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Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) was found in Boulder, CO, in September 2013. As a non-native insect, EAB lacks predators to keep it in check. EAB only attacks ash trees in the genus Fraxinus (so mountain ash are not susceptible).

Approximately 15% of the trees that make up Colorado's urban forest are ash. There are an estimated 98,000 in the city of Boulder alone. The Denver Metro area has an estimated 1.45 million ash trees. EAB is responsible for the death of millions of ash trees in the United States.

Help protect Colorado's ash trees! Don't move firewood, and consider chemical treatments to protect high-value ash trees within or near the EAB Quarantine area.

Where has the EAB been found?

The destructive emerald ash borer has made its first incursion into the backcountry of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where it could do serious damage to hardwood forests, according to National Park Service biologists.

The ash borer is a non-native species that was introduced from Asia and first discovered in southern Michigan in 2002. In just 10 years, the bugs have spread to 16 states and two Canadian provinces killing tens of millions of ash trees.

The emerald ash borer is a half-inch inch-long metallic green beetle that lays eggs on the bark on all species of ash trees. After hatching, the larvae burrow under the bark, and create feeding tunnels that cut off nutrient and water flow to the tree. The tree can die in three to five years.

Since 2009, officials have been monitoring for the presence of the invasive pest. Front country infestations were confirmed in June 2012 at Sugarlands Visitor Center and at the Greenbrier entrance to the Park.

An off-duty park employee discovered the backcountry infestation on an administrative trail in the Greenbrier area in early November. The employee noticed a pile of bark chips at the base of several ash trees. Signs of woodpecker activity on ash trees is an excellent indicator of an EAB infestation.

Paul Merten, a forest insect specialist from the USDA Forest Service in Asheville, NC, confirmed EAB at the site by looking under ash tree bark for feeding tunnels left by the immature beetle.

“The infestation is well established, probably two years old or older,” Merten said.

Complete eradication of EAB is not currently feasible, but Park Resource Managers are developing a management plan to maintain public safety and protect ash trees where possible. EAB and other tree pests can be transported in firewood. Park regulations prohibit bringing firewood to the Smokies from areas that have been quarantined for EAB or other destructive pests.

Emerald Ash Borer

Emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, is an exotic beetle that was discovered in southeastern Michigan near Detroit in the summer of 2002. The adult beetles nibble on ash foliage but cause little damage. The larvae (the immature stage) feed on the inner bark of ash trees, disrupting the tree's ability to transport water and nutrients. Emerald ash borer probably arrived in the United States on solid wood packing material carried in cargo ships or airplanes originating in its native Asia. Emerald ash borer is also established in Windsor, Ontario, was found in Ohio in 2003, northern Indiana in 2004, northern Illinois and Maryland in 2006, western Pennsylvania and West Virginia in 2007, Wisconsin, Missouri and Virginia in the summer of 2008, Minnesota, New York, Kentucky in the spring of 2009, Iowa in the spring of 2010, Tennessee in the summer of 2010, Connecticut, Kansas, and Massachusetts in the summer of 2012, New Hampshire in the spring of 2013, North Carolina and Georgia in the summer of 2013, Colorado in the fall of 2013, New Jersey in the spring of 2014, Arkansas in the summer of 2014, and Louisiana in the winter of 2015. Since its discovery, EAB has:

Killed hundreds of millions of ash trees in North America.

Caused regulatory agencies and the USDA to enforce quarantines (Michigan, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Quebec) and fines to prevent potentially infested ash trees, logs or hardwood firewood from moving out of areas where EAB occurs.

Cost municipalities, property owners, nursery operators and forest products industries hundreds of millions of dollars.

EAB was originally detected in Colorado in the fall of 2013.  Delimitation surveys initiated in 2013 followed a scientific protocol developed by the Canadian Forest Service.  Subsequent surveys initiated in 2014, 2015 and 2016 have targeted ash trees exhibiting symptoms of decline.

Many ash trees all over the state of Colorado are in poor condition due to freeze, drought and other environmental conditions.  Ash pests such as lilac ash borer, ash bark beetle and other boring insects are much more common than EAB.

Update on EAB in Boulder County - Watch Your Ash

Watch Your Ash is a multimedia project created by graduate students at the University of Colorado providing an excellent overview of EAB detection and management in Boulder.

 

Summit County, Colorado

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Musk thistle is an ever-increasing problem in Colorado. It's a noxious weed prevalent in open spaces, vacant lots, pastures, ditch banks and along roadsides. Musk thistle is a biennial, which means it lives only two years. In the first year, it germinates from seed and grows into a low-growing rosette of leaves. The leaves are very prickly-spiny, and often have a white margin. In the plant's second growing season, it sends up multiple flowering stems. At this stage, the plant may grow two to six feet tall. As many as 100 flowers per plant develop in mid-summer through fall. Flowers are attractive purple-pink, about the size of a silver dollar. Just beneath the flowers are some very spiny bracts. After flowering and seed dispersal, the musk thistle plant dies.

The key to musk thistle control is to halt seed production. To accomplish this in the first year of the plant's life, sever the root below ground with a shovel or hoe when the plant is in the rosette stage. This can also be accomplished in the second year by severing the root before flowers develop. Mowing musk thistle in its second year is effective if it's done before any flowers mature. Herbicides are most effective when used on first year rosettes, especially in late summer or fall. Second-year plants that are developing flowering stems are much less susceptible to herbicides. Homeowners can use glyphosate or 2,4-D herbicides, when temperatures are 60 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit, and when winds are less than five miles per hour. Don't allow spray to come in contact with any desirable vegetation. As with any pesticide, read herbicide label directions carefully and follow them explicitly.

Alternatively, an introduced insect called the musk thistle seed head weevil feeds on developing seeds and can reduce the number of viable seeds produced by fifty percent or more.

Aspen Trees

Lots of preparation, patience and understanding are needed to grow aspen in the urban landscape. Aspen prefer light soils that are acidic and drain well, but these conditions are rarely found in urban areas. Aspen will do best on the north and east sides of buildings.

If the soil where an aspen tree is to be planted has a high content of clay, build a berm of sandy loam 18 to 24 inches high. A berm is a mound or wall of earth. The berm should be mulched and several plants should be planted in the bed.

Nearly all aspen available for sale are collected, meaning they were dug out of the wild with little of their root system. Even after careful preparation and care, aspen still only have a life expectancy of about 25 years in the home landscape.

Expect insects and diseases, some of which have no controls. Blackened leaves towards the late summer and fall are caused by aphid secretion or a leaf spot disease. The leaf spot disease is known as Marssonina leaf spot or aspen leaf spot. The best control is to pick up the leaves, which are the source of reinfection, in the fall and cut away trees and branches to increase air circulation and reduce humidity throughout the aspens.

Orange pimples on the bark indicate the presence of cytospora canker. Cankered branches usually occur on weakened trees and need to be removed.

Oystershell scale is an insect about 1/8” long, brown or gray in color and is in the shape of an oyster shell.  The insect feeds on the trunk and branches of the aspen, resulting in a weakened tree. The stage most familiar to the homeowner is the covering of the full-grown female. The covering remains attached to the tree for some time, often, with the overwintering eggs protected beneath the old scale. Overwintering scale can be gently scrubbed away with a plastic covered sponge. Oystershell scale can be difficult to control due to the waxy covering on the insect. Once an individual tree in an aspen grove starts developing deadwood and a thin crown, it should be removed to allow new shoots to develop.

 

Summit County, CO.

homesweethomelandscaping.com

 

How to Be A Habitat Hero

What Is a Wildscape?

A "wildscape" is simply a landscape designed to provide habitat for wildlife, large and small. A wildscape can be as large as a whole yard or as small as a few pots on a balcony. It can be a public place like a park, schoolyard garden or golf course; it can be a working landscape like a farm, nursery or orchard. Whatever and wherever it is, a wildscape is a healthy community based on natural relationships. Wildscaping is a way of gardening and landscaping that not only throws a habitat "life-line" to wildlife threatened by fragmentation, it can bring the joy of restoring and watching nature right at home.

A garden can be a pleasure, a personal sanctuary that nurtures and sustains you, even as you nurture it. A garden can bring you home, reconnecting you to the intricate community of life that animates this beautiful Earth, our home.

Habitat heroes are people who practice a form of landscape stewardship called "wildscaping," landscaping designed to provide habitat for wildlife, large and small. Whether the landscape you tend is a home yard, a few pots on a balcony, a public park or schoolyard garden, or a farm or orchard, habitat heroes believe in growing a healthy community.

Wildscaping Basics

Plant bird- and butterfly-friendly species for year-round food, cover and shelter;

Use less water (and thus less energy) by planting natives and regionally adapted plants;

Reduce lawn areas--grow edibles, perennials, and trees and shrubs where appropriate

Reduce or eliminate chemical use to make a more sustainable and healthier world for all of us.

Control invasive plants that degrade habitat in and beyond our yards.

Even small patches of wildscape can provide oases for wildlife like butterflies and native bees by creating green corridors that link your wildscape to larger wild lands.

How to Become a Habitat Hero

The Habitat Hero program is for optimists--people who believe that the things they do can have positive impacts on the world around them. It's for people like you who know their landscape is a place where they can get closer to nature because it's part of the vibrant web of life that surrounds us. Linking your yard to the wilder world isn't hard. The first step is to recognize that we can make more room for flapping wings and paw prints by simply softening our own footprints on the earth. Begin the transformation of your landscape by following the basic wildscaping principles above. Then comes the exciting part of building positive connections between your landscape and the surrounding landscape by cultivating native and regionally adapted plants, and using them in ways that mimic surrounding wild habitats to create mini-oases for birds and other wildlife. Apply to have your landscape recognized as a "Habitat Hero" wildscape.

Saving energy--your own and the planet's, reducing maintenance, and still having a beautiful landscape: That's wildscaping.

As it turns out, what's good for birds, butterflies and other wildlife tends to be good for people, too. Transforming our yards from highly managed lawns to wilder landscapes can keep our maintenance costs and time down, while creating opportunities for our families and friends to enjoy and learn about nature. And we can do all this while maintaining a landscape that is attractive, fun and beautiful.

Your landscape can contribute to a continent-wide mosaic of wildlife habitat

According to the EPA, residential lawns (not including parks, commercial landscapes or industrial areas) cover more than 20 million acres in the United States. If all those yards were transformed into small habitat patches, the additional wildlife habitat would be comparable to increasing the area of the entire National Wildlife Refuge system by twenty percent! The wildlife benefits would be enormous, and we'd all experience the joy of doing something positive for nature and our environment.

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There are 2 seasons we deal mainly in, snow and landscaping, one’s leaving soon and the other needs our attention. The time is now to get ready for our spring and summer landscapes, check out our website by clicking right here.

Snowstorms in the Wild West

While some of the snowiest places in the West were—and still are—in remote, relatively uninhabited places, there were incidents of travelers getting caught in winter storms, often with grim consequences. In October 1846, at the beginning of what is still considered to be a record snow season, George Donner, leading a group across the Truckee Pass, just north of Tahoe City, California, was surprised by an early winter blizzard. Within eight days, the snow had drifted 12 meters (40 feet) high, trapping the group in the mountains. They weren't rescued until April 1847, and by then only 47 of the initial 87 remained alive amid reports of cannibalism. In winter 1873, Alferd Packer and several fellow gold seekers trekked into the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado. Trapped in severe winter weather, months later, only Packer returned. When the bodies of the remaining men were found, evidence indicated that they had been cannibalized by Packer, for which he was later tried and convicted.

Although the sparsely populated West was not as drastically affected as the eastern metropolises, the western states received a fair share of winter storms. In the western part of the country, railroads were a critical form of transportation, especially for the mountain mining industries. Subways and elevated rails were not practical for the vast plains and mountain passes, so steam trains battled drifts with giant rotary plows, which plowed snow and blew it off the tracks at the same time. Ranchers erected snow fences, which protected roads and prevented snow from drifting too high on their property. The burgeoning population centers of the West, such as Denver, Salt Lake City, and Seattle, soon acquired snow removal equipment to battle the winter storms. However, some of the sunnier cities were often able to rely on the sun or mild weather to melt heavy snowfalls, as they still do today.

Planes, trains, and automobiles

Motorization swept the country in the early 20th century, leading to motorized dump trucks and plows as early as 1913. Many cities rushed to motorize their snow removal fleets, abandoning their horse-drawn carts. In conjunction with the new trucks, cities began to use tractors equipped with plow blades. To haul the snow away, they used steam shovels, cranes, and railway flatcars to get the snow off the streets and dumped into the rivers.

Another motorized invention, the snow loader, was successfully tried in Chicago in 1920, and several cities purchased snow loaders that same winter. The snow loader was an ingenious contraption. Riding on tractor treads, it was equipped with a giant scoop and a conveyor belt. As the snow was plowed, it was forced up the scoop and caught by the conveyor belt, which carried it up and away from the street. The snow was then deposited into a chute at the top where it was dropped into a dump truck parked underneath. The snow loader made snow removal much easier and more effective.

Early aviation development also advanced snow removal technology. Runways needed to be kept clear, prompting the first small airports to find solutions. Salt was effective only on ice and light snowfalls, and plowing mounds of heavy snow was time consuming. To combat the snow even before it hit the ground, snow fences were constructed on the windward sides of the runways, effectively trapping snow and preventing it from blowing onto the runways.

New fleets of dump trucks and tractor plows were very expensive for cities to purchase and maintain, but the amount of revenue lost if the streets were not cleared was by far more expensive than snow removal equipment. Because cities and businesses provided urban populations with a wide variety of goods and services on a daily basis, large snowfalls that debilitated transportation could strike a financial blow.

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For information on Summit County, CO. snow removal and landscaping please contact by clicking right here.

 

 

What are Native Species?

When settlers first made their way to Colorado in the early 1800’s, they brought with them seeds of plants from all over the world. Some were seeds planted in the Old World for food crops, windbreaks, landscaping, erosion control, and livestock forage. Many other seeds arrived accidentally, mixed with crop seeds, animal feed, or even in the ballast of ships. These came westward with shipments of agricultural goods, or they were dispersed along irrigation ditches, railroad tracks, wagon roads, and cattle trails. Today, either by accident or design, the introduction of nonnative plants to Colorado continues. Because of past and present human activities, Colorado’s landscape is replete with “nonnative” species.

But what is a native plant? The contributors and reviewers of this guide spent a great deal of time wrestling with this question. In the end, it was easiest to start by defining which plants were nonnative. Although there are other perspectives, the group decided to use the definition from Colorado's Weed Management Act. The act defines a nonnative plant species as: “. . . a plant species which is not indigenous to the state of Colorado, nor to the native plant community in which it is found.” Title 35, Colorado Revised Statutes: Colorado Weed Management Act.

This latter definition will be used in this guide. Conversely, a native species is defined as: “A plant species which is indigenous to the state of Colorado, or to the natural plant community in which it is found.”

The terms alien, nonnative, exotic, and adventive are all expressions used to describe plants that have been introduced to Colorado. To keep things simple, this guide uses “nonnative” throughout.

 

Why we should be concerned about the presence of nonnative plants in Colorado?

Many, but not all, nonnative plants spread rapidly and outcompete native species for water, light and soil nutrients. Native plant species have evolved with local herbivores and diseases that regulate population numbers. In contrast, nonnative species frequently have no local predators acting to keep population sizes in check. Many nonnative agronomic species were bred in the Old World for rapid growth, prolific reproduction, and ability to tolerate both disease and a wide range of soil, moisture, and light conditions. Nonnative weeds have often had several thousand years evolution in the presence of human disturbances, resulting in enhanced growth, reproduction, and environmental tolerance, similar to what was purposedly bred into agronomic species of the Old World. While these characteristics are valuable for agricultural crops, they enable nonnative species to become aggressive invaders of native ecosystems. If left uncontrolled, these species often form extensive single-species stands where once there were diverse and productive native communities.

Nonnative species cover bare ground with dense greenery and sometimes with showy flowers, but may provide little in the way of habitat values or plant community diversity and structure. For example, a marsh full of purple loosestrife in bloom makes a beautiful impression from a distance. However, closer observation will reveal a lack of other plant species and a dearth of animal life. The same observation can be made about areas where knapweeds, thistles, leafy spurge and other nonnative plants have become established.

Plants such as knapweed and leafy spurge release toxins into the soil which inhibit the germination of native species. In addition, many nonnative species are not palatable to most North American animals. Such characteristics enable nonnative plant species to establish large monotypic stands that deplete the soil moisture and shade the ground, eliminating chances that native plants will germinate and grow."

 

For landscaping in and about the many properties in Summit and Eagle County, Colorado, please contact us by clicking here.

Snowbelt cities like Buffalo and Syracuse in New York are among the snowiest cities in the United States, but others also receive significant amounts of snowfall. Salt Lake City, Utah, Anchorage, Alaska, and Denver, Colorado, have each received 2.5 meters (8 feet) or more in their record high seasons. These record highs are for cities only; remote mountain areas and smaller towns have received higher snowfall amounts. Paradise Ranger Station in Washington State and Thompson Pass, Alaska, regularly receive more than 12.5 meters (42 feet) of snow each winter. Sites along the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada Mountains also receive between 10 and 20 meters (33 to 67 feet) in a season.

Some notable North American snowstorms

Many communities across the country endure blizzards or unexpectedly large amounts of snow. The following list is not meant to be comprehensive, but captures a sampling of the historic blizzards in the United States.

February and March 1717: "The Great Snow of 1717" blanketed New England in a series of four storms, leaving nearly 1.25 meters (4 feet) on the ground and drifts up to 8 meters (25 feet) high.

January 1772: "The Washington and Jefferson Snowstorm" is so named because it trapped both men at their homes with snow up to one meter (three feet) deep throughout Maryland and Virginia.

December 1778: Named after the Revolutionary War troops stationed in Rhode Island, drifts were reported to be 4.5 meters (15 feet) high after this storm.

December 1811: A powerful storm buffeted New York City, Long Island, and southern New England, accompanied by gale-force winds and destructive tides that severely damaged many ships and harbors.

January 1857: "The Cold Storm" produced severe blizzard conditions along much of the eastern seaboard. Temperatures fell below nine degrees below zero Fahrenheit, and snowfalls were up to 60 centimeters (24 inches) deep.

March 1888: The "Blizzard of '88" produced temperatures plummeting well below zero degrees Fahrenheit, ravaging gusts of wind and deep snow drifts that stranded several cities, leaving them without transportation or communication. New York City suffered the most damage, particularly to its harbor areas.

November 1898: The "Portland Storm" was named after the ship that sank off the coast of Cape Cod, the S.S. Portland. High winds and moderately heavy snows accompanied the storm.

January 1922: The "Knickerbocker Storm" dumped over 60 centimeters (24 inches) of heavy snow on Washington D.C. causing the roof of the Knickerbocker Theatre to collapse, killing nearly 100 people.

December 1947: A post-Christmas storm caught New York residents by surprise, dropping more than 50 centimeters (20 inches) of snow in 24 hours.

January 1967: A series of record-breaking storms battered the west coast of Lake Michigan, hitting Chicago the hardest, shutting nearly everything down. Looting of the unattended stores became rampant, and it took the city over two weeks to clear the major highways and roads.

February 1969: New York City became trapped under a deep snow. Commuters became stranded in their cars, schools closed, and travelers were stuck at airports, which were also forced to close. To make matters worse, many of the snow plows had become buried by snow in their storage lots and had to be dug out before they could be used. The city and outlying suburbs were forced to hire 10,000 shovelers and workers to clear the streets.

February 1977: Ontario, Canada, and western New York state were slammed by a storm that killed 28 people and shut down the city of Buffalo for more than a week. Highways were clogged with thousands of stranded vehicles, and people became trapped at schools, stores, and offices, where they were forced to spend the night because they could not make it home through the blizzard.

March 1993: The "Blizzard of the Century" ravaged the southern mid-Atlantic states from Alabama to Massachusetts, accompanied in other states by severe weather disturbances such as tornadoes, thunderstorms, and floods. Many locations experienced record-breaking snowfalls and record snow depths.

January 1996: The Blizzard of 1996 was responsible for over 100 deaths and brought much of the eastern United States to a complete halt. Schools, offices and airports were closed for several days in some areas as roads were impassable. Compounding problems, two subsequent storms blasted the same areas within the following week-and-a-half.

December 26-27, 2010: Many Americans who missed out on a white Christmas got their fill of snow when a blizzard carved a path of disruption down the East Coast, leaving thousands of travelers across the country stranded as airlines grounded more than 7,000 flights. Pummeling many regions from midday on December 26 through the following afternoon, the post-holiday storm featured a rare meteorological event known as thundersnow, in which thunder and lighting are accompanied by heavy snow rather than rain. New York City’s transportation system took a particularly harsh beating, with passengers stranded in subway cars for up to nine hours and abandoned buses scattering the unplowed streets. Snowfall was deepest in Rahway, New Jersey, which received a whopping 32 inches.

 

Need any questions answered concerning snow removal, contact us here.

If you are a business or commercial property owner, own a residence or multiple residences. With winter we know what comes, and snow has an incredibly negative impact on who can shop at your business or frequent your commercial property.

Business owners who know how to prepare, however, always contact a qualified snow plowing company sooner rather than later, because snow can (and will) cause chaos.

Customer Ease

As we mentioned above, preparing your lot for snow is a conscientious action on your part as a business owner. If a customer can't get into your business to shop, they will move on to a competitor. Losing customers because of snow is the absolute last thing you want.

Safety

No matter what type of business or commercial property you run, a well-plowed lot is a safe place for everyone. Even if your lot is simply used as a parking lot, those who work in the building will have increased safety when they enter.

Reduced Liability Risk

Along with safety, a plowed lot also has lower accident risk and liability. Snow and ice-related accidents can happen when parking lots are slippery, which leads to lawsuits that are easily avoided with a clean lot. Reduce your chances of a lawsuit by scheduling regular snow removal today.

Protected Lot Surface

A professional snow removal company uses the latest in snow removal equipment. This ensures that the surface beneath the snow is protected from plow damage. When you hire a professional snow removal company, your lot will keep its integrity while remaining free of snow and ice.

Quality

Many companies that remove snow promise a quality that they fail to deliver. Oftentimes, those who offer snow plowing services don't have the proper equipment to do the job correctly. What results, is a damaged driving surface that ends up costing more money to repair than if you'd hired a qualified professional from the beginning.

Economics

When snow begins to fall, what is your plan for snow removal? If you have intentions to do it yourself in order to save a few dollars, you are probably going to lose more money now than in the long run. The smart choice for snow removal remains with hiring a professional snow removal company to do the work.

Peace of Mind

Finally, isn't having a clean lot something that you and those who use your parking lot deserve? A driveway or parking lot that is clear of snow and ice brings with it unbeatable peace of mind. Knowing that a professional snow plow service will be there to clear your lot without as much as a phone call, is something that you'll never want to live without again.

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The number of deaths is not important, what is important is that many people who are preparing to shovel snow at the intensity that it could become often have injuries or fatal situations. Before you march out there and take on the snow please read:

Tips for Protecting Your Heart

Before You Shovel Snow

Talk to your doctor before you take on this task of snow shoveling

Avoid shoveling immediately after you awaken as most heart attacks occur early in the morning when blood is more prone to clotting. Wait for at least 30 minutes and warm up

Do not eat heavy meal before shoveling: blood gets diverted form the heart to the stomach

Warm up your muscles before starting by walking for a few minutes or marching in place

Do not drink coffee or smoke for at least one hour before or one hour after shoveling or during breaks. These are stimulants and elevate your blood pressure and heart rate

While Shoveling Snow

Use a small shovel: shovel many small loads instead of heavy ones

Begin slowly and take frequent, 15 minute breaks

Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration

Dress in layers, to avoid hypothermia (low body temperature) or overheating

Cover your head and neck (50% body heat lost thru head and neck)

Cover your mouth (breathing cold air can cause angina or trigger breathing problems

Watch for warning signs of a heart attack, lightheadedness, dizziness, being short of breath or if you have tightness or burning in chest, neck, arms or back. If you think you are having a heart attack call 911.

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Home Sweet Home Snow Removal and Landscaping, Summit County, Colorado

http://www.homesweethomelandscaping.com/