-nighters inevitably run into problems damaging property, injuring themselves or their employees.

What we can do about this as tree care professionals is continue to support our professional organizations and get involved to bring about changes in legislation that will force all employers to operate safely, and according to industry best management practices. Without a concerted effort, we run the risk of being lumped into a grey area of safety legislation, with the current free-for-all remaining the status quo.

Gary Patzer

Gary Patzer, Aboricultural Foreman, City of Medicine Hat, Medicine HatThe south part of the province is always on the dry side and there’s always insects. Drought stress has caused an increase in insect damage. We’ve had severe winds of 80-100 km/hr two summers in a row. We’re also con-cerned about the labour shortage. Gas and oil tend to take a lot of potential employees.

D’Arcy Schenk

D’Arcy Schenk, Manager of forestry and horticulture, Wascana Centre Authority, Regina, SKI would say insect issues. We’re dealing with spring to fall canker worm. Brown oyster worm is huge particularly on the green ash and the American elm.

The Western Pine beetle is coming from BC and is in Alberta already. That’s certainly something we’re looking at and watching.

On the black ash and the Manchurian ash we’ll be dealing with the cottony physllid. We know it’s in Regina. And, there were about 11 cases of Dutch elm disease in the city last year so that’s a constant worry.

Also, we have to worry about keeping the critters such as rabbits from chewing up the smaller trees. Those are just a few of the biggies I’m dealing with and watching!

Keith Anderson

Keith Anderson, City of North Battle-ford, North Battleford, SKWe need skilled arborists on the Prairies for sure. But right now I’m just looking for labourers that have some common sense.

Drought is still a concern and drought brings on insect issues. Also, we are surrounded by impending exotic insects. We’re still Dutch elm disease-free here but it’s a major concern. Gypsy moth has been in Saskatoon for a few years. The emerald ash borer is coming.

The urban centres on the Prairies were definitely over-planted with green ash and American elm trees fifty to

100 yrs ago so if we lose those species there’s not a lot left for shade.

With declining budgets how do you deal with real urban forest issues such as these that that are going to take some money to deal with?

Bill Schroeder

Bill Schroeder, Alliance Tree Care, Winnipeg, MBTo me, the most glaring issue which affects all arborists everywhere, is the lack of training and education required to actually become an arborist. In Manitoba, passing a written exam (similar to the ISA exam) is all one needs to gain an arborist license. Take that, buy a truck and a chainsaw and you have yet another “Tree Care” com-pany. I know I am not alone when I say that the field of arboriculture should be regulated more like electricians or plumbers.

A written exam should only qualify you to enter a journeyman program where you would have to work under a certified journeyman arborist for a minimum of 24 months. During this period each candidate should have to undergo periodic, hands-on assessment by an independent body (regional ISA chapter.) Once a license has been obtained, continuing education (such as the ISA requirements) should be mandatory to maintain that license.

Arboriculture is a dangerous and very necessary occupation and should be regulated as such. This would improve overall tree care practices, reduce incidents/accidents and would elevate Arboriculture into a recognized profession.

Insects, Drought & Labour Shortage Are Key Concerns

PRAIRIE OUTLOOK

Target the Canadian Tree

Service Industry

Advertise in the next issue. Call Don 519-927-5234 or

Jeremy 250-474-3982


ArborSoftWorxComputing Solutions That Work

®

www.ArborSoftWorx.com

Affinity PartnerMember

Bottom Line. You Demand Results. ArborSoftWorx Delivers.

Serving our clients throughout the

U.S.A., Canada, and Europe since 1983.

�

�

�

�

�

�

�

�

�

�

�

Comprehensive Tree and Asset Inventories for City, Township, Park, Campus, HOA, Estates

GPS and GIS Support

Full Inspection and Survey History

Hazard Assessment and

Generate Work Orders, Maintain Complete Service History

Perform Job Costing and Budgets

i-Tree, ACRT and other Data Conversions

Valuations

Efficient Scheduling and Tracking

Integrate Digital Photographs

Property Owner Info and Calls

Flexible Reporting with Powerful Queries

Urban Forestry

Inventory Management Software

Complete Customer and

Business Management Software

�

�

�

�

�

�

�

�

�

�

Comprehensive Customer Relationship Management for Commercial Arborists, Consulting Arborists,

Plant Health Care Specialists, Landscapers, and turf Management Professionals

Create Proposals & Work Orders using ANSI A300 Standards

Mobile Field Office is 100% Secure and Accurate allowing you to control what information leaves the

office. Generate Proposals in the field, real-time or with “DataSync”

Include Comprehensive Driving Directions, GPS, Maps, Incorporate Your Digital Photographs

E-mail Proposals, Invoices and other Documents

Translate to French or Spanish for crews or Customers

Maintain Accurate Asset Management for Equipment, Maintenance and Inspections

Manage vital record keeping to fulfill TCIA Accreditation

And much more...

detailed , Exchange information with QuickBooksDetailedPerform Job Costing

1-800-49-ARBOR

www.treeservicecanada.ca

EDITOR Tom Henry Tel: 1-866-260-7985 [email protected]

ART DIRECTOR James Lewis

DISPLAY ADVERTISING Don CarruthersTel. 519-927-5234 Fax: 519-927-3333 Email: [email protected] Thain Tel: 250-474-3982 Fax: 250-478-3979 Email: [email protected]

SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRIES Debbi Moyen Toll free 1-866-260-7985 or (250)-474-3935, Fax (250)-478-3979 Email: [email protected]

CIRCULATION Violaine Susan Mitchell

PUBLISHERS Peter Chettleburgh, Violaine Susan Mitchell

EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES 4623 William Head Rd., Victoria, BC V9C 3Y7 Toll free 1-866-260-7985 Email: [email protected]

Tree Service Canada is published four times a year by Southern Tip Publishing Inc. Subscription rate for one year: $19.95 (GST included). Single copy price: $5.00. Contents copyrighted by Southern Tip Publishing Inc. and may be reprinted only with permission.

PRINTED IN CANADA Publications Mail Agreement No. 40050172Postage paid at Vancouver, BC Postmaster: Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Tree Service Canada, 4623 William Head Road, Victoria, BC V9C 3Y7

Contents copyright 2007 by Southern Tip Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. ISSN 1710 4955

Your privacy is important to us. Occasionally we make our subscriber list available to reputable companies whose products or services might be of interest to our readers. If you would prefer to have your name removed from this list, please call 1-866-260-7985, fax: 250-478-3979 or write us at Tree Service Canada, 4623 William Head Road, Victoria, BC V9C 3Y7 or email us at [email protected].

B Y PAT K E R R

When Mamdouh Abou-Zaid looks at leaves, bark and roots he doesn’t see

just leaves, bark and roots. He sees money—money for the Canadian economy and income from waste products like wood chips and the effluence from pulp and paper manufacture.

With the help of six students Abou-Zaid is crossing Canada building a library of plant samples. Together with colleagues they are developing methods for separating the chemicals from forest products, identifying them and categorizing them. It’s a slow grinding process and in many cases the technology doesn’t exist to identify little alone separates the chemicals.

One of the most publicized techniques developed at the Great Lakes Forestry Center

in Sault St. Marie is “the method involves destructive distillation of the biomass to produce a bio-oil composition, followed by mixing a chromatographic resin mixture and eluting the mixture of taxanes from the bio-oil resin using a solvent.” Translation: they have found a way to separate the ingredient taxane from yew brush for a chemotherapy drug. This raised the value of yew brush.

Abou-Zaid also spent three to five years isolating the compounds in red and sugar maple leaves to discover why the forest tent caterpillar prefers the sugar maple. They learned that a combination of Gallates including high amounts of ethyl m-digallate inhibits tent caterpillar feeding on red maple. Success in this type of research should stimulate the production of new bio-pesticides with the goal of determining combinations

that are less likely to develop resistance and have short and therefore safer residual times.

In his study of the chemicals in maple syrup Abou-Zaid states, “it is suggested that it is the complexity of the mixture rather then any one compound that serves to counter the unhealthy presence…of sugars in the syrup.”

When Columbus set out for the new world and again during the space race many questioned the sanity and the financial wis-dom of their actions. Abou-Zaid is searching a new world of chemicals with seventy never-before reported already discovered. The value of the library can’t be determined but who knows maybe the wood chips we now call waste will cure tomorrow’s heart disease or kill the next invasive species.

The value of a wood chip pilein the news

Research into the chemical properties in wood chips is yielding exciting and poten-tially valuable information.

B Y PAT K E R R

Natural Resources Canada says on their web site, “at the current rate of spread, fifty percent of

the mature pine (in B.C.) will be dead by 2008 and eighty percent by 2012.” “The beetle is also posing a real threat to Alberta’s lodgepole pine forests and the Jackpine stands of Canada’s northern boreal for-est.”

However, there is good news in the crisis. Doug Routledge of the Council of Forestry Industries says, “While we have not completely finished doing the magnitude update from the beetle flight of last summer (2007) early indications are that the rate of increase in the volume of pine trees attacked is slowing. Over the last few years the rate of increase was between 1.4 and 1.6 times each year with the cumulative total after the 2006 flight of 582 million m3 having been attacked. It looks as though the

expansion rate will be down between 1.2 and 1.3 for the summer 2007 flight. That would mean the total cumulative volume of pine attacked will be 700-800 million m3 of BC’s approximate 1.2 billion m3 of mature and thrifty mature lodgepole pine.”

A couple of potential reasons for the decline include: “The remaining unattacked pine in BC is in more diverse terrain and broken up by stands of other species of trees so the beetles spread more slowly.” “And BC had a late cold snap in the spring of 2007 that had a significant impact on beetle mortality, especially on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains in the Peace River country”.

As of press time, the winter of 2007/08 is normal in BC. “The weather up until now has not had any cold weather events that would likely impact beetle mortality but there is hope BC could be blessed with another spring cold snap that will help out.”

Mountain pine beetle update

Trunk of lodgepole pine showing “pitch tubes” from a mountain pine beetle attack. Photo: Leo Rankin, Ministry of Forests, southern Interior Forest Region


Tree Service CanadaNews • Products • Education • Events • Subscribe Today!

800.392.2686www.raycomfg.com

There’s a new Predator on the prowl. The RAYCO Predator PM-638 mulching head at 6 feet wide with 38 carbide tipped teeth is tearing through the woods eating everything in its path. When attached to the NEW RAYCO C100 Super Crawler you have a new class of forestry mower unlike anything else on the market. The 16” single grouser track pads present the steel tracked undercar-riage with excellent traction and mobility in any type of terrain and the 96 hp turbocharged Kubota engine gives this powerhouse the strength needed to get the job done. Equipped with Super Flow Hydraulics providing 39 gpm at 6,090 psi the C100 has more hydraulic hp than any other loader style machine built. The advanced forestry cooling package offers ease of maintenance with long service intervals and superior cooling in any application. If you are in the busi-ness of clearing land call us or go to www.raycomfg.com and we’ll introduce you to this innovative class of forestry mowers.

years

1978-2008

Celebrating

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the woods

Edge Equipment LTDEdmonton, AB T5M 1Y2Canada(780) 455-3343

Trenchless Utility Equipment Inc.Burlington ON L7R 4L9Canada(888) 821-2673

B Y PAT K E R R

When NASA did a research project in Sudbury, Ont.,

a reporter nicknamed the region a “moonscape.” To the horror of the local residents the term stuck but it also motivated them to action. The local mining com-pany changed its smelting process and the community united to reforest the barren, rocky, acidic landscape.

Today Sudbury, “is one of the

world’s greatest forestry success

stories,” according to Michael Rosen, of Tree Canada.

Tree Canada now coordinates many of its Ontario corporate sponsors to support this project including the Lifford Wine Agency. Lifford was already a carbon neutral company but this spring they donated $40,320.00 or over 16,000 trees to the Sudbury project from the LCBO sales of its “Plantatree” Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot launched in November. Steven Campbell, of Lifford, says the goal is to fund 100,000 trees this year and he’s holding meetings to expand sales of Plantatree to BC, Alberta, and Quebec.

Fine Wine Helps

Reforest “Moonscape”

Revenues from the sale of Plantatree wine are helping fund reforestation projects.

news

Price This Job!Arborists evict protesters

Arborists working off set quote sheets would have had trouble setting a fee for a recent job in California. In February the University of California hired arborists to dismantle platforms used by tree-sitters on the Berke-ley.

The arborists tossed supplies from the platforms down to the ground and cut platform support ropes. One unoccupied platform was completely dismantled.

The university wants to build a sports training facility where the grove of California oaks and redwoods now stands outside Memorial Stadium.

A university official told a local newspaper that the protest, which began in December 2006, is now “just a hardcore few.” But Erik Eisenberg, a member of the tree-sitters’ ground crew, was angry about the dismantling.

“They’ve made things less safe and less sanitary,” he said. “All they’re trying to do is harass and intimidate us.”

Three people were in the trees Tuesday morning, including one who had fastened himself to a tree with a lock box. No word was provided on how, or if, arborists dealt with that situation.


1

High Angle Tree Removal Tree Climbing, Fall Protection & Work Positioning Tree Dynamics & Integrated Risk Assessment Technical Tree Falling & Cutting Hazard & Danger Tree Cutting & Falling Aerial Lift Emergency Evacuation & Extrication Chainsaw Safety & Cutting Techniques

Spar Pole Rigging Tree Pruning Rope Access Cheetah Business School Emergency readiness & High Angle Rescue Arborist Technical Rigging

Public courses delivered in these cities in 2008. Schedules & Registration Forms at www.ArborCanada.com VICTORIA · VANCOUVER · CALGARY · EDMONTON · SASKATOON · WINNIPEG

CAMBRIDGE · OTTAWA · TORONTO · NIAGARA · FREDERICTON · HALIFAX

ECHO

news

Unleash the Power!

The braodest selection of chippers and chipper/shredders in the industry

Professionals rely on ECHO Bear Cat products. For easeof use and rugged reliability, it’s hard to beat ECHO BearCat’s commercial grade, heavy-duty machines.

ECHO Bear Cat products are built on the industry’shighest level of quality and technological innovation.ECHO Bear Cat is the only manufacturer that offers a360° rotating base, and hydraulic “Smart Feed” options.

ECHO Bear Cat has the industry’s widest range ofproducts available, from 4” to 12” capacity Chippersand 2.75” to 5” Chipper/Shredders in a variety of configurations that include power take off (PTO), skidsteer and highway-towable models. Choose from a vastselection of engines and hydraulic or self-feed models.They all make the smallest chips on the market.

For dependable performance... trust Bear Cat!

www.echo.ca

Model 781208612 ” Chipper

The City of Winnipeg, which has one of the largest native elm pop-ulations in North America, and the Coalition to Save the Elms

are continuing efforts to save the city’s landmark trees.The Coalition was formed in 1992 to combat Dutch Elm Disease

(DED) in the city. The organization’s main campaign is the fall tree banding—it provides publicity for the effort. The Coalition takes orders to band public trees, sells banding supplies, and educates the public on how to properly band trees.

The last 2-3 years have seen high cankerworm populations in the city, and an increasing number of the public have joined the band-ing bandwagon. This fall, the Coalition banded more than 7000 trees, helping protect them from defoliation and the threat of DED.

In 2007 the number of trees affected by DED was lower than the 2006 total of 6,000 DED infected elms. In 2007, 4,408 trees were tagged for removal by the ciy’s monitoring crews. Almost 2,500 of these had DED and 1,911 were hazard trees. As of mid-January 2008, the city had removed 1,708 trees and expected the remainder to be removed by March 31.

Replanting is undertaken in some areas where the trees have been removed. The city will replant on boulevards and parks only. Replant-ing is not done on private land.

The City also conducts basal spraying to help protect against DED. In 2007, more than 56,000 trees were sprayed and approximately 100 were injected with fungicide.With files from Samantha Mutchmor, Coalition to Save Elms

Coalition works to save Winnipeg elms

The last 2-3 years have seen high cankerworm populations in the city, and an increasing number of the public have joined the banding bandwagon.


profile


The owner of Shorthills Tree Service says he may have been a little too modest when he started his Niagara Peninsula, Ont., business

in the fall of 1999.“The tree work I knew about. The biggest mistake I made in the

beginning was with the pricing. You learn by your mistakes,” Brian Alkemade says. In other words, he wasn’t charging enough.

But over past nine years Alkemade has found a reasonable pricing policy and steadily built his client base. From a two-person business involving himself and a helper, he now keeps four employees busy for most of the year.

“Every year has become a bit busier for us. I still do a lot of hands-on work but this will probably be the last year for that,” he says.

While word of mouth remains his biggest promotional tool, Alkemade plans to double his advertising budget. The advertising effort includes display ads in the yellow pages, regional newspaper ads and the web site.

Dealing with residential, municipal and commercial clients, Alkemade has no plans for a dramatic business expansion. His bigger pieces of equipment include a 60-foot Altec boom truck, two Brush Bandit wood chippers, a large Vermeer stump grinder, a Rayco stump grinder, a fertilizer injector that was built locally and a fleet of four trucks.

He lists tree pruning and removal, new planting, stump grinding and fertigation as the things that keep his crew occupied the most but there’s an increasing amount of consultation, diagnostic and appraisal work.

Alkemade, educated in BC and at Niagara College, is certified through the ISA. His lead hand, Brian Kaastra, has also earned his ISA certification.

Alkemade, 34, hopes to eventually move back west for an early retirement or semi-retirement from the industry. When he started in the business clearing hiking trails on Vancouver Island for a contractor, he fell in love with the region.

Alkemade serves as a representative of the tree service industry on Niagara College’s volunteer advisory committee. He uses his equipment to deliver a safety lesson for students in the college’s arboriculture program.

His business headquarters are near Fonthill.

B U S I N E S S P R O F I L E : O N TA R I O

Shorthills Tree ServiceAfter nine years of steadily building his business, Brian Alkemade is about to make the step from owner/operator to focus only on management

“Every year has become a bit busier for us. I still do a lot of hands-on work but this will probably be the last year for that.”

~Brian Alkemade, Shorthills Tree Service

The Shorthills Corporate Album: the

fleet, aerial rescue practice, residential and commercial jobs, heavy

loads!


B Y PAT K E R R

The plant hardiness map relied on by gardeners and published widely in perennial plant circles had little to

do with gardening and everything to do with woody plants when it was first developed in the early 1960s. Since then it has been widely used and calibrated to the expectations of Canadian gardeners. An updated version was published in 2000 using more recent climate data. Daniel McKenney of NRCAN, Natural Resources Canada is also now expanding the scope of hardiness project and with public assistance the team now has two million observations of four thousand individual species of plants. Data is still needed in many regions to help map where plants, including trees, grow now and determine where they could potentially grow in the future. Using this raw material and combining it with climate change predictions McKenney published a paper in Bio-Science in December 2007, “Potential Impacts of Climate Change on the Distribution of North American Trees.” Using two models at both extremities of the predictions he maps the potential change in the range for 130 different trees. If the predictions are correct we can expect to see sugar maple habitat near Hudson Bay. Tree habitat could shift between 330km and 700km north. To accomplish this dispersion trees would have to move an average of ten km per year. However, natural migration of trees is ten to one hundred meters per year. McKenney leaves the subject asking tough questions including should humans assist tree migration in an uncer-tain future. He also stresses that we do not know how productive trees will be in new regions and encouraging individuals to carefully monitor the status of our forests and trees.

Contributions for trees and other plant species can be provided and mapped results can be found at http://planthardiness.gc.ca

Plant hardiness mapping needs tree data

If climate change predictions are correct we can expect to see sugar maple habitat near Hudson Bay. Tree habitat could shift between 330km and 700km north.

Natural Resources Canada is expanding the scope of its plant hardiness map-ping project and with public assistance the team now has two million observa-tions of four thousand individual species of plants. Data is still needed in many regions to help map where plants, includ-ing trees, grow now and determine where they could potentially grow in the future.

environment

B Y PAT K E R R

Sudden oak death is a scary and for some regions inaccurate term so many researchers prefer Phytophthora ramorum or Pr

as the causal agent for SOD. Pr is a quarantine pathogen con-sidered at this time a high threat to the nursery industry. There are disagreements about the discovery dates but Pr it was found in California around 1995. In 2001, Canada closed its markets to most plant crops from the states of Oregon and California. As a result Oregon nurseries alone faced potential losses of $15 to $20 million. Since then, all plants which meet the requirements of the Emergency Order for interstate shipment from California, Oregon and Washington are considered to meet the requirements for phytosanitary certification to Canada for P. ramorum.” As David Woodske of BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands says, “Basically, these nurseries must be sampled and tested annually for P. ramorum by the state. The importation requirements are much stricter for nurseries located within the infested counties in Cali-fornia and Oregon. . . the counties are listed in the directive.” In June 2003, Pr was discovered on nursery stock in Canada. March 31, 2004, CFIA confirmed it at nine retail garden centres in the south coastal area of B.C. The British Columbia Landscape and Nursery Association developed standards for a voluntary certification program. For landscapers standards include: employees should be as clean as possible before starting work, tools and equipment must be clean, reduce leaf wetness to no longer than six hours, monitor regularly and ensure insurance covers losses from Pr. The complete listing for landscapers and nurseries is at www.bclna.com. Compensation for Pr is available to Canadians. In most cases the landscaper or the nursery is expected to apply for the funding. Payment is fifteen dollars for one to five gallon plants, and three hundred dollars for trees greater then 7.6 cm. This is not expected to replace lost business revenues.

UPDATE: SUDDEN OAK DEATH

Pathogen a high threat to nurseries

Web: http://multitekinc.com/

...the industry standard

Simply, the most productive firewood processor ....period

Multitek Firewood Processors Distributed in Canada by Powertech


ISA news


More than 300 registered for the 59th annual con-ference and trade show sponsored by the Ontario

Branch of the International Society of Arborists (ISAO), according to Murray Potts, the organization’s president.

The event, held February 13-15, was hosted by the Municipality of Niagara in Niagara Falls. Potts, who happens to be the forestry supervisor for the region, has been heavily involved in organizing the annual event since 2000.

Climate change was a major theme for many of the workshops. There was an opportunity to learn about expected impacts and ways the arboriculture industry can have a positive influence.

One speaker, Dr. Danijela Puric-Mladenovic of Guelph, says Canada’s large cities can serve as a living experiment. These concrete and asphalt islands of heat

may resemble the kind of broader climatic conditions Canadians can expect in the coming decades, she says.

There was also a big focus on learning with tree experts from across North America featured.

These included Dr. Ed Gilman of the University of Florida and David Nowak of the USDA Forest Service.

Gilman, a world-renowned arboriculture researcher, talked about rooting issues linked to nursery production and described pruning strategies that can extend the life of trees planted in urban settings. David Nowak, with USDA Forest Service, researches urban forest structure and health and its effect on air quality and greenhouse gases.

The ISAO’s new executive and board of the directors were announced.

Murray Potts returns as president. Vice-president is Hydro One employee Jake Zink. Karen Moyer of the Kitchener/Waterloo area is vice president and Steve Mann is president-elect. The directors are Rory Quigley, Linda Hawkins, Mike Nash, Andrew Hordyk, John Ranson and Colleen MacDonald.

Conference attendees enjoyed the social interaction, especially during the Gala Banquet which featured comedian Roman Danylo, the Canadian TREE Fund silent auction and donor recognition awards.

A number of service awards were presented.John Wilson, who serves on several ISAO committees,

received the Maple Leaf Award for leadership. A honourary life membership went to Victor Plowman, founder of the Farm & Forestry Research Institute. Joyce Burnell, the woman who led the fight the save the famous white oak in Halton Region, received a honourary membership. Hydro One was recognized with the Supporting Member Award. Tree Canada received the Arboriculture Award of Merit. Debbi Leon received the Chapter Volunteer Award. Mike Bradley of the tree climbing committee received the Special Achievement Award.

The ISAO is one of the largest chapters of the International Society of Arborists.

Tree climbing championships promote safe arboricultural practices, as well as the demonstration of new equipment and techniques. This championship will have five main events: working with ropes and cables, free climbing, aerial rescue, footlocking contest, and throwline contest (for placing and setting climbing ropes).

These events will be followed by the Masters Challenge. The top 3 or 5 competitors from the above competition will square off for this timed event which

will be a mixture of the five techniques mentioned. From the ground, each competitor will place the throwline, set the rope in the tree, and climb the tree using either the footlock or free climbing technique. Once in the tree, he or she must reach three different stations, using only one throwline and a rope (but also carrying personal safety gear).

It promises to be an exciting and educa-tional event!

Location:École Lake of Two MountainsRue Guy, near 20th AvenueVille de Deux-Montagnes (near Laval, Quebec)For more information see Society of International Arboriculture of Quebec website: www.siaq.org or email: [email protected].

Upcoming 12th Annual Quebec Tree Climbing Championship, May 31

I SA Quebec

C I T I E S C O U L D B E C L I M AT E C H A N G E L A B O R AT O R Y

Changing temperatures, rooting issues featured at education-themed conference

Hydro One received the Support Membership Award at the ISA Ontario chapter’s recent conference. Past Presi-dent Karen Moyer makes the presentation to Hydro One forestry superintendent Dean Davidson.

ISAO Past President Karen Moyer presents John Wilson with the Maple Leaf Award for his leadership. Wilson chairs the ISAO’s publications, Ontario Arborist and website committees.

Victor Plowman of Stoney Creek accepted a lifetime membership to the ISAO at the organization’s annual meeting in Niagara Falls. The 92-year-old founded the Farm & Forest Research Institute in 1955 and continues to be involved on a daily basis. “It’s been 50 years of fun. We’ve probably introduced a lot of new ideas,” Plowman says.

Andrew Drummond (right) was recognized as the Ontario Tree Climbing champ with a plaque presented by Paul Kobold. “I’ve always been close (to winning) but never finished until last year,” Drummond says. He’s been competing since 2000.


How does a chainsaw cut?In order to understand chainsaw

sharpening I believe it is best to start with understanding how a chainsaw cuts. Whenever I ask this question during our training programs I get a variety of replies. Amazingly, even people who have used a chainsaw for years often don’t understand how a chainsaw cuts. Some say it rips or tears, others say it chips and shreds and others say it planes and scrapes. In fact, two separate and distinct cutting actions take place.

A little history: some of the first chainsaw chain, called nibbler chain, was fashioned after a crosscut saw. The drawback of this chain design was that the kerf plugged regularly with sawdust and debris. An observant individual noticed that there must be something to learn from wood boring beetles and this was the beginning of the modern chainsaw cutter design. By studying the action of the remarkable beetle, a new and better chainsaw chain began to develop.

Close inspection of the beetles’ feeding technique revealed that the beetle could chisel and cut through wood and was not stuck in the tunnel. The beetles were able to achieve this by using two cutting actions. One was that the beetle lifted or chiseled the wood out of its path and channeled it under the belly and at the same time, the beetle would severe or cut the wood fibers across the grain. If you look closely at modern day chainsaw cutter teeth you will see how the cutters bear close resemblance to that of a wood boring beetles mouthparts.

Therefore, a chainsaw cuts by performing two actions. One is by chiseling the wood chips out of the kerf and the other is by cutting the wood fibres across the grain. Chainsaws cut by cross cutting and chiseling. Unlike the beetle which knows by natural design how much it can chisel without causing damage to itself the chainsaw required depth gauges.

Another way to understand this is to imagine that you want to cut a channel or

kerf in a board or log and the only tools you have is a hammer and a chisel. You would need to cross cut fibres on both sides of the kerf. You decide width of your kerf by how wide you want the channel or kerf to be. Next, you would chisel or lift the wood out of the kerf. This is how a chainsaw cuts through a log. The right hand cutters cross cut the fibres on the right side of the kerf the left hand cutters cross cut the fibres on the left side of the kerf and simultaneously the left and right cutters chisel out the wood and funnel or channel the chips under the bottom of the

cutter and out the back of the saw. The cutters leading edge or starting corner create a kerf that is slightly wider than the bar thickness to allow it to slide easily through the kerf and not clog or jam the saw in the cut.

This is a fundamental explanation of a how a chainsaw cuts and some history of its origins. In my next article I am going to talk about the importance of maintaining accurate and consistent cutter filing angles to achieve safe and efficient cutting chainsaws.

Tree Service Canada has teamed up with well known outdoor clothing manufacturer, Arborwear, to offer readers the chance to win four midweight jackets and four oil skin caps.

HOW TO ENTER: Simply complete the form below and fax it back to us at Fax. 1-250-478-3979. (You may want to photocopy the

page first to avoid wrecking your

issue of Tree Service Canada)

PRIZES:The winner of each issue’s competition will receive an Arborwear midweight jacket ideal for use in the tree service industry. Canvas on the outside and lined with a double-sided micro fleece, there’s no excuses for being cold up that tree! The jackets are also zippered with fleece-lined hand warmer pockets and fleece lined collars. Runners up of each issue’s competition will receive an Arborwear oil skin cap made of a water-resistant cotton canvas.

WIN ME!

ENTRY FORM:

Name:

Company:

Address:

Postcode:

Tel.

Jacket Size: XL L M S

Jacket colour preference:

black diesel driftwood moss

ENTER NOW BY FAXING YOUR ENTRY FORM TO FAX. 1-250-478-3979

SPRING 2008 ISSUE COMPETITION CLOSING DATE: April 15th, 2008

Please fax your completed competition entry form to fax. 1-250-478-3979 or alternatively send your entry by post to: Tree Service Canada (Jacket Competition), Southern Tip Publishing Inc, 4623 William Head Road, Victoria, British Columbia, V9C 3Y7. The first entry drawn after the closing date will win the jacket and the second entry drawn (Runner Up) will win an oil skin cap. All usual Tree Service Canada competition rules apply.

For more information on Arborwear products & apparel, please visit www.arborwear.com or call 1 (888) 578-TREE

TechniquesB Y D WAY N E N E U S TA E T E R

CHAINSAW OPERATIONUnderstanding the two distinct cutting actions that

occur in a chainsaw is essential to getting the highest performance from your equipment.

The leading edge of the cutters create a kerf that is slightly wider than the bar thickness to allow it to slide easily through the kerf and not clog or jam the saw in the cut.

Debris from the cut and chisel action of the cutters is removed by the raker (discussed in the last issue)

The right hand cutters cross cut the fibres on the right side of the kerf the left hand cutters cross cut the fibres on the left side of the kerf and simultaneously the left and right cutters chisel out the wood and funnel or channel the chips under the bottom of the cutter and out the back of the saw.


QUALITY. VALUE.PEACE OF MIND.

THE SPLICING

AUTHORITY

• Over 250,000 splices with zero fail rate!

• Insured, experienced, fulltime splicing team

• On-site testing ensures QUALITY!

• Widest selection of rope IN STOCK

• All work labeled with production date

© 2008 Sherrill, Inc. SHERRILLtree is a trademark of Sherrill, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

800-525-8873TOLLFREE

also available at participating Vermeer locations

B Y S H I R L E Y B Y E R S

After completing a two year course in recreation technology, John Vogt took

a different career path and went to work for the city of North Battleford where he learned the trade of arboriculture. He stayed there for almost 33 years upgrading his knowledge whenever the opportunity arose. When the arboriculture exam and education program came up from the U.S. to Canada about sixteen years ago, he took the course passed it and has been certified ever since.

In the slightly more than three decades since Vogt began his career the industry has changed a tremendous amount, he said. Some of these changes have been positive, others have not.

“A lot more research is being done into the development of trees,” he said. “And ISA has become very much an international organization with 18,000 members from chapters all over the world.”

Another change he applauds—the quality of the workmanship has gone up. “Methods that we used years and years ago are being proven not to be as good for the trees and we’re finding stuff out every day.”

For example, the attitude toward topping trees has really changed. “We try not to do it,” he said. “It’s very hard on the trees.”

Also, the time of pruning has been fine-tuned so that arborists are pruning the right type of trees at the right time of the year.

But as the world becomes a smaller place more and more insects are being transported into the country. “These exotic pests are devastating trees on the east and west coasts,” he said.

He’s retired from the city now but he keeps up his certification and is still doing some tree service work. He probably won’t stop any time soon.

“I’ve loved it from the time I started with the city ,” he said. “And I knew that I would be pursuing it after I retired. I’ll never probably leave the industry. I do love

it. I like the work, I like the people, I like seeing the improvements that I am seeing in the quality of the work that we’re doing and actually the very, very slow progression of education for homeowners here.”

As a dedicated arborist and as a provincial director with the ISA Prairie Chapter, John says it’s gratifying to see that the message is getting out. At venues

such as Gardenscape in Saskatoon, he’s noticed that the public is becoming more aware of the role of the arborist.

“Years ago…. people would come up to us and say, well what the heck is an arborist? What is ISA?.

That still happens, he said, but not nearly so often.

Nevertheless, promotion is still one of the challenges the industry faces. More people need to become aware of good tree care and aware that there are certified arborists who can do the work for them rather than just hiring someone off the street who has a chain saw and no training, he said.

As more and more arborists get certified it seems like there’s just as many fly-by-night companies popping up because they can see that there’s a dollar to be made in cutting down trees and hacking off branches.

It’s really partly our fault as an industry for not promoting ourselves as much as we should and partly the home owners fault for not sort of getting themselves educated and letting people talk them into doing the wrong things to their trees.

people

According to Vogt, promotion is still one of the challenges the tree service industry faces. More people need to become aware of good tree care and aware that there are certified arborists who can do the work for them rather than just hiring someone off the street who has a chain saw and no training.

I’ll never probably leave the industry. I do love it. I like the work, I like the people. ~John Vogt

J O H N V O G T ’ S L O N G V I E W

After more than 30 years in the industry, Prairie arborist has seen changes both good and bad.

Target the Canadian Tree

Service Industry

Advertise in the next issue. Call Don 519-927-5234 or Jeremy 250-474-3982


B Y PAT K E R R

It’s so easy to do. Many employees break the law

regularly. After a break or first thing in the morning they forget to use their hearing protection. No one notices and nothing appears to happen. But noise damage is cumulative and progressive. Four hours working with a chipper today. Two hours running a chain saw yesterday and a trimmer at home on your own hedge it all adds up to compromised hearing. Noise damage is one hundred percent preventable but only the individual has the power to avoid the condition.

Noise is defined as unwanted sound and it is normal part of modern living. Its hazards start with camouflaging emergency signals, stress, and loss of enjoy-

ment of life. Cities like Vancouver and Victoria have bi-laws limiting noise.

Sound surveys indicate back-hoes are about 86.5dBA. Chip-

pers idling are 95.4 – 95.5, at full throttle they are 104.5, and under load conditions 112 -117dBA while chipping hard wood can drive them up even further. Chain saws are 110 – 125. All the prov-inces and territories have noise legislation for employees with 85dBA maximum exposure for an eight hour shift, except Quebec, at 90dBA. Translated this means none of this equipment should ever be used without muffling devices and hearing protection. In some ways, industrial and mill workers have an advan-tage over tree service workers. Although their work environ-ments can be noisy they start each day with hearing protection and it stays in place all day. Tree service workers are challenged to remember to put their hearing protection on before they start a noisy piece of equipment. They

may remove their muffs when they load or unload the truck and forget to replace them when they start the chipper. The variety of tasks and noise levels each day has puts tree service worker at greater risk. Determin-ing if a specific piece of equip-ment is too loud is easy. If

you need to raise your voice to communicate with a person an arm’s length away, protect your ears. If your ears ring or buzz the cells in your ears are dying. At the

start of your day, turn the radio in your vehicle down until it is just audible. When you return to your truck at the end of the day turn the radio back on without touch-ing the volume. If you can’t hear it, your hearing was damaged. This is a temporary shift but it will progress to permanent unless you take action and protect your ears. Choosing hearing protection is like buying shoes; comfort and fit are the priorities. The best hearing protection is the one you

will wear. There are three basic types. Expandable foam plugs con-form to the ear canal’s shape. Roll the plug until it is a smooth, thin cylinder that fits easily into the ear canal. The challenge is your hands should be clean when roll-ing the plugs. Premolded plugs come in dif-ferent sizes. The canals of your ears may be different sizes so fit them by trial and error. Don’t be fooled by body size. Small people can have large canals and large

people may have narrow canals. To insert the plugs reach over your head with the opposite hand and pull the ear up and back, then with the other hand gently insert the plug. Most adults have canals over an inch and a half long. Plugs are under an inch so damage is rare unless the plug is forced. These are inexpensive and washable but if they don’t fit they are useless and when they age and harden they are garbage. Custom premolded plugs can be made at most audiometry shops

Job safety

Strength, Durability and Reliability.

PRO-LITE SECURE-LITE

A 24-Strand Braided Polyester cover with a 16-Strand braided polyester core. These products are excellent for use as a climb-ing lines for tree care professionals, they have superb knot holding ability and are easily splicable.

Prolite

Secure-Lite

FORESTRY PRO A 12-strand 100% polyester climbing line. The 12-Strand construction with parallel strands of polyester in the core allow the product to keep its shape, high strength and fl exibility after multiple uses. The line is able to keep 100% of its strength while wet and is snag and abrasion resisant.

For additional information including alternative colours or specifi cations see our website

100 Concession Road #1, Chute à Blondeau, ON, KOB 1B0, Canada

Tel/Télé : (613) 674-2728 Fax/Télécopie : (613) 674-3192

ATLANTIC BRAIDS

Ltd. www.atlanticbraids.com

Dealing with noise in the workplaceThe best hearing protection is the one you will wear.

Unlike many other workers exposed to potentially damaging levels of noise, tree service workers work in environments that may require them to insert and remove their hearing protection many times a day.

Hearing Damage: Employer ResponsibilityNot enforcing the use of hearing protection is potentially expensive for employers. In a claim to a worker’s compensation board for noise deafness the claimant or employee only has to prove they have noise induced deafness, (an audiometric exam) and that they worked in a noisy environment. To dismiss the claim the employer has to prove the equipment was under the 85 dBA, (a sound survey) and the employee had noisy non-employment related activities. Reductions to employer costs that will not affect the employee’s payment are available if there is evidence the employee worked in or participated in noisy activities unrelated to his noisy employment. These include motorcycle racing, hunting, target shooting, private aircraft flying, wood working and wood cutting at home. Employers should maintain records of employee noise related activities and ensure all employees wear appropriate hearing protection. (This is a statement signed by the employee that says what noisy activity they enjoy.)

To insert clean plugs reach over your head and pull the ear up and back. Using the other hand push the plug into the canal.

In high noise environments both plugs and muffs must be worn to reduce noise to within legal limits. Right: a 25dBR-level hearing protector is insuffient protection to use an average chipper for four hours a day.


Job safetySave on:

Laser Saw Chain

Guide Bars

Sprockets & Rims

Safety wear

Log Handling Tools

www.cutterschoice.comwww.cutterschoice.com 11 •• 888888 •• 288288 •• 83718371

Woodcutting Supplies atWoodcutting Supplies atDISCOUNT Prices!!!DISCOUNT Prices!!!

for a price. These should be cleaned with mild soap and water regularly and replaced when they harden. Usually in one to two years. Muffs provide the best pro-tection by reducing noise that enters around the canal. Some have electronics to assist com-munication. They are difficult to fit with heavy side burns, glasses or earrings and they can be hot and heavy but to reduce the noise of a chipper to acceptable levels you should consider wearing both plugs and muffs. The two standards for rat-ing hearing protectors they are NRR or Noise Reduction Rating and SNR, Single Number Rat-ing. NRR is a manufacturer’s test under perfect conditions. SNR is an independent international standard. When using these rating sys-tems subtract the SNR or NRR from the estimated decibel rating of your equipment. The result should be under the 85 for an eight-hour day and below 93 for a four-hour day. The expensive brands are often more comfort-able but not necessarily better noise reduction. Noise deafness starts slowly without pain or symptoms and the late symptoms are often ignored. These include your fam-ily complaining you keep the TV too loud. Your spouse yelling you don’t listen. People around you mutter. You hear yourself asking others to repeat things. These subtle easily mistaken symptoms are the reason noise reduction and education is mandatory in workplaces across Canada. Never want to hear another mosquito buzz, your neighbor’s deafening kids, a bird’s song, your grandchild’s lisps, a fire siren, a warning signal? There are two choices: protect it or loose it!

When you return to your truck at the end of the day turn the radio back on with-out touching the volume. If you can’t hear it, your hearing was damaged.

TREE SERVICE CANADA SUBSCRIBE TODAY


Events

PROMOTE YOUR EVENTS HERE

Email: [email protected] or fax 1.250.478.3979

ARBORIST SUPPLY CO. INC.

Certifi ed Arborist on Staff: Robert A Romeril (403) 607-6276 cell

1-888-240-3993* Complete Arborist Equipment *

Spray and Fertilizer unitsLog Splitters and Chippers

Personal Safety GearTraining Workshops Available

Operating in Calgary since 1992www.arboristsupply.com

Compact sprayersfor maximumspace saving

Compact frame for crossway

installation in a pickup truck

100 US gal. or 200 US gal. tank

Agitation by venturi nozzles

Optional second tank to

make a multi-tank sprayer

Eastern Canada

MS Sprayer800-767-2050

Western Canada

Arborist SupplyCalgary, AB403-240-3993

Compact sprayersfor maximumspace saving

Shrubs &

trees gun

Up to 40’

Shrubs &

trees gun

Up to 30’

Root feeder

MAY 2008

May 31: Ville de Deux-Montagnes (near Laval, Quebec)ISA QC Climbing ChampionshipFor more information see Society of International Arboriculture of Quebec website: www.siaq.org or email: [email protected].

JUNE 2008

June 8: Toronto Island, Ont.Canadian TREE Fund Toronto Island Scavenger Huntwww.isaontario.com/treefund/

JULY 2008

July 21-27: Indianapolis to St. LouisTour des Trees 2008: Breaking Away to the Gatewaywww.tourdetrees.org

July 26-30: St Louis, IL84th Annual ISA ConferenceSt. Louis, ILwww.isa-arbor.com

AUGUST 2008

August 17: Location TBAHarold Van Dyke Memorial Golf TournamentFor details: 416-984-7025

NOVEMBER 2008

Nov 13-15: Milwaukee, WITree Care Industry Expowww.treecareindustry.org


Canada’s big cities are concrete and asphalt islands of heat that serve as a liv-ing experiment for climate change, according a Ministry of Natural Resources

researcher. Home to a wide array of native and introduced tree species, they may resemble the kind of broader climatic conditions Canadians can expect in the coming decades, Dr. Danijela Puri-Mladenovic says. “We have to plan ahead for our forests, the same as we do with our roads and other infrastructure needs . . . Our urban forests are already diverse and could provide an idea of what will work in the future under climate change.” Puri-Mladenovic peers 100 years into the future with projections based on aver-age global temperatures increasing anywhere from one to 8.6 degrees Celsius. She says the forest species shift will be dramatic, even if human efforts manage to tem-per greenhouse gas loading activities. The jack pine and black spruce forests are expected to be pushed hundreds of kilometers north. The range of deciduous species, including the hard maple and American elm, are expected to become adapted to their former range. Southern species, meanwhile, like the southern red oak and post oak are likely shift north-ward to such areas as Southern Ontario. “The Ontario forests are probably among the must vulnerable to climate change, and not just the forest themselves but the other species within the forests,” Puri-Mladenovic says. In dealing with the situation, it will be important to maintain both urban and rural forest seed resources. Human intervention will be needed. Left to their own devices, it may take centuries for tree species to migrate to new areas of acclimati-zation. There are other limitations. Species like the American elm, for instance, could extend its range in a similar manner as the hard maple but face the Dutch elm disease challenge, Puri-Mlade-novic says. Others, like the blue beech and flowering dogwood, are limited by soil conditions. She also expects changes in biodiversity. The number of species in Southwestern Ontario could fall with a corresponding increase in species diversity in more northerly regions. Puri-Mladenovic, a senior analyst with the Southern Science and Information Section of the MNR, advocates for a structured response to climate change. Today’s tree resources need to be managed for improve resilience to climate change with an emphasis on biodiversity, she says. It will be also important to maintain an inven-tory of current resources and take into account the many uncertainties related to climate change. Joan Klaassen of Environment Canada speaks to the climate change challenge. She says the phenomenon is undeniable. The levels of greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide have increased substantially. Atmospheric carbon dioxide is now 35 per cent higher compared to 1750 and is at its highest level in the past 650,000 years. Over the last century, the average mean global temperature has risen by 0.74 degrees Celsius, Klaassen says. Since 1997, there’s only been three springs in Cana-da with temperatures below the normal range. Since 1950, the majority of Environment Canada weather stations have shown an increase in the length of the growing season. Klaassen says Ontario residents can expect a greater number of extreme weather events, including droughts, excessive rainfall, heavy snowfall, ice storms, wind storms and tornadoes. Insect pests are also expected to be a concern, as already evidenced by the Spruce budworm in Ontario and the Mountain pine beetle in British Columbia. Puri-Mladenovic and Klaassen spoke at the annual conference hosted Ontario Chapter of the International Society of Arborists in Niagara Falls in February.

Big cities provide climate change insights

Joan Klaassen of Environment Canada says climate changer is undeniable. Since 1950, the majority of Environment Canada weather stations have shown an increase in the length of the growing season.

In dealing with climate change, it will be important to maintain both urban and rural forest seed resources. Human intervention will be needed, says one expert.


Jobs & Opportunities

Contact your nearest Davey representative now:

ALBERTA & BRITISH COLUMBIAUtility Line Clearing Margie Mooney [email protected] (250) 755-1288Utility throughout BC & AB

Residential Tree Care Kyle Banks [email protected](604) 294-2084Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Victoria

ONTARIOLine Clearing & Residential Tree CareMike Nash [email protected] (905) 333-1034 ext.234London, Kitchener, Hamilton, Toronto, Mississauga, Orillia, Ottawa, Niagara

or visit www.davey.com

The Davey Tree Expert Co. of Canada, Ltd., Burlington, ONT & Vancouver Island, BC.

An Equal Opportunity Employer

Immediate Positions for Tree Trimmers & Foremen, Utility Line Clearing & Residential/Commercial Arborists

POSITIONS AVAILABLE IN MOST AREAS ACROSS CANADA

GREAT CAREERS.....GREAT JOBS.

Tree Technology and Research in Burlington, Ontario requires experienced full-time Climber/Crew Supervisor. ISA Certifi cation And DZ license an

asset. Tree Technology offers $20 to $25 per hour and a benefi t package.

We also will offer profi t sharing to the right candidate. Tree Technology also

requires a Sales Associate/Administrative Assistant,

offering $40,000 to $45,000 annual Salary plus commission.

Franchise Opportunities Available.

Please contact us by Tel: 905-637-4877, email [email protected] or fax 905-637-4866.

Groundsperson, Plant Health Care Technician Positions also available

Members of

POSITIONS AVAILABLE: Arborist Climbers ($15-$25 per hour, pay dependant on experience, ability and duties)Pest Control Technicians an asset

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE• Minimum one year work experience

in Arboriculture and/or training in an Arborist diploma program

• Experienced in the safe and effi cient operation with the tools of the trade (chainsaws, wood chippers, rigging systems etc..)

• A valid G driver’s license

• ISA certifi ed or equivalent an asset

• First Aid/CPR an asset

• Commitment to Safety

• Professionalism

• Team player

EMPLOYERS COMMITMENTRespect for all employeesHealth benefi ts package and vacation payA safe work environment with proper equipmentOpportunity to develop and grow within the company

Cohen & Master has established a solid reputation and customer

base, built on quality work and good service. Based in Toronto,

Ontario, Cohen and Master Services Markham, Richmond Hill, North

York and downtown Toronto. We are poised for growth and are

seeking committed arborists for full time employment within our

company.

Please call our offi ce directly, 416-932-0622 for more information and to arrange an interview, fax to 416-932-1701 or email your

resume to [email protected]

You Need a Publication that Works as Hard

as you do!

BANDIT

ONTARIO OPERATION: MILTON 905-693-0771