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#1 Transplanting and a Deeper Look at “Fall Hazards”

Some topics really hold up … with nearly 1400 views, this was the top viewed blog post in 2017–even though it originally appeared in 2015! Former NYC Director of Street Tree Planting Matt Stephens and NYSUFC Editor Michelle Sutton coauthored this story questioning commonly held beliefs about “fall hazards,” mostly as it applies to B&B trees, but they also discuss the interaction of the fall season with other production methods, like bare root. Nina Bassuk helped craft the section called “The Five Branches of Transplanting Success,” which will be of interest to anyone planting trees. 

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#2 Dr. Ed Gilman on Semi-Retirement, the Research Trail He Leaves Behind, and the Nexus of Urban Forestry and Arboriculture

You may well have a copy of Ed Gilman’s seminal An Illustrated Guide to Pruning on your desk. Though he’s retired from the University of Florida, this beloved arboriculture educator will continue to teach. He’ll also be woodworking in his Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired home and speed boating on the St. John’s River in Jacksonville, Florida!

Laura with Knotweed

#3 Urban Forest Ecology: Knotweed with Laura Wyeth

Lots of readers were interested in the incredibly adaptable Japanese knotweed, a vexation for managers of right-of-way vegetation but a plant whose canes make a great pie à la rhubarb.

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#4 Participate in the Reintroduction of the American Chestnut

This post from 2016 by the President of the NY Chapter of the American Chestnut Foundation, Allen Nichols, continues to be of great interest. In the latest news, in an effort to introduce more wild pure American chestnut trees into the transgenic breeding program, the Chapter is now offering a reward for American chestnut trees found growing in the wild.

Dr. Tara Bal

#5 Urban Forest Ecology: Voracious, Parthenogenic Asian Jumping Worms

These giant worms are really bad news for forests. A primer on the justly maligned Amynthas agrestis.

tuliptree leaves and flowers Steve Cothrel

#6 Society of Municipal Arborists Urban Tree of the Year 2018: Tulip tree

It’s beautiful and durable–well, pretty durable. There are limits to where you can use this large-maturing tree in the urban environment, but given enough room, it makes a solid urban tree.

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#7 Getting to Know Rachel Holmes

NYS Urban Forestry Council people are the most interesting people. Case in point: Rachel Holmes, the North American Cities Urban Forestry Lead for the Nature Conservancy. Rachel has master’s degrees in both Divinity and Forestry; she’s also a Flamenco dancer and a wildland firefighter. She serves on the Council Board. She contains extra multitudes!