Tasmanian blue gum eucalyptus (eucalyptus globulus) are ubiquitous in California. The species was imported as seeds from Australia during the Gold Rush during the mid-1800s, in the hopes that the fast-growing trees’ wood could be used for construction, furniture making, and railroad ties. They were unsuitable for that use due to the propensity of the
Drought and pests, as well as tissue and root damage, put many trees at risk for internal rot and decay, which can pose a risk to property and public safety in the event a tree fails. Sonic tomography allows municipalities and developers to efficiently detect and accurately map tree decay in a non-invasive manner, especially
Planning for Trees Improves Climate Resiliency As the climate changes and the earth warms, extreme heat days (temperatures over 95°F) have increased in frequency and wildfires fueled by dry vegetation burn bigger and for longer, negatively impacting air quality both locally and nationally. While unable to completely cancel out the impacts of an extreme heat
Invasive shothole borer (ISHB) is a group of two species of ambrosia beetles that are native to Southwest Asia. Suspected to have first arrived in Southern California in 2003, the beetles were previously misidentified as a less aggressive pest until approximately 2012. Since then, thousands of trees in forests, cities, and residential areas have become
Limiting impacts to protected tree species takes place at four distinct points in time throughout project development. A thorough tree inventory informs and ensures a comprehensive Protected Tree Report. During construction, monitoring is essential to avoid impacts to protected species. Finally, long-term monitoring and management facilitate long-term health of protected tree species. Following, Dudek Urban
With shifting environmental conditions, cities are recognizing the important role trees play in creating a robust urban forest that is capable of reducing surface temperatures, improving air quality, conserving energy, and increasing quality of life, amongst many other benefits. A sustainable urban forest must contain healthy, well maintained trees with high species and age diversity.
National City — a small disadvantaged city in San Diego County — will expand its urban forest by planting 1,700 trees in city-managed properties with a $650,000 CAL FIRE grant. CAL FIRE’s Urban and Community Forestry Program focuses on using trees to provide neighborhoods the benefits of urban forests, such as sequestering greenhouse house gas,
Urban forests are the backbone of regional landscapes and represent a substantial natural resource investment. The 177 million trees in California’s urban forests are at risk as water cuts significantly reduce irrigation that is vital to mostly non-native, ornamental trees. Tens of millions of native trees in California’s wildlands have already died due to the
California’s extended drought has put native oaks into survival mode as soils dry out at greater depths and water becomes less accessible. The trees conserve water use by decreasing transpiration and reducing the amount of tissue requiring water. At this stage, native oak trees are more susceptible to secondary pests and disease, invaders that attack
While California’s oak trees are well adapted to survive the state’s drought, the right approach to supplemental irrigation is critical to prevent pests from taking advantage of drought-stressed oaks. Oaks will reallocate resources to conserve water to sustain basic physiological functions. But that can lower the trees’ defenses against disease and insects, including borer colonization.
