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Here is what
Wikipedia says about cutting birch bark. Removing the outer (light) layer of bark from the trunk of a living tree may not kill it, but probably weakens it and makes it more prone to infections. Removal of the inner (dark) layer, the phloem, kills the tree by preventing the flow of sap to the roots. This defaced Birch Tree can be seen from the path to Bay Ridge.
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| News | Trees | Threats |
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Something there is that doesn't
love a tree!
Not at Oak Hill. We love out trees!
Healthy White Pines Cut |
Trees Are Assets
Our trees are assets just as much
as the club house or the swimming pool. A living tree should not be cut
without notifying the owners of Oak Hill. We need a tree protecting
policy.
Some people feel threatened by trees and are always thinking up reasons to cut them down.
Some I have heard lately are:
- They shade the pool (Move to the sunny side)
- They keep the grass from growing and the lawn mowers throws up dust. ( Stop mowing the dirt.)
- The plow guy needs to cut these trees down so he can remove the snow faster. (Find places for snow not occupied by trees.)
- It may fall on the building. (Healthy trees do not fall unless there is an unusual wind storm. That is why we buy insurance. A dead tree leaning toward a building is another story.)
- The tree is dying because the lower branches are dead. (not true)
- Since some of our trees are over 100 years old, it is time to replace them. (Some trees live 300 years.)
Watch out for Landscaping people. They make money cutting down trees, replanting, and then selling bark mulch to cover up the bare earth they created. There is no reason to cut healthy trees. Before accepting the opinion of a landscaper that a tree is diseased, ask about their education. Do they have a horticulture degree?
A tree is not dead because the lower branches are bare. Trees grow from the top. The upper branches shade the lower branches. The lower branches die and the tree puts its energy into growing the upper branches. In a landscaped area, dead lower branches should be removed to prevent injury to people and pets.
Foundation planting ( trees and bushes planted around buildings) is another story. If trees like Eastern Hemlocks are used for foundation planting, they must be trimmed every year to prevent them growing too tall. Once you fail to trim these trees, it is too late to save them and they must be replaced. We do have a problem with overgrown foundation planting. Some of this was resolved in the fall of 2008.
Nineteen White Pine
Trees Cut November 2008
Nineteen White Pine Trees were cut
along Oak Hill Lane in front of Building #1. These healthy
trees were about 25 years old. Now that they are gone, the view of
the beautiful architecture of the Woodlands is more visible from Oak
Hill and the noise from Spit Brook Road is louder. Is this what we
wanted?
With the threat of the Asian Longhorn Beetle looming over us, White Pine Trees are more valuable then ever since they will not be infected.
Nothing can be done to reverse this loss. We need to learn from it and protect against further destruction of our trees.
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View along Oak Hill Lane
in front of Building #1 looking toward Bluiding #3.
Nineteen healthy white pine stumps now line the road.
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The Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) is an exotic pest threatening a wide variety of hardwood trees in North America. Adults are large (0.75 - 1.50 inches long) with very long black and white banded antennae. The body is glossy black with irregular white spots and there is blue on the legs. The beetle has been introduced into New York City, Chicago, New Jersey and most recently Worcester. Adults can be seen from late spring to fall depending on the climate.
As of the summer of 2010, the beetle has been found in Boston near the Arnold Arboretum where it raised considerable concern. It has not been detected in New Hampshire, but we must be looking. To that end, a volunteer will be looking at our trees for evidence of an infection. Also the bugs that fall into the swimming pool strainers will be saved and examined by insect expert. You can help. Learn what the beetle looks like. Learn to recognize the egg crater and the exit holes of the adults. Report immediately anything you find.
This pest is changing the landscape by killing certain species of trees mainly Maple Trees. There is no way to save an infected tree. The only treatment is to remove and burn infected trees. To keep the pest from spreading all similar species in the area are removed.
| The Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) is large, ranging from 0.75-1.25 inches long, with very long black and white antennae. The body is glossy black with irregular white spots. These beetles feed on many species of hardwood trees. Adults can be seen from late spring to fall depending on the climate. This beetle was introduced from China and is currently limited to areas within the cities of Chicago and New York. Recently it has been found just north of Worcester, MA and is probably headed our way. Response from State
Horticulturist
http://extension.unh.edu/ALB/
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From time to time we all have moving vans or delivery trucks at our residence. The tenant who benefits from these trucks and allows them access to our property is responsible for their behavior.
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This lovely
crab apple tree in front of Building #3 has been threatened
twice this spring by delivery vans. In the first case the
van backed up until its back door was in the branches.
Then the driver got out and started breaking off the branches so
he could open the door. I went out and asked him nicely to move the van forward a few feet so that he would not damage the tree. He refused. I called his boss using the telephone number on the side of the truck and in a few minutes he moved the van. It happened again and this time I got out there before any branches were broken. Again I asked the driver (different company) to move the truck forward and again he refused. The tenant taking delivery of the furniture then asked the driver and he complied. No truck driver has a right to come on our property and damage our trees anymore than they have a right to damage a tree at a private residence. |
White Birch Trees can be found in the woods and around the old beaver pond near building #3. Unfortunately some people want to cut birch bark for some kind of crafts project. What craft can be worth destroying a beautiful tree is beyond me, but look what some thief did to a tree on Oak Hill property. If you see anyone defacing any tree on the Oak Hill property or in Roby Park, take a picture of their face and report it to management. Follow up by sending the picture to the webmaster.
Note to management: There should be a stiff fine for defacing a tree at Oak Hill. I suggest $500 per incident.
Bark Mulch
Bark mulch is the darling of landscapers who want to sell it to us.
People like it because it makes bare ground look good at least for a
short time until the sun fades it. Bark Mulch
may contain pests that will infect our trees. Why are our Spruce
Trees dying? Did some disease come in with the bark mulch.
Bark Mulch should not be piled up around the base of a tree. While this is not immediately fatal it will damage the tree over time.
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Oak Hill produces great quantities of pine needles called pine
straw. This is the pine tree near the intersection of St. James
place with the clubhouse parking lot. Pine needles have dropped
from the tree making a natural mulch.
In some areas pine straw is sold as mulch. Does it make any sense to pay to rake up the pine straw and then replace it with bark mulch hauled in from who knows where?
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