Black Knot Disease at Dacey Field

"In August 2016, Conservation Commission staff discovered Black Knot Tree Disease on various Black Cherry trees at Dacey Field. The most impacted areas consist of dense Eastern White Pine stands with Black Cherry trees mixed in. 

The ‘Nature Walk’ section of Dacey has many infected trees. Black Knot is a disease caused by fungal parasite, Trichothecium roseum, and leaves charcoal-like lumps on branches and twigs of trees, especially trees in the Prunus family. 

The disease can bring leaf wilt and also death of leaves, twigs, branches, and even the entire tree. Winter management efforts include pruning and sanitation of trees that have not been heavily impacted. The infected branches and twigs should be burned, buried, or removed from the site eliminate the spread of the disease. 

Fungicides have been used successfully in severely impacted areas. It is recommended that an experienced arborist explore Dacey to determine how severely the disease has spread throughout the forest before management efforts are made. From a quick run through, more than half the Black Cherry trees observed were infected."

black knot disease photo from American Phytopathological Society

References:

http://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/intropp/lessons/fungi/ascomycetes/pages/blackknot.aspx

http://www.ct.gov/caes/lib/caes/documents/publications/fact_sheets/plant_pathology_and_ecology/black_knot_of_ornamental_plum_and_cherry_4-02-08r.pdf

http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/trees-shrubs/black-knot/

• This information was shared from the Town of Franklin page

http://franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_News/024BA541-000F8513

• For more info about the Conservation Commission, visit their page

http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Conservation/index

In the News: gypsy moths, elderly mental health

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"August trees are looking more like November trees in some areas after gypsy moth caterpillars devoured leaves more aggressively than they had since the 1980s. 

A recent aerial survey completed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) revealed that damaged caused to trees by gypsy moth caterpillers feeding in 2016 was more than nine times greater than the damage in 2015. 

Each year, the DCR Forest Health Program conducts an aerial survey to measure the extent of damage caused to forests by different agents. 

The 2016 survey, conducted the second week of July, revealed 362,254 acres of damage from gypsy moths, crypt gall wasps and conifer discoloration.

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20160806/state-gypsy-moth-damage-nine-times-greater-than-in-2015

MA DCR aerial survey - tree damage from gypsy moths 2016

"Working out of an unassuming building on Maple Street in Bellingham, Gail Bourassa has started a difficult job: getting mental health care to senior citizens, a group that has traditionally been reticent to seek help. 

Bourassa, a counselor, is the new regional program manager for a project - running across Franklin, Bellingham, Blackstone, Medway, Milford and Mendon - that looks to reach seniors where they live. 

"Young people often self-refer (to these services) when they need it," she said. "For elders, it's more difficult - they rarely self-refer."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20160806/aging-population-creates-challenges-for-mental-health-care

"too late for homeowners to protect their trees"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"The MetroWest area is one of several across the state that has been hit hard by the gypsy moth caterpillar and local arborists say there is little homeowners can do now to protect their trees from the insect. 

Throughout the past few years – and particularly this year – the gypsy moth caterpillar population has been on the rise, likely due to dry springs the past few years. The dry weather has repressed the growth of entomophaga maimaiga, a soil-based fungus that kills gypsy moth larvae. 

“We’ve seen a lot more the past five to 10 years,” said Eric Taylor, consulting arborist with Lynch Plant Health Care in Sudbury."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20160619/metrowest-hit-hard-by-gypsy-moth-caterpillar

tree on the Franklin Town Common whose leaves are being decimated by the gypsy moth (or something else?)

Reminder: Christmas Tree Collection Days - week of January 11

The snow has been washed away by the rain but the Christmas trees are still around and scheduled for pick up with your normal trash pick up day this week.

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Christmas Tree Collection Days

Week of January 11, 2016

On Your Regular Trash Day

put tree out with the trash on your day during the week of Jan 11

This was shared from the notice on the Town of Franklin page

http://franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_News/022D16DF-000F8513

Christmas Tree Collection Days - week of January 11

Christmas Tree Collection Days

Week of January 11, 2016

On Your Regular Trash Day

put tree out with the trash on your day during the week of Jan 11

This was shared from the notice on the Town of Franklin page

http://franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_News/022D16DF-000F8513

Reporting by walking around - part 2 (photo essay)

Sunday afternoon, I took a good walk in the warm sunshine. Here are some photos captured along the walk.

The entrance to the former Pond St sewer plant. This is the entrance to the land now out looking for some responses to either one of two RFPs. One to lease the land for solar, two to purchase the land and develop it.

Starbucks is not yet open in its new location

Noodles is open and was quite busy this afternoon, very few parking spaces available.
What will Starbucks and whatever else is going in there do?

the curb cut on RT 140 allows a right turn into Starbucks and a right turn only exit

Curry House has its new sign up. Had photos of it when it first appeared but think I missed sharing it then

the site of the proposed Horace Mann statue. While 150 Emmons has been sold, some of the land on this corner has been rettained for the statue and some greenspace

The committee to work on the Horace Mann statue is to be created at the Town Council meeting on Wednesday and then members appointed.

Beautification Day was held Saturday and the results can be seen around downtown Franklin

Thanks to the Downtown Partnership and all the volunteers and sponsors for helping to make Frankin  look really nice!

in just a couple of weeks, the canopy cover has returned as the trees have filled out with leaves

well, some trees are not filling out. Falling victim to one of more of the diseases or infestations of those creepy crawling inch worms, etc.

Some trees appear to be more affected than others. While rows of trees along the road are now bare or barely surviving. 

Christmas trees will be picked up the week of January 5

Christmas trees will be picked up the week of January 5, 2015 and only bare trees will be picked up. Anything in bags, with ornaments, tinsel, lights, etc. will be left behind.

Christmas tree pickup scheduled for week of Jan 5th

This was shared from the Franklin wbsite
http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_News/01F7E254-000F8513

Additional info from the current curbside chronicle can be found here
http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Recycling/WM_00279_Franklin%206pg%202014_rF2.pdf

Readers concur: they are winter moths ballooning

Thank you! The tiny tree destroyers were identified by several of you yesterday as 'winter moths'. The collection of comments or emails are included here.

winter moth going back to ground "ballooning"

Steve, the tiny leaf destroyers are the Winter Moths! They have been around for at least the past 5 years and come out at the same time the trees start to bud, so before the leaf can grow to full size, they are decimated. It makes me CRAZY! My trees look awful already. 

The thousands of small grey moths that are around during the annual warm stretch in November (always around Thanksgiving) they lay their eggs, and after the first 3 warm days in the spring they hatch, by the millions. And they leave a mess as well, because what goes in, must come out! Ugh, I HATE THEM!

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Winter moth caterpillar. Stripped my maple. See Weston Nursery web site or Facebook page for description and treatment option. Very bad this year.

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Hi Steve. It seems like a kind of leafroller to me. If I remember correctly, the leaves on trees on Franklin Common (and in many other places in Franklin) had many holes in them last year. They have been attacking my Japanese Maple tree for a few years now.

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I believe the worms on the trees turn into the winter moths that have invaded the northeast U.S.…
http://wpri.com/2014/05/21/winter-moths-eating-rhode-island-tree-leaves/

The best full description I found comes from UMASS Amherst:

It is estimated that winter moth eggs hatch between 20-50 growing degree days (base 50) in Massachusetts. Typically, this can occur any time from late March (during atypically warm springs) into the second or third week in April (cool springs). The tiny (less than 1 mm) caterpillars then spin a small silk strand and become air-buoyant and are carried upwards on air currents into the tree canopy where they then try to “weasel” between the bud scales, bracts, etc. to get into the buds. They do not chew their way in via an entrance hole. If buds are not yet swollen enough for them to gain access, these small larvae will then spin down from the tree on a silken thread and be carried away by the wind, which is a dispersal process known as ballooning. 

This is the stage where high levels of injury to the host plant can occur. The longer that the buds stay swollen but unopened, there is a greater potential for feeding injury. Winter moths will enter both leaf and flower buds. For blueberry growers, this is the most critical stage of winter moth activity. If flower buds sustain heavy feeding, there will be no flowers and thus no fruit. There are no known controls for winter moth in this life stage.

You can read the full and complete article here
https://extension.umass.edu/landscape/fact-sheets/winter-moth-identification-management


Here is the Weston Nursery link mentioned above
http://westonnurseries.com/winter-moth-caterpillars-are-upon-us/


It is likely that what I have been showing as maple blight has indeed been the increasing influences of the winter moth.
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/05/saving-american-chestnut-tree.html

winter moth damage on a red maple

The UMASS Amherst article outlines the treatment options for the various stages. As these caterpillars are already out, it seems the best thing to do now it to wrap the trees with a band to prevent them from climbing up.

Thanks for all the feedback, the sharing of knowledge like this is a great example of what I try to do. There is more power together than alone!

Tiny leaf destroyers

On one of my morning walks, I was startled to see these threads hanging from a row of trees. The rising sun light was striking the threads such that they were visible. Multiple threads hanging from the trees. Swinging in the gentle breeze.

it was a challenge to try and get a photo

 I couldn't get a view of the multiple threads. They were moving too much.

A close up of the wormy creature

Not sure exactly what kind of bug these are but they do damage to the trees.

having had a good meal on these leaves, I guess they were moving on

As I changed from my walking clothes to get dressed for work, I also found that one of theses had hitched a ride on me.

These buds are for you

The photos from several weeks ago showed trees in all their bareness. The trees these past two weeks are beginning to bud. The buds are opening. Soon the world will be more green as the leaves open.

budding tree - 1

forsythia

budding tree - 2

budding tree - 3

Do you have photos of buds to share?

Walking - Trees - part 2

While I shared several photos of trees from the walk last Saturday earlier this week, there are a few more from Sunday to share here.

It was much sunny on Sunday so the tree against the blue sky makes for a good view

Tree on King St near Parmenter

With just the bare branches, a sickness, some sort of mold is very evident on this tree.

tree suffering from some weird sickness

A closer view of whatever is attacking the tree near the Dunkin Donuts on King St.

tree sickness - close up view

Franklin Walk - Tree'd

The walk Saturday was somewhat warmer than other Saturday's but not as sunny.

There were many clouds but no rain (fortunately - at least by the time I went out).

I found a bear but not a fierce one

outside 1776 Financial Services, East Central St

I began to notice the trees. Yes, really notice them. They are standing. Bare. Bending with the breeze.

tree at Rockland Trust, East Central St

While a common conversation recently was that we had had enough of winter, the trees did not complain.

leaning trees along King St

They may have leaned with the wind, or bent with the snow, maybe even lost a branch when the snow was too heavy.

large and old tree on King St near Peck

Some trees are really big and old. Some stand in groups. Some stand in rows.

Evergreen tree on King St

When trees get together, their fingers seem to hold up or reach for the clouds in the sky

tree skyline in Franklin

There may be a couple more weekends to observe the trees around us before the bud and break out in leaves. Take a walk and see what trees are in your neighborhood.

When are the Christmas trees going to be picked up?

According to the most recent recycling newsletter, the trees are scheduled for pickup during the week of Jan 6th. Like prior years, I would expect it to be scheduled for the day of your normal trash pickup.

Page 2 of the flyer attached here has the calendar with the week of Jan 6th marked for the special collection of Christmas trees





You can also find the flyer on the Franklin webpage here:
http://town.franklin.ma.us/Pages/FranklinMA_Recycling/WM_00218_Franklin%206pg_rWEB.PDF

Christmas trees at Akin-Bak

In addition to the produce and honey at the farm stand, Akin-Bak has Christmas trees! They are open from 9:00 AM until 8:00 PM through Christmas Eve

Akin-Bak Christmas Trees

For additional info you can find Akin-Bak on the web at  http://www.akinbakfarmllc.com/

or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AkinBakFarm


Note: the photo was 'borrowed' from the Akin-Bak Facebook page!

Mount St trees and new utility poles

Mount St is one of my regular walking or running routes. It is a challenge to make the climb but worth every step. When I heard that "every large tree" was being removed to make way for some new power lines, I was concerned. I got out to Mount St last weekend to take a walk and some photos. Less than 10 large trees were cut leaving many others in place.

corner of Summer and Mount streets

three large trees down on the right approaching Summer St

midway up the hill, the tree line is still full

this monster of an old tree is still growing

another large tree near the slight curve before the crest

new poles are taller than the poles being replaced

The prior posting on the Mount St tree issue can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/11/why-mount-st-where-did-this-come-from.html

Tree advertising

I was in Chicago this weekend for a conference. One I have been fortunate to attend for several years now and it was worth it this time around too!

While there, I visited Millennium Park where I found this photo opportunity

trees keep us cooler

trees increase our property value

2013 Christmas Tree pick up

An update from the Franklin DPW regarding the tree pick up details for next week

Christmas trees will be picked up curbside on your normal trash day the week of 1/7/13. Trees must not be in bags, contain ornaments or lights and be no more than 4 feet from the curb and be out by 7 AM.

To subscribe to receive your own copy of the Recycling and other Town alerts, visit this page
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/subscriber-news

When are the Christmas Tree pickups for Franklin?

Per the DPW Calendar, Christmas trees will be picked up on your normal trash pick up day during the week of Mon, Jan 7 through Fri, Jan 11.


You can view the calendar online on the Franklin webpage here
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_News/01A12FFA-000F8513

"we can offer options for our citizens"

The Milford Daily News reported on the Town Council meeting in part with the following:

Councilors accepted incorporating a real estate tax deferral and two laws which let seniors defer water and sewer charges. 

In place already for seniors is a property tax deferral program. 

Town Treasurer/Collector James Dacey Jr. said currently one family is participating in that program. 

“I know they are having a very difficult time,” Dacey said. “I looked into how we could help out in other ways.” 

In 2010, 9.4 percent of Franklin’s 31,635 residents were age 65 and older, according to census data.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x738671634/Franklin-OKs-tax-deferral-options-for-seniors#ixzz28JwPJdfW

Deferral of taxes simply postpones the date for payment, they still must be paid. What was also approved is a program for veterans under 65 to work off a portion of their taxes. This program is similar to that already offered to the seniors 65 and over. The program will be limited to the first ten people now but can be expanded by the Council as demand for the program grows.

The Town Council especially Tina Powderly has been instrumental in expanding the senior outreach program the past couple of years.This is not to negate any of the good work done prior, just recognize that the opportunity for seniors via deferment and reductions has increased.

In other matters before the Council not referenced in this article, they did approve the rezoning of the parcels along King St and i495 from residential to business. Any project would still be required to go through the full Planning Board and associated permitting process. That process provides considerable input from the residents abutting the property.

DPW Director Brutus Cantoreggi disclosed plans to remove another 11 trees from the Town Common. This action will improve the growth options for the remaining 97 trees.

The DPW will also do some work to remove the electrical box currently under the gazebo to a normal upright electric box along the Union St side of the common. Some concrete around the gazebo will be disturbed during this process and then returned to normal.

For the complete set of posts reported live during the meeting, visit this link
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2012/10/town-council-100312.html

"an appropriate first response"

National Grid is beginning to respond to their service issues in Franklin. As posted yesterday, they are beginning to trim trees around the power lines.

National Grid this week began isolating the trees around the poorest performing circuits as targets for trimming. And it recently briefed Department of Public Works Director and Tree Warden Robert Cantoreggi. 

Cantoreggi said Wednesday National Grid does not plan to perform any clear cutting and will only prune and trim around lines. "For any specific tree take down, they would have to come before us," he said. "If (the tree) is a hazard tree or a dead tree, we would probably let them do it. If it is a healthy tree, we would have to have a hearing."

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1602166441/National-Grid-responds-to-Franklin-officials-criticism#ixzz22Ne1wMKH