Volume 52 issue
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What’s Inside 1
President’s Message
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Report From the Treasurer
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ASCA Board of Directors—Position Statement
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Is It About the Trees or Is It About the Money?
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A Community of Trees
12 Member News 12 Call for Nominations 12 In Memoriam: Larry Hanks 13 Meet the New ASCA Board Members! 15 Welcome New Members 15 New RCAs 18 Send Us Your Best Shot—Ye Ole Tree! 20 Industry Reports From ASCA’s Representatives 22 A Day in the Life of a Consultant 25 The Grammar Tree 26 ASCA Staff Profiles
In my last president’s message, I described ASCA as an organization in transition. I want to John Leffingwell, RCA #442 expand on that ASCA President message here. Yes, we are in transition and yes, that provides challenges and opportunities. One of the challenges I see is how to make sure that as we grow and change, we maintain the ties to the people, places, and experiences that got us to where we are. We must find a way that honors the past, recognizes where we stand today, and forges a new way forward. A path of tolerance, inclusivity, and comradery. The board has these goals in sight and will keep them in mind in all that we do. We are a member-driven and membersupported organization, with much of the work performed by volunteers. ASCA is lucky to have volunteers who have sacrificed much in an effort to move the organization and industry forward. I speak in particular of those who have consistently given of their time and energy over the year and who ask for nothing in return. I believe we all know someone for whom this description applies—please thank them, and let them know that we appreciate their willingness to serve. Without them, this organization would not be what it is today.
A correlated challenge for ASCA is balancing the need to grow the organization with the desire to maintain the highest level of qualifications. How does one learn to become a Consulting Arborist? I would argue that most of us had a mentor—someone who had experience, who had elevated themselves professionally. They taught us, they supported us, and they encouraged us as we learned the craft. In my opinion, this is something ASCA needs to be a part of—out of a desire to facilitate the transfer of knowledge as much as out of self-preservation. We are seeing a lot of our industry leaders, our luminaries, retire, and ASCA wants and needs to provide opportunities for them to remain engaged and active, ideally in ways that mentor the next generation of ASCAns. As ASCA looks ahead, we must reach back with both hands, touching on the cornerstones and foundations of who we are as ASCAns, as well as spreading our arms wide in an effort to bring forward the next generation. We rise and fall together. In my eyes, I see an organization on the rise and want to make every effort to bring along all those who want to be part of this change.
1300 Piccard Drive, Suite LL 14 Rockville, MD 20850 Phone: 301.947.0483 Fax: 301.990.9771 Email: asca@asca-consultants.org www.asca-consultants.org
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< home 2019 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2019
President
John S. Leffingwell, RCA #442, Pleasanton, CA President-Elect
Annual Conference
Richard Adkins, RCA #573, Gilbert, AZ Immediate Past President
December 8–11
Jonathan E. Butcher, RCA #486, Milford, OH Treasurer
Intercontinental New Orleans
Jeremy T. Chancey, RCA #646, Fort Lauderdale, FL Directors:
New Orleans, LA
Expected Plenary Speakers
Patrick Anderson, RCA #475, Shelby, NC Glenn Gentzke, RCA #485, Tonawanda, NY Jeffrey Ling, RCA #337, Fort Wayne, IN Ron Matranga, RCA #488, Spring Valley, CA Micah Pace, RCA #607, McKinney, TX
David Callow, Urban Forest and Ecology, City of Melbourne, Australia Henrik Sjöman, Swedish University of Agricultural Science & Gothenburg Botanical Garden, Sweden
STAFF Executive Director
Matthew Wells, MSc, MICFor, Santa Monica, California
Thérèse O. Clemens, CAE Vice President Meetings
Grace L. Jan, CAE, CMP
Joris Voeten, Urban Roofscapes, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Marketing Director
Julie Hill
Production Manager
Dr. Kamran K. Abdollahi, Southern University and A&M College, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Jennifer Olivares Managing Editor
Lynne Agoston Meetings Manager
Stefania Gasperini and Giovanni Morelli, Ferrara, Italy
Morgan Prior
Website Manager
Jeyin Lee
Member Services Coordinator
Julianne Clarke Accounting
Dawn Rosenfeld Exhibits/Sponsorship Manager
Barbara Bienkowski, CEM
NEWSLET TER The Arboricultural Consultant is published four times a year by ASCA. Articles and news items are encouraged and must be submitted six weeks prior to publication. Editorial Review Committee Tom Bradley, RCA #492, Mississauga, ON Chad Clink, RCA #589, Cleveland, OH Christy Cuba, RCA #502, Sierra Madre, CA Thomas Dodge, RCA #584, Pacheco, CA Nick Drunasky, RCA #467, Woodbridge, VA Jordan Endahl, Vancouver, WA Briana Frank, Madison, WI Jeannine Lubeshkoff, RCA #500, Duarte, CA Andy Lueck, RCA #556, Chicago, IL Jason Miller, RCA #526, Woodbury, NJ Todd Prager, RCA #597, Lake Oswego, OR Lisa Smith, RCA #464, Los Angeles, CA Matt Weibel, RCA #534, Fair Lawn, NJ Robert Wells, RCA #593, Princeton, NJ
ASCA ANTITRUST STATEMENT The following antitrust statement has been approved by the president and board of directors of the American Society of Consulting Arborists. “Members of the American Society of Consulting Arborists, especially members of the board of directors and Society committees, are reminded that they do not and may not speak for or on behalf of the Society without the express permission of the president or board of directors of the American Society of Consulting Arborists. This prohibition includes the use of ASCA letterhead when making a statement of a technical, economic, or political nature. Members of ASCA speak only for themselves as professional consultants when giving opinions or making statements.”
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Report From the Treasurer In response to questions posed by our membership, the board believes it is prudent to share financial information differently than has been done in the past. The following balance sheet shows that ASCA has reserves and is operating within our current budget.
ASCA membership remains strong with a renewal rate of 94%. The robust turnout at the Annual Conference and our membership renewals help support our Consulting Academy and maintain its status as the best educational program of its kind.
many of you there. Please do not hesitate to send me an email with any questions or comments.
We had an excellent turn out for both the Annual Conference in San Diego and the Consulting Academy in the Seattle area. Over 300 attended the Annual Conference, and the Consulting Academy had a turnout of 72.
The 2019–2020 annual budget is currently in development and will incorporate ASCA’s strategic plan initiatives.
Jeremy Chancey, RCA #646 ASCA Treasurer
Thank you for supporting ASCA. Sincerely,
I am excited about our next conference in New Orleans and look forward to seeing
Balance Sheet As of March 2019
Assets Current Assets Cash On Hand Bank of America Checking $69,486.26 Business Interest Maximizer $226,023.30 Schwab Money Market $1,188.63 Schwab Investment $289,000.00 Total Cash On Hand $585,698.19 Equipment $1,181.57 Accumulated Depreciation ($1,182.00) Total Current Assets $585,697.76 Other Assets Prepaid Insurance Expenses $50.00 Def Exp/Registered Agent fee $68.41 Def Exp/2019 Annual Staff Administration $21,418.74 Def Exp/2020 Academy/Site $1,008.87 Def Exp/’20 Academy Site Visit $50.00 Total Other Assets $22,596.02 Total Assets $608,293.78 Liabilities Current Liabilities Sales Tax Payable Total Current Liabilities Total Liabilities
$0.50
Equity Retained Earnings Current Year Earnings Total Equity
$0.50
$370,757.59 $237,535.69 $608,293.28
Total Liability & Equity American Society of Consulting Arborists
$0.50
$608,293.78 3
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ASCA Board of Directors–Position Statement Guide for Plant Appraisal, 10th edition
The ASCA board of directors recently reviewed and discussed the evolution and process of the publication of the Guide for Plant Appraisal, 10th edition. The board of directors acknowledges the concerns expressed by our members since the release of the Guide and has been attentive and actively listening to all comments. The board is unified and resolute in its position about the Guide. This publication, in any of its editions, is a guide for professionals engaged in the activity of plant appraisal. As professional consultants, it is expected that individuals have the capacity and judgment to use the publication as a professional reference to make informed decisions in their work. The ASCA board respects the development process that was used to write, review, and edit the document over the course of the time it took to publish the current edition. While ASCA is but 1/7 of the authorship, the board recognizes that ASCA members perform a majority of appraisals in the industry. ASCA was present and engaged at every step of the way to help ensure the best document possible. It was a document created by committee, which always involves compromise.
It is understood that new concepts and terminology—similar to that of previous editions—are introduced. The changes include eliminating the species rating, breaking down the condition rating into three categories, and replacing the location rating with functional and external limitations. There is greater discussion of real estate market value, compounding cost, and timber valuation, most of which provides greater explanation of why and when these considerations are important. Individuals are free to determine value using an approach most appropriate for the circumstance and comfort level of the appraiser. Appraisal assignments vary in difficulty and sophistication and often require multiple approaches or techniques. The 10th edition of the Guide is a step in the ongoing pursuit of assisting professional consultants with understanding and resolving those complexities and ultimately bringing appraisal to the standards of modern practice. It is part of the maturation of the plant appraisal process, not the end of that process. As in the past, subsequent editions of the Guide will build on previous editions. Areas of strength will be carried forward, and improvements will be made where shortcomings are identified.
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The ASCA board supports, honors, and deeply appreciates the work of all of those who have been involved in this arduous, 18-year journey. It has been a costly journey for many, including those who were burdened with carrying the current edition to the finish line, as well as those who feel their contributions and recommendations were not appreciated. The ASCA board encourages all members to take this opportunity to move forward together and, if necessary, to agree to disagree while remaining respectful and professional. Let us refocus our energy and let our shared goals and vision for our organization unite us in “leading the arboricultural consulting profession.” In unity there is strength.
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Is It About the Trees or Is It About the Money? By Lew Bloch, RCA #297
I have preached for many years that when we get involved with tree-related legal issues, it is usually—but not always—about the money rather than the trees. The following two cases highlight this issue. The first case involves the very severe pruning of one side of a privacy screen planting along a road in front of a very nice home in an upscale community. A developer was building a new home at the end of the road, and the lower branches of the trees were interfering with his trucks and equipment, so he pruned them all off. (See Figure 1)
There were 71 Canadian hemlock trees (Tsuga canadensis), 30–40 feet tall, within approximately 270 feet. It was my opinion that I could not use the Replacement Cost Method to do an appraisal, as it would be impossible to plant 71 trees of that size in that space. I also ruled out the Trunk Formula Method for the same reasons. To me, it was a classic case for the Cost of Cure Method, so as to “….return the property to a reasonable approximation of its original condition….” (Source: Guide for Plant Appraisal, 9th edition) In other words, it is not the monetary value of the damaged trees, but it is the cost to restore the property.
My plan was as follows, including estimated costs: • Cut down and haul away 71 hemlock trees. $14,200 • Grind out 71 stumps. $3550 • Furnish and install 26 new hemlocks 18–20’. $46,880 Total opinion of value of damages $64,550 I know some of you readers quite well, and I can hear the screaming about whether the branches over-reached the property lines. Did anyone have the right to prune the trees? Was self-help OK to use, etc.? None of that was part of my assignment; that stuff was for the attorneys to argue. It is my opinion that too often, consultants take on chores that are not actually part of our assignments. Where have we heard “What is the assignment?” Mine was only to determine an opinion of the value of damages. This case was over 12 years ago and never went to court. I have no idea how much my client received for damages, but the photo in Figure 2 shows what the area looked like a few months ago. It is obvious that they did not spend any of their settlement money to restore the lost benefits of the screen planting. Evidently, the claim was not so much about the trees or landscaping benefits. As stated, many of these cases are about the money rather than the trees.
Figure 1
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The second case was against a county government and actually went to trial. I represented the county, with the assignment of critiquing the plaintiff’s value of damages and preparing an opinion of my appraisal of damages. That is all we do: offer opinions. This case involved a row of 12 white pine trees that were along a well-traveled road. The trees were on private property, just outside of a wooden privacy fence that was close to the property line. While cleaning up some broken limbs that had fallen onto the ground on county property after a snow/ice event, the county employees were asked by a motorist to cut off the lower limbs of the trees to create a better view of traffic from a side street entering the main road. The crew obliged and cut off six to eight small lower limbs on each of the trees. (See Figure 3)
Figure 2
The plaintiff did not present an arborist or landscaper at the trial but had an estimate to remove the 12 trees and plant 12 new trees for $50,000. My assignment from the county was to critique that estimate and provide my opinion on the value of damages to the plaintiff. It was my opinion that the trees were not actually destroyed, nor was there any loss of screening because all of the cut limbs were below the height of the privacy fence. I prepared a report using two separate appraisal methods, again using the 9th edition of the Guide. In one report, the Replacement Cost Method was employed and used the plaintiff’s own estimate of replacement of $50,000. After my depreciation factors, that cost became $32,000, and I estimated that the percentage of actual tree loss was 3 percent. Therefore, my opinion of the appraisal of damages using this method was $960. If there had been no depreciation taken, the value would have been $1,500. Figure 3
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The second report used the Cost of Cure Method and suggested that planting a row of viburnum bushes under and in front of the pines where the lower limbs had been severed would restore the loss of lower limbs. I estimated the restoration cost to be $3,000. I did not do any reconciliation, as it is my opinion that if this process is to be done, it should be done by the trier-of-facts. My report included both of my processes and my calculations. All of that seemed to pass the reasonableness test (whatever that is), as there was only minor damage to the trees and
property; however, the jury ruled for the plaintiff and awarded the full $50,000. In this case , the plaintiff actually spent the money, and possibly more, to re-do the landscaping as shown in Figure 4. The county attorney explained to me, off the record, that the county employees that did the cleanup work blew the case in their testimonies as they dissed the plaintiff, the trees, and the property, and really turned the jury against the county.
Lew Bloch is a nationally known ASCA Registered Consulting Arborist with over 50 years of experience in nursery, landscaping, and tree care work. He is the author and publisher of Tree Law Cases in the USA and a co-author of Guide for Plant Appraisal (9th edition). He has testified in numerous lawsuits and has been retained in 15 different states. Lew is the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the MidAtlantic chapter of ISA.
So, in this case, it was about the trees and not the money! And maybe, as is quite common, it was also about the lawyering.
Figure 4
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A Community of Trees By Brian French
Many cultures regard trees as part of their heritage. How is inherited knowledge passed from generation to generation through trees? How can we use trees to tell stories and connect with our ancestors? In this article, we’ ll explore how cultures have shaped our “ human-tree” relationship in different parts of the world I have traveled.
Tu Di Gong, Gods and Trees
During the summer of 2010, I packed my prized climbing setup and a couple changes of clothing and headed to Hong Kong, China. There, I joined my colleague, Will Koomjian, to complete contract work for the Hong Kong Government. Upon arrival at the airport, I unfolded the directions I had jotted down on scratch paper. The notes depicted a bus transfer and an hour and a half trip through the Northern Territory of Hong Kong. My destination, Sui Hang San Tsuen, bordered Shenzhen, China. I was greeted by Don the local arborist and promptly put to work at a nearby site. Jetlagged, on the first day, I was shown how to use GPR and tomography to examine the underground roots of old roadside Melaleuca
trees before an improvement project. I was impressed. Over the next year, Will and I found ourselves climbing and writing reports for hundreds of spectacular specimen trees managed by the Hong Kong Government. Many of these trees were deemed Old Valuable Trees (OVTs), which gave them special recognition and protections. This program could easily be compared to a heritage tree program run by a city, county, or state here in North America. The OVT program criteria considers current size, rarity, age, historical value, and form. What really presented itself as significant is that these trees had already been protected for centuries, long before the inception of the OVT program in 2004. Although Hong Kong’s population is nearly 7.5 million, most of the population is densely fit into large cities. Most notable is the Mong Kok area, which holds a population density of 340,000 people per square mile. However dense, these super urban environments are sepa-
rated by miles of road and rail through hundreds of tiny rural villages and wilderness regions. Tu Di Gong (土地公) is the Chinese god of earth, wealth, and merit. For me, he’s most easily identifiable by his long beard and typical placement at a village alter under a significant tree. Historically, this god was worshiped mostly for concerns relating to agriculture and seasonal weather. Something deeply significant to the success of the village as a whole. Each village has a delegated village elder who is traditionally responsible for choosing the tree for the Tu Di Gong altar. Once the tree is chosen, it is cared for above all other trees in the village. Some altar trees are centuries old, dating back to the Zhang and Zhou Dynasties. These tree altars are considered sacred. Today, they are commonly used for prayer and to connect with and pay homage to ancestors.
Tree of Life
Traveling can conjure a myriad of emotions, overwhelm us with local “mustsee” destinations, and stimulate all kinds
The wide breadth of a Ficus microcarpa. A celebrated tree at the temple. Photo by Brian French.
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Brian French observes a large camphor Old Valuable Tree in New Territories, HK. Photo by Li Siu Wah.
Will Koomjian facetiously pointing at the Arbol del Tule, the giant Montezuma cypress. Photo by Brian French.
debates. But among arborists, you can bet on one commonality. Wherever we travel, the question will rise, “I wonder what trees are here to visit?”
Tule, the giant Montezuma cypress (Taxodium mucronatum). The Tule tree holds the record for the largest diameter of any living tree at 46.1 ft. Other large diameter trees like General Sherman at 25.1 ft or the Limpopo Baobab at 34.9 ft boast to be the largest, but the Tule tree takes the cake for diameter. So, Will and I put some coin together, rented two mostly functioning bikes, and headed out across town for the bumpy 6-mile dirt road adventure, avoiding the highway.
The year following a 1 kilometer, 5-day traversing journey across the tops of an Oak (Quercus garryana) grove in Oregon, Will and I decided to gather data that we collected and present it. We displayed our poster at the 2012 International Canopy Research Conference in Oaxaca, MX. The poster outlined our movements and compared efficiencies of traversing methods we used. Our 5-day climbing feat was also captured and transformed into a film called “Treeverse” that won awards at the Banff film festival serving to introduce the concept of “expedition-style tree climbing” to a broader audience. Still fresh, we shared the film with other climbing enthusiasts at the conference. Naturally, we explored Oaxaca’s famous mole restaurants, drank mescal served from gas cans, and walked countless streets and corridors around the downtown square during the Día De Los Muertos festival. Beyond the many attractions the Oaxaca area offers, none rivals the Arbol del
The Giant Montezuma cypress tree is located in the downtown sector of Tule beside a stunted mission chapel in the shadow of the tree’s crown. Some 2 years later on a return visit I found a total of 18 giants throughout the town. But on this trip, we found ourselves mixed into a small crowd aimlessly walking around the Tule giant, stunned and gawking with upward gaze. Unlike its size and suspected age, what may not be so obvious about this tree is its history. During the Spanish invasion, civilizations were destroyed, cities brought to ruin, and new cities rebuilt on top of old to erase Mesoamerican culture. Yet as Hernan Cortes and the Spanish colonization were cruel to this
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region, the mighty Montezuma cypress was nevertheless admired. The town of Tule (meaning bulrush) was literally built around the tree reclaiming an ancient swamp. Like many millennia-aged trees, anthropogenic influences threaten its vitality and remind us once again that a healthy human–tree relationship is reciprocal. Locally, the Tule tree has also been dubbed the ‘Tree of Life’. Due to its gnarled architecture, it has given birth to shapes that resemble fruit and animals. When visiting, it is common to find school children offering tours pointing out pineapples and creatures like jaguars and elephants that reside on the tree trunk’s surface.
The magnificent cathedral-like crown of the Tule tree. Photo Brian French.
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School children offering scale to the gargantuan trunk of the Tule tree. Photo from Wikipedia.
Giant Chamaecyperis formosensis structure in an old-growth and research area near Cilan, Taiwan. Photo by Brian French.
Millions of tourists are destined for notable trees around the world each year to see and be awed by. Each and every tree has its own story, but the oldest and largest trees gather the masses and contribute to cultural tourism. Find more on big trees in Oregon and Washington at championtreeregistry.com.
As many adventures start, ours began at the end of an old logging road—where evidence of past felled trees faded to distinct indicators of old-growth, like monolithic towering trees thousands of years old. However mistaken, we couldn’t help feeling like ours were the first footsteps in this primitive forest. But no matter
density of tall peaks on the planet. This terrain proved difficult. While traversing and shouting across forest ridges, we explored these tall trees, discovered interesting plants, and “geeked” out over each other’s climbing gear. In the midst of all this, our guides prepared wild deer on an open fire.
Dendroglyphs
In February 2018, I visited the vast midlevel, old-growth conifer forests of Taiwan. Accompanied by my wife Rachel, also a tree climber, we assisted researcher Rebecca Hsu during an expedition setting up weather stations and collecting information on tall Cunninghamia lanceolata, Tsuga chinensis, Taiwania crytomeroides, Chamaecyperis formosensis and Chamaecyparis obtusa. Most of Rebecca’s work focuses on tall trees, vascular epiphytes, and bryophytes throughout Taiwan. These include organisms like a carnivorous moss of/or related to the Pleurozia genus. Taiwan is an extremely mountainous country, with more than 250 peaks above 9,000 ft., and claims to have the highest
Cluster of light green carnivorous moss. Photo by Brian French.
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Recent dendroglyphs in the Clian Forest, Taiwan. Photos by Brian French.
how far we thought we had lost ourselves, our aboriginal guides, dressed in modern outdoor apparel, seemed to have internal compasses with flawless directions. On the second or third day, as I recall, we were introduced to another form of communication. Markings offering information about good hunting areas, the terrain, and ancient animal trails had been carved into trees. These markings (dendroglyphs) were another way past hunters and ancestors could communicate to decedents that rely on these diverse forests. What seemed evident was the generational use of these scarred trees, still treated as a kind of forest utility and recognized by their community today.
Driving back to Taipei, I was taken by a sense of conflict. As the trees shrunk in size, the roads changed from gravel to pavement and billboards appeared, I knew we were well on our way to showers and a warm meal. The transition seemed as if I was trading a human essence for convenience. Or that I had left something there but didn’t know what. I imagine this is a common reaction many encounter after a week’s camping trip or outdoor adventure. If so, does this confirm a connection we have with trees?
cate? Many conifers can outlive our average life expectancy by 40 times. Trees are living archives of information, like fires from hundreds of years ago, floods, and droughts—but also, the history of our communities and where we came from.
We can reveal history and communicate through a “lens of time” in living trees. Why wouldn’t we use trees to communi-
Reprinted with permission from Pacific Northwest–ISA.
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Consistent in past and present civilizations appears a primal and reverential connection with trees. In art, religion, and government, trees are celebrated, but none more celebrated than through the works of our arborist community.
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Member News Faith Appelquist, RCA #495, was quoted in the Wall Street Journal on Friday, March 1, 2019, in an article titled “A Fallen Tree, a Silver Lining,” about an enormous tree limb that fell on a historic mansion in Richmond, Virginia, triggering a chance for the owners to tackle home improvements along with necessary repairs. Faith was found by author Katy McLaughlin through the ASCA website and was interviewed by her regarding tree failures and what to look for when examining a tree.
Julian Dunster’s (RCA #378) book, Trees and The Law in Canada, is available at https:// treelaw.info/product/trees-andthe-law-in-canada/. The book covers nuisance, trespass, negligence, damage appraisal, personal injury, and property damage and includes a completely new chapter dealing with tree law in Quebec. Reviews of the book are published at https:// treelaw.info/reviews/.
The article can be found here.
Call for Nominations for 2020 Board of Directors Candidates The ASCA Nominations Committee is asking you to submit a nomination for yourself or names of other interested professional members who are qualified to serve. The deadline to submit your nomination is Friday, June 7, 2019. This year, in response to member feedback, the board has requested that the Nominating Committee work to provide two candidates per open position so that members will have a choice. This choice depends on your
submissions. Please participate in this important step. Elections will be held in September. Nominations Committee 2019 Jon Butcher, RCA #486, Chair Denice Britton, RCA #296 Scott Cullen, RCA #348 Alan Jones, RCA #364 Mark Porter For access to forms and pertinent information, please visit the ASCA website members section and select ASCA Governance.
In Memoriam: Larry Hanks ASCA is sad to report the passing of Larr y Hanks on We d n e s d a y, March 27, 2019, at Miramar Beach, Florida. Larry was a mentor and a friend to many in tree care and consulting and will be missed. He was the owner of Pampered Properties, Inc. in Georgetown, Kentucky, and was an ASCA RCA (#415) and a Certified Arborist
with the International Society of Arboriculture. Laura Lambert, executive director of the Kentucky Arborists Association (KAA), says “Larry was one of the quiet, unsung heroes of ISA, KAA, and all of Kentucky arboriculture. He was the glue that joined many different segments of the green industry together before plant health care was recognized as the environmentally sustainable methodology for the urban forest. This was not his first career but was his love found at maturity. He brought many people into the profession and encouraged all
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of us. Larry had the infectious smile of a mischievous little boy that remained with him throughout his life. While quiet, he had a wisdom that when he said something, we all knew to listen. Larry will be missed by everyone whom he touched.” In addition to his wife, Susan Tatum Hanks, Larry is survived by his children, Melanie Hanks Lucas (Greg), W. Timothy Hanks (Jennifer), Kim Donaldson, and William Ryan Hanks, and 12 grandchildren. Donations may be made in Larry’s name to KET, 560 Cooper Drive, Lexington, KY 40502 or Woodford Humane Society, P.O. Box 44, Versailles, KY 40383.
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Meet the New ASCA Board Members! Richard Adkins, RCA #573 Phoenix, Arizona
R ichard Adkins is currently the forestry supervisor for the city of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department. He is one of the principle authors of the city’s nationally recognized Tree and Shade Master Plan and serves as the city’s arborist. He also maintains a part-time arboricultural consulting practice providing education, assessments, and artistic pruning services for both commercial and residential clients. Prior to the urban forests of Arizona, Richard worked with forest research, nursery management, and extension programming in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, and in other regions of the United States. Richard also served as a technical forester in the Peace Corps, learning, teaching, and promoting best nursery practices and agroforestry techniques in Nepal. Richard holds an M.S. in forestry from Utah State University and a B.S. in resource management from Virginia Tech. He is an ASCA Registered Consulting Arborist and an ISA Certified Arborist, and is Tree Risk Assessment Qualified. Richard is trained in permaculture techniques and sustainable landscape management practices. He is a past president of the Arizona Community Tree Council, has served on the Community Forestry Committee for the state of Arizona, and is an active participant
with Arizona State University’s Sustainable Cities Network. Richard was selected as a “True Professional in Arboriculture” in 2011 by ISA. Before joining the ASCA board, Richard served on the editorial review committee for The Arboricultural Consultant and as an ASCA Academy coach From Richard: I have always considered ASCA and its members to be the best of the arboriculture profession. It is indeed an honor and privilege to serve on the ASCA board, an opportunity I take seriously. I am excited to work with board leadership and staff to promote the association and expand meaningful opportunities for membership. I offer an ethical, proactive, and interactive approach for implementing the strategic plan, and I look forward to continuing the increased communication to strengthen and advance ASCA and the membership.
Glenn D. Gentzke, RCA #485 Tonawanda, New York
Owner of Tree Services of Western New York, LLC, Glenn D. Gentzke is a Board C er t i f ied Ma ster Arborist and RCA. He is also ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualified. In charting an arboricultural career, Glenn built on his background in finance and accounting (B.S., University at Buffalo, 1973) as a senior program manager working on complex flight control systems for Moog, Inc., and through his military experience as an officer in the U.S. Army. Concerned for
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the safety and training of tree workers, whether veterans or novices, he has taught the Certified Arborist Preparatory Course for the past seven years. A member of the New York State Arborists’ Board of Governors, Glenn also serves on the council of New York ReLeaf and is a member of a city of Tonawanda, New York, tree committee. He has been a frequent contributor to The Arboricultural Consultant, writing about his tree-related travels in Europe. In his spare time, Glenn enjoys enhancing his Lionel trains collection and practicing his German. From Glenn: Serving on the ASCA board has enriched my awareness of consulting as a full-time profession and provided networking opportunities that couldn’t be enjoyed otherwise. The board stimulates thought and encourages growth in our profession. I continue to learn from my colleagues, and I welcome further interaction and collaboration with my fellow Consulting Arborists.
Ron Matranga, RCA #488 Spring Valley, California
Ron Matranga, RCA #488, has been in the tree care industry with Atlas Tree since 1983 and is a leader in the San Diego area arboriculture industry. He became a Certified Arborist in 1991 and the first Board-Certified Master Arborist in San Diego in 2007. He is an RCA and is Tree Risk Assessment Qualified, and he helps a wide range of clients as a consultant
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and expert witness. He also has been an instructor for Arborist Certification preparation courses since 1998. Ron served on the board of directors for the Professional Tree Care Association (PTCA) of San Diego from 2002–2018. The PTCA is a local group of industry professionals dedicated to advancing the tree care profession in San Diego County. In 2016, Ron was the proud recipient of the Bob Bichowsky Memorial Service Award. He has testified in court on a number of tree cases and continues to manage tree crews on a daily basis.
Ron is a recognized speaker on a variety of tree care topics and has spoken to Master Gardeners, horticulture clubs, municipal agencies, nursery professionals, landscape contractors, and other tree-related organizations about various aspects of arboriculture. Because of Ron’s background, experience, and passion working with residential, commercial, and historical trees and sites, he maintains a professional point of view while understanding the practical needs of the field arborist. From Ron: As an ASCA member since 1999, I can say that having benefitted from prior ASCA
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leadership, I was honored, and by 2018, I felt some sense of responsibility to serve in a leadership role. I had been mentored by other longtime members, and their example and guidance were incredibly valuable as I looked to serve on the board. The members of ASCA are high-level professionals who take their work seriously, and ASCA serves a very important role in helping our members become better consultants. When nominated and asked to serve a three-year term, I was excited that I would be in a position to help make decisions in the interest of the membership as a whole. I have learned that this ASCA board is dedicated, devoted, and determined and will look toward the future and try to do what is best for the entire membership.
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Welcome New Members
New RCAs
Edward Marshall Badeaux Johns Island, SC marshall@charlestontreeexperts.com
Odis Sisk Gainesville, GA Odis@GreenPrismConsulting.com
Debra De Marco, RCA #672
Gary Carbocci Saint James, NY arborcare@aol.com
Mark Stephens Floyds Knobs, IN mark@eagerbeaver.pro
Ryan Hagstrom, RCA #674
Michael DeSanto Tolland, MA mdesanto@bartlett.com
Albert Weisfuss Carmel, CA albertweisfuss@gmail.com
Geoffrey Manning Roanoke, VA geoff@manningarb.com
David Whalen Clarksburg, ON david.whalen@willowstone.ca
Lindsey Purcell, RCA #673 Alicia Ortega, RCA #675 Apolonio Gomez, RCA #676
John Sinclair Bellevue, WA mytreeguyjohn@gmail.com
David Huppe, RCA #677 Philip van Wassenaer, RCA #678 Paul Flores, RCA #679
RCA Embosser and Stamp—Distinguish Yourself The Registered Consulting Arborist® (RCA)* status represents ASCA's premier level of membership. Official RCA stamps and embossers are available for purchase—use these items to distinguish your work products. *You must be an RCA to order RCA products.
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Involved With Community and Urban Forestry?
There is a professional organization waiting for you. Confidence, competence, and camaraderie.
www.urban-forestry.com
Join the Society of Municipal Arborists Today!
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Latest on the ASCA Exchange TPAQ Instructors Denice Britton, RCA #296 James Clark, Ph.D. RCA #357 Mark Duntemann, RCA #656
Even the most experienced Consulting Arborists could use some help figuring out the best solution. As an ASCA member, you have an invaluable resource— fellow members. Post your questions in the ASCA Exchange and receive diverse solutions. In turn, if you enjoy figuring out problems and helping others, subscribe to the Exchange today.
Check out some of the latest discussion topics: • Buried Tree Recovery Plan • When doesn’t a stinkweed smell like a stinkweed; a weekend tree appraisal adventure • Interesting Tree Branch Growth • CEUs/Webinars
William Fountain, Ph.D. RCA #594 Brian Gilles, RCA# 418 Christian Hughes, RCA# 493 Robert Laverne, RCA# 403 Jeffrey Ling, RCA #337 Gil Mitchell, RCA #317 Anita Schill, RCA# 421 E. Thomas Smiley, Ph.D. RCA #635 Lisa Smith, RCA# 464 Robert Wells, RCA #593 Donald Zimar, RCA #446
To view the ASCA Exchange, please log in here. Your login is the same email and password you use to access the ASCA website. If you have any questions regarding your login, please contact Julianne Clarke at asca@asca-consultants.org.
Submit Your CEUs! You must earn 30 CEUs every two years to maintain your ASCA membership. ASCA provides many oppor tunities to earn CEUs— View a full list of approved CEUs. Remember to submit your CEUs as you earn them. Once you have 30 approved CEUs for the period, additional credits are not required.
Submitting CEUs online is easy: • Log in to the ASCA website. • Click “Manage Profile.” • At the top of the page, click the “Enter Your CEUs Now” icon. • In the Certification/Program dropdown, select the 18–19 cycle. View step-by-step instructions.
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Send Us Your Best Shot— Ye Ole Tree! We asked members to send examples of interesting historic or “grand” trees. Check out these beauties!
Pictures of a banyan tree in Maui, Hawaii. Planted in 1873, it is the oldest banyan tree in Hawaii. It is a protected tree in the community of Lahaina, with police on bikes patrolling the area. There is a wiki page about the tree: https://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Banyan_tree_in_Lahaina
Rocky Mountain ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa var. scopulorum) located in Mineral County, Montana, next to Fish Creek, just off Interstate 90. This pine is over 350 years old, a shade under 200 feet tall, and over 6 feet in diameter. It contains enough wood to build two average size houses. It has survived brutal climate, insects, disease, and commercial logging yet is presently threatened by root erosion that sinks into Fish Creek’s river banks. It is listed as the reigning champ in American Forests® Big Tree Champion for its species. I took the picture while lying on my back in a dusty, earthen parking lot. Surprisingly, visitors have respected the protective fencing around the perimeter of this woody warrior.
(Photo credits: Faith Appelquist, RCA #495)
(Photo credit: Mike Garvey, RCA #461)
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Quercus lobata shading a Miwok village of U’macha’tam’ma’ (bark houses), located in California’s Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park.
(Photo credit: Randall Frizzell, RCA #361)
The famous El Palo Alto Redwood Tree, located in El Palo Alto Park, in Palo Alto, California, dates back to approximately the year 940. The state of California has designated this tree as its #2 landmark. The city of Palo Alto is also named after this majestic giant. Stanford University uses its image in their university seal, and the campus mascot—costumed, dancing, and often seemingly drunk—is a human-size replica of this tree. In 2014, Arborist OnSite® was commissioned to perform a noninvasive health assessment on this historical redwood using radar imaging technology. Above, Dave Dockter, city arborist for Palo Alto, and Jeremy Johnson of Arborist OnSite® are performing a trunk imaging scan at a 14 ft. elevation.
(Photo credit: Robert Booty, RCA #487) American Society of Consulting Arborists
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Industry Reports From ASCA’s Representatives American National Standards Institute (ANSI) A300 Committee By Richard Gessner, RCA #496
ASCA’s representative to the ASC is Richard Gessner, RCA #496 (2017–2019). T he ASCA alternate representative to ASC is Andrew Mertz, RCA #542 (2017–2019). The A300 liaison to the ASCA board of directors is Richard Adkins, RCA #573, ASCA president-elect (2019). Current members of the ASCA A300 Advisory Committee (AAC) (2019) include: • Kenneth Knight, RCA #507 • John Martyn • Anita Schill, RCA #421 • Zeb Haney, RCA #616 The full A300 committee completed its spring meeting March 26–28 in San Antonio, Texas. The fall meeting is scheduled for the middle of October in Minneapolis, Minnesota. At this time, there are two newly published documents, which are Part 2: Soil Management and Part 7: Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM). Part 5: Construction and Site Development has completed its public review phase, and comments were addressed at the meeting. Upcoming documents to be revised include Part 8: Roots, Part 3: Supplemental Support Systems, and Part 4, Lightning Protection. Part 6: Tree Plant-
ing is under complete overhaul and was recently reaffirmed to buy time for the development of the new document. Please reach out with any questions.
Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers (CTLA) By Jim Clark, Ph.D., RCA #357
ASCA members likely know that CTLA prepares the Guide for Plant Appraisal and ISA publishes it. I’ve been working with ISA on preparing the second printing. You will likely see notice of its availability by the end of May. Thanks to everyone who provided corrections. One comment I’d like to offer about the 10th is that there is always a gray zone. Become comfortable with it. Few appraisal projects are black and white. Like the editions that preceded it, the 10th is a guide. As such, it provides a framework for plant appraisal. The 10th provides both concepts and process with examples of their application. It offers direction and suggestions about how to address specific projects. But the 10th is not a manual. And it does not offer specific solutions to every possible appraisal problem. An appraisal is an opinion of value. Opinions will vary. All of us will encounter situations where more than one approach, method, or
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technique can be applied. In those situations, we can either evaluate the problem in multiple ways or simply select one. The key is to be thoughtful about the approach, method, and technique. A second topic warranting comment is assessing trees in woodlands and forests. I’ve been asked if depreciation for functional limitations is appropriate in such settings. Some appraisers suggest that no depreciation should be applied, as trees are growing under natural conditions. I disagree with this view. Functional limitations focus on the species and site factors that may constrain performance. Such limitations exist even under natural conditions. Each species will still face disease and insect problems. Site features such as density, stand structure, site index, and crown class will influence performance. Taken together, these factors may affect performance and should therefore be considered as functional limitations. Please contact me with any questions.
Sustainable Urban Forests Coalition (SUFC) By John Harris, RCA #496
The Sustainable Urban Fore st s C oa l it ion (SUFC) is increasing its membership and influence through sharing success stories of partnerships in urban forestry projects.
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My first meeting in Washington, D.C., as the ASCA representative to SUFC was motivating and provided ideas to share with ASCA members for professional opportunities and projects to consider. As stated on the first page of its website, “The trees, vegetation, and green spaces that make up America’s urban forests are essential contributors to virtually every measure of public well-being.” ASCA members are part of the professionals that plan, manage, maintain, and research the values of urban forests that are gaining greater and greater recognition as essential to sustainable communities. There are many leading urban forestry and environmental organizations, government agencies, and businesses in the membership of SUFC. You can read more about the SUFC on its website, www.sufc.org. Another SUFC-produced website we can all use more in our work is Vibrant Cities Lab, www.vibrantcitieslab.com. Meeting many of the leaders from member organizations and businesses, and introducing them to ASCA and what our members can do in urban forestry projects, kept me busy during the many networking sessions throughout the SUFC annual meeting. Some of the major organizations in SUFC that you might recognize are the USFS-U&CF Program, USFS Research Stations, The Nature Conservancy, American Forests,
Arbor Day Foundation, ISA, SAF, APA, OPEI, APWA, ASLA, and SMA. The diversity of professions and nonprofits that have come together to support and promote the importance of urban forestry is impressive, and the visibility of SUFC was recognized in my view by the USFS chief, Vickie Christiansen, being the keynote speaker at our reception held in the U.S. Botanical Garden across the street from the U.S. Capitol. How can ASCA members gain from our membership in SUFC? We gain knowledge of the work and the policies of the member organizations and businesses, which gives us the current terminology, current model projects and partnerships, and current statistics about the federal funding for different budget items, all related to urban forestry. We also gain by having a representative that communicates about Consulting Arborists and what we can do, and are doing, in urban forestry—from planning and design of projects, to inventories and assessments, to management, and many other needed tasks or functions. We need to publicize our work and the partnerships we have in projects for Green Infrastructure improvements, Urban Forest Management Plans, Greenways and Blueways projects, and others. There may be other types of projects ASCA members work on that would be of interest
to SUFC members too, so send ASCA information that I can share and help you publicize for both your success and the success of ASCA as well. One of the main functions of SUFC is keeping aware of, and providing policy statements and support for, the multiple federal funding sources for urban forestry related efforts—including work and research done by nonprofits; government agencies at federal, state, or local levels; and businesses. Many of us have learned that the level of funding and consistent funding levels from the federal government does influence the priorities and levels of funding by state and local governments for those same community functions and activities. Knowing the federal funding labyrinth and helping to obtain funding for urban forestry is good for ASCA and puts our organization on par with the other SUFC member organizations. So stay tuned for more information and the next SUFC update in this newsletter. Hopefully, we will find more opportunities and more connections that can benefit the careers and success for all our members. Thanks for placing me in this position, and make sure you take some time to enjoy the benefits of an urban forest near you!
Example Reports For Consulting Arborists 3rd Ed. This is your resource for knowing what information to include and how to format Consulting Arborist reports. The book encompasses practice reports from students of the ASCA Consulting Academy and a real-life report as submitted by an author to an actual client. Order your copy at www.asca-consultants.org American Society of Consulting Arborists
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A Day in the Life of a Consultant Post-Fire Tree Assessment By Jeannine and Ted Lubeshkoff
Jeannine and Ted Lubeshkoff of JTL Consultants conducted post-fire Tree Risk Assessments at a 32-acre historic family campground in the Stanislaus National Forest in Tuolumne County, California. The campground is located along the south fork of the Tuolumne River, west of Yosemite National Park. This area was impacted by the 2013 Rim Fire that destroyed over 250,000 acres of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. At the time of the fire, it was the third-largest wildfire in California’s history, but in 2018, it became California’s fifth-largest modern wildfire. The Rim Fire is also the largest wildfire on record in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. An initial tree
survey was done in 2013 after the fire to inventory the trees and estimate the probability of tree survival. The owners plan to rebuild the camp buildings and reopen the campground. Our assignment in March 2019 was to conduct Tree Risk Assessments on 175 trees in the camp in a two-week period. Some of the challenges we faced included inclement weather with rain, snow, hail, and sub-freezing temperatures; rough terrain with steep slopes covered in thick brush and downed trees; equipment failure; poor satellite reception for a GPS receiver unit; and being away from our home office for two weeks. Our prepara-
Ladybug colony on Ponderosa pine bark.
Tuolumne River and work site.
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tion for the conditions included clothing layers, waterproof boots, and umbrellas. We used multiple iPads, portable chargers, GPS receiver units, tablets, laptops, and smart phones. Every day included sightings of deer, raptors, and colonies of lady bugs. This project helped hone our skills in organizing the workload over a large area. We also learned new tree, plant, and fungus species. Two articles we found helpful for this assignment were “Predicting Postfire Mortality of Seven Western Conifers,” by K.C. Ryan and E.D. Reinhardt (1988), and “Using Bark Char Codes to Predict Post-fire Cambium Mortality,” by S.M Hood, D.R. Cluck, S.L. Smith, and K.C. Ryan (2008). The demand for post-fire Tree Risk Assessments and tree evaluations will likely rise with the increased rate and intensity of wildfires in California.
Douglas firs in the snow.
Jeannine evaluating a black oak.
Ted tree mapping in the snow.
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Joking Around By Lew Bloch, RCA #297
On Monday, April 1, 2019, I went to appear as an expert witness in a case in Fairfax County, Virginia. After the judge appeared and instructed everybody to be seated, he said that he would read the docket for the morning and that the parties for each case should stand, state their name, and put their hands behind their backs so that the bailiff could handcuff them. There was a brief pause and then an “April Fools!� I guess some judges do occasionally have a sense of humor.
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The Grammar Tree
Ad
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Common Uses for Commas
1. A compound sentence contains two (or more) complete sentences connected with a conjunction. These connecting conjunctions include and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet. • We studied for about an hour, and we didn’t feel as if that was long enough. • We studied for an hour, we watched an hour of television, and we studied for another hour. If you don’t use the conjunction, you need to use a semicolon. This construction is still considered a compound sentence. • We studied for an hour; we didn’t feel that was long enough. If the two sentences are short, you don’t need the comma. • I watched TV and I went to bed. If the second sentence isn’t really a complete sentence, do not use a comma. Usually what is missing is the subject of the second sentence. • We studied for about an hour and didn’t feel as if that was long enough.
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2. The series comma is probably the most well-known use of a comma. Items in a series need commas to separate them. The comma before the and is optional. That comma is called the Oxford, or series, comma. If you decide to use the Oxford comma, use it consistently within a piece of writing. Don’t alternate between using and not using it. The only exception is to put it in when the meaning of the sentence would be confusing without it — even if you have not been using it in that piece of writing. • This recipe calls for apples, pears, and cranberries. (Oxford comma used.) • This recipe calls for apples, pears and cranberries. (No Oxford comma.) • The dog ran out of the kitchen, into the yard, and across the street. (A series of phrases.) • The dog ran out of the kitchen, into the yard and across the street. (No Oxford comma.)
• You can make a fruit salad with any fruit: apples, oranges, pears, berries, etc. • She knit socks, sweaters, scarves, etc., for her grandchildren. • She is the captain of the cheerleading squad, i.e., the one who leads the cheers. • You need to take advanced math, e.g., calculus, to get into that school. 5. Salutations and closings of letters and emails use commas. • Dear Frank, (but in a business letter, a colon is more commonly used: Dear Ms. Smith:) • Sincerely yours,
• She said, “I don’t like the rain.” • “I don’t like the rain,” she said.
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4. Use commas before and after etc. (and so on), i.e. (that is), and e.g. (for example). (Don’t forget the periods.)
3. Commas are used in dialog to separate it from the rest of the sentence.
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ASCA Staff Profiles Thérèse O. Clemens, CAE
Executive Direcor
Thérèse Clemens joined ASCA as its deputy executive director in October 2017 and immediately attended her first ASCA conference at Sk a ma nia Lodge in Washington State. She served in that position until she succeeded Beth Palys as executive director upon her retirement in July 2018. Thérèse grew up in Savannah, Georgia, where, on her first trip home from college, driving along a familiar street under the canopy of live oaks draped with Spanish moss, she realized that she “…grew up in a beautiful forest.” Thérèse has over 20 years of nonprofit management experience across five organizations, most recently serving nearly 10 years in progressive roles culminating as executive director for the International Society for the Study of Trauma (ISSTD). While there, she received the 2010 President’s Award and upon her departure, was honored by the association by being the first recipient of the Thérèse O. Clemens Advocacy Award— established in her name to recognize the lay individual or organization outside of the field of psychiatry or psychotherapy who, through their continuing efforts and dedication, has advanced the mission and vision of the ISSTD.
agent for a major airline, and with destination management firms, giving her a broad spectrum of insight into association management and the closely related meetings and hospitality industry. Thérèse earned her bachelor’s degree in theatre, studying costume design, and completed master’s level coursework in theatre management from the University of Georgia. She loves the Bulldogs! She is a member of the American Society of Association Executives and is a Certified Association Executive. Her theatre background was a perfect foundation for managing association meetings and events. “I’ve not been part of the arboriculture field until now,” she stated, “and it’s wonderful to see how caring ASCA members are, not just about trees and the environment, but also about the importance of passing the lessons on to future arborists and environmental specialists.” Recently, the board met at ASCA’s offices in Rockville, Maryland, during peak cherry blossom season and took a field trip to downtown Washington, D.C., one evening. “I loved walking around the Tidal Basin with the board seeing these cherry trees blossoming through the eyes of skilled arborists. How do those trees manage to delight us year after year when the soil is so compacted by millions of visitors’ feet?”
Julianne Clarke
Member Services Coordinator
Working part time while raising three children with her husband of 35 years, Hunter, she developed a deep appreciation for nonprofit associations and the contributions they make to the fabric of business. She has worked in hotel sales and catering departments, as a station American Society of Consulting Arborists
Julianne Clarke has come a long way from her native Australia. Starting her career in accounting, mainly working for advertising a gencies, she ha s 26
worked in Australia, the UK, and the United States. In England, Julianne worked for the advertising agencies Yellowhammer and Harari Page. Eventually moving to the States, she worked for a variety of companies, including nonprofit PEOPLINK. Most recently, Julianne worked for AMG in a number of capacities, so she is familiar with the association world and brings her love for customer service to ASCA. As a member of the ASCA team, Julianne manages all member services and registrations for ASCA’s Annual Conference and the Consulting Academy. Many of you who have applied to be a Registered Consulting Arborist have probably been in communication with Julianne as she guided you through the process of becoming an RCA. Julianne works closely with Thérèse on the newly introduced TPAQ workshops, making sure everything goes smoothly for the hosts of this new course that is being offered by ASCA nationwide. Julianne prides herself on her customer service skills and hopes to bring new members into the ASCA fold. She says, “Not coming from an arboricultural background, it is interesting to hear and learn from this enthusiastic group and how much they care about the trees and the industry that cares for them. Recently, when I expressed a desire to visit the Redwoods of California, having never been there, it was fabulous to have an ASCA member voluntarily share their abundant knowledge on where to find the biggest, oldest, and tallest of these grand trees. It made my adventure so much more special.”
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