City Forest and Trees
Baltimore City Forest Conservancy District Board	

Vol. 11, No2                                                        Baltimore	
Maryland                                                                 Fall 2002	

Phase One of North Avenue 
Beautification Project Completed
By Russ Moss

    What a difference sixty trees, a few hundred assorted perennials, and lots of sod have made to six formerly barren median strips along North Avenue between Mt. Royal and Madison  Avenues. And the difference is an attractive street scape that's being praised by community residents and those passing through the area. As the Chinese Elm and Crape Myrtle trees mature, the difference will become even more pleasing and hopefully inspire other groups to take on similar projects. 

    The Baltimore City Forestry Board spearheaded this project. A grant from the Neighborhood Design Center produced a detailed site analysis by Maxalea Nurseries Inc. Another grant from  Revitalizing Baltimore helped with the cost of the trees. Residents  within Reservoir Hill and Bolton Hill communities contributed several thousand dollars towards the project. Baltimore City Department of Public Works dug out the site and brought in topsoil. And, finally, Mayor Martin O'Malley's Gate‑Way project helped bring all of the elements together. This effort had many  partners and we are grateful for their support. A dedication ceremony is in the planning stage to publicly acknowledge and thank everyone involved. 
     Sculpture will be the finishing touch for this street scape. A panel will be assembled to put out a bid for site specific designs, choose a winner and raise the funds to pay for it. If you are  interested in working with phase two of this project call 410‑728‑1893. 

The Wye Oak
By Adelaide Rackemann
    Much has been written about the demise of the beautiful and noble 460 year‑old tree, which was the nation's champion white oak. It was also the oldest living thing in Maryland. To anyone seeing it, the Wye Oak was awe‑inspiring. The tree had its own park ‑‑Wye Oak State Park, Talbot County. A white picket fence surrounded the tree to keep its trunk and roots safe from souvenir‑hunters and trampling feet.

    A most informative book about this tree is "Wye Oak, the history of a great tree," by Dickson J. Preston, published in 1972 by Tide‑ water Publishers in 1972. Beautiful photographs of the tree taken by A. Aubrey Bodine add to the book's interest. An Indian tribe lived in the area and were ruthlessly exterminated by the white colonists. Since 1652, when the region was granted to the colonists, there has been a succession of owners. Preston tells us about them all. The last private owner was John E. Kinnamon, who sold it to the State in 1939. When he found out the State wanted it, he raised the price from $1,000 to $5,000. By then the tree had been famous for many years. The first postcards with pictures of the Wye oak ‑‑or the "Wye Mills Oak" , as it was then called ‑‑were sold before 1917, when the property belonged to Henry J. and Dora Limpert.
Over 100 feet high and  with a trunk whose circumference was over 30 feet, the Wye Oak's crown had a spread of 160 feet. Its knees reached out in every direction and some of its branches were as large as many mature oaks.

    The tree was well cared for, judiciously pruned, but despite this, the two largest limbs fell. The largest limb simply came off on a clear, windless August day in 1954, to be replaced by a 7‑foot gash. This huge branch weighed 30 tons. After 400 years, the tree's appearance was greatly changed. At the time of writing, at least 1000 people have sent suggestions as to what to do with the remaining wood from this magnificent tree that came down this spring. While the debate continues, Mr. Preston mentions that for many years children had used scraps of the Wye Oak wood for tie‑clips, gavels, picture frames and ashtrays. It will be interesting to see what happens now to the remains of the splendid tree. Although the Wye Oak is gone, saplings from its genetic material have been cloned. It is hoped, too, that from the remaining root mass a new shoot will appear.  

Should I Water My Tree?
By Chris Stuhlinger
    The recent drought, which actually has been building up for some time, has caused many of us to wonder if our yard trees should be watered. Trees cannot live without adequate water. A deficit of water can lead to wilting or browning leaves in the short term, and susceptibility to other stress factors, including insect and disease problems, in the long term. A tree may even shed its leaves prematurely to avoid further moisture loss. If your tree shows any of these symptoms, water it. Watering a young tree after planting is a simple but important step to ensure that the roots will be able to provide sufficient moisture for the tree to grow. Many nursery grown trees, especially when they are balled and burlapped, lose most of their roots during the nursery digging and transplanting process. These trees require extra water to make up for the lack of feeder roots that can take up water. Newly planted trees should be watered with about 10 gallons of water per week unless at least one inch of rain has fallen recently. Continue watering during the first growing season and during droughts thereafter. Proper mulching over the root ball can help conserve moisture in the ground and moderate soil temperatures on hot days.
    Established trees also require extra watering during periods of drought. If possible, water the entire area covered by the root system, which could easily extend beyond the dripline on established trees. The roots will be better able to take up the moisture if watering is done slowly and gradually rather than all at once. Fill buckets or milk jugs that have small holes in the bottoms (or gator bags) and set them out across the root zone for slow watering. In areas where watering with a hose is not restricted, a soaker hose which is allowed to run for 1 to 2 hours, at least within the dripline of a tree, can provide supplemental moisture. A tree requires at least one inch of water per week, whether by rain or by watering. This is equal to about 1/2 to 1 gallon water per square foot of ground area underneath a tree. One deep soaking every 7‑10 days is much more beneficial than light waterings every 2‑3 days. The goal is to have the water reach the tree's feeder roots, so enough water must be applied so that it infiltrates below the turf roots.
    Keep in mind that an excess of water can also be detrimental to a tree. A saturated soil starves the roots of oxygen needed for them to function. A soil should be allowed to dry out somewhat between waterings. 

FIRE STORMS THE CAUSES, CRISES & ADVANTAGES OF FOREST FIRES
By Richard Edson
    In an era of denial about global warming the fires of summer become more intense. Although forest fires can be a natural occurrence, they worsen in times of drought brought on by global warming and/or meteorological phenomena. It seems they are more prevalent nowadays because of lumbering and fire suppression has added fuel for these massive fires. Whether natural, accidental, or arson a vicious cycle develops between drought, fire, and increased carbon dioxide which again acerbates global warming and thus drought.
    Although conflagration is now seldom practiced, natural fires which burn in a hit or miss mosaic are beneficial because they unlock mass nutrients for growth and open areas to sunlight. This natural fertilizing and sun bolsters berry growth for bears just as the felled trees create shelter for smaller animals like lynx and rabbits.
    Downed trees disintegrating into streams and nutrient run‑off benefit both fish and
animals alike. Such slow‑burning cool fires eliminate low flammable brush and do not threaten protective bark on trees thus allowing old growth to remain. Benefits even include woodpeckers which reap the harvest of wood boring beetles and elk which reproduce in newly established open pastures. It's the old  ethic of leaving nature alone and it can take care of itself. But whereas some natural fires prove remarkably beneficial in the overall natural scheme of things, it's the hot fires that threaten wildlife and human life.
    Due to a century of fire suppression and logging there is now an abundance of fuel lying like kindling on the forest floor. Since the forest is now contained by large swaths of suburban sprawl, and due to an increase in usage of wild forest areas, forest fires are now more prone to ignite and have become dangerous infernos.
    Such firestorms destroy everything including old growth, private property and human life and thus must be extinguished or controlled. Whether of natural origin like lightning, or accidental, or even arson volatile forest fires threaten flora, fauna and the living breathing lungs of our environment. Significant forest fires also lead to erosion, which cause streams to become clogged with silt and fertile land loss.
    Such wildland fires also ignite the media, which may lead to further arson. In order to control forest fires and initiate more topographical land usage within finite spaces, factors like recreation, forest products, and housing must be regulated. Controlled fires are one way of doing this by burning off flammable brush before it has had time to ignite. Also, land track housing near natural forests must be forewarned of the potential for fires when residing in a historical fire zone.

Although forest fires create despair in the short term, the long term impact of even hot fires is less dramatic as the natural environment is remarkably resilient.
    The threat to firefighters who battle these infernos is well documented and the cost of containment and extinguishing a large forest fires runs in the millions of dollars. Currently there are 18 high‑risk state areas for fires. 50,000 fires have been reported this year and there will be millions of square acres burned. But with scientific initiatives and high-tech analysis we can come to understand and monitor and control what few natural resources we have left.

Camp Hickory
by Elspeth Wheeler
    Awareness Week for Forestry and Natural Resources Career was held this year from July 29th through August 2nd in beautiful far western Maryland at the Hickory Environmental Education Center in Accident. Sponsored by the Maryland Association of Forest Conservancy District Boards and the Forest Service of the Department of Natural Resources, the week offered exposure and better understanding of career opportunity to the thirty participants representing all counties and Baltimore city.
   The students worked in small groups, led by        professional foresters and environmental specialists, learning about trees, water, wildlife, and conservation among other related fields. The campers all had a great time enjoying their new knowledge, the camaraderie of new‑found friends, and lots of good food. 
    The Career Awareness Week has been held for at least 25 years. It is a unique opportunity of environmentally minded 9th, l0th and 11th graders. Be on the lookout for potential participants in the next year's Awareness Week at Camp Hickory. 
For more information, call: 410‑ 665‑ 5991. 

What's Up? Vines on Trees!
By Ann Lundy
    Do you ever wonder about the vines growing up trees in the city? How did they get there? Do they hurt the trees? How do you get rid of them? These are commonly asked questions with several different answers.
     All of the vines that grow up trees start on the ground and grow toward the light. Some can only reproduce themselves when they are up in the air. Some are planted by humans, some by birds, a few by animals. English Ivy and Wintercreeper are usually started by people who plant a cheap, evergreen ground‑cover under a tree and then ignore it for a few years. Virginia Creeper and Poison Ivy are usually started by birds who find their fruit in the fall (growing in a tree ), eat the fruit, sit in another tree and eliminate the seed onto the ground under the tree where it starts to grow. English Ivy and Wintercreeper are also spread in the same way but only flower and set seed in the fall when they are climbing up a tree or building. Wisteria in trees usually starts with seeds blown by the wind or carried by animals from a garden planting. 
     Evergreen vines cause problems in trees because they keep moisture next to the bark year around and provide a protected home for insects and disease organisms. Older trees that have been covered by evergreen vines for years can suddenly fall because of unseen rot, damaging nearby property and power lines. Wisteria can slowly strangle trees by twining around the trunk and cutting off the flow of nutrients to the leaves. Other vines that cause problems for trees are Oriental Bittersweet, Japanese Honeysuckle and Porcelainberry, non‑native vines that are spread by birds eating their fruits. These latter vines often grow over the leaves of trees and shade out the sun, leading to weakened trees and eventual death. Oriental Bittersweet and Japanese Honeysuckle can also strangle young trees by twining around them as they grow toward the light. Virginia Creeper and Poison Ivy are native plants which create less of a problem for trees since they are deciduous, non‑twining vines. They both have seeds that nourish native birds and glow brilliant red in the fall ‑which may not be reason enough for those allergic to the toxins of Poison Ivy!
    How can you get rid of vines in trees? Cutting the stems growing up the trees is the starting point. Just cut the "trunk" of the vine at a convenient height and let the vine in the tree die from a lack of nutrients. In 2‑3 years most of the vine will fallout of the tree through the action of wind and rain and decay. To keep the vines from growing back up the tree however, you must kill the vine at ground level. As soon as you cut the vine, "paint" the cut surface of the lower part with a little concentrated herbicide (undiluted glyphosate or Roundup on a small brush works well). The best time to do this is in late summer and fall. (When the weather cools off in the fall and plants start to go dormant the herbicide goes directly to the roots of the vine and is most effective). If you see any remaining green vine in a few weeks, cut the stems you missed the first time and repeat the process.

TREE FACTS
* Trees are the biggest living things. A sequoia can weigh 1000 tons (2,000,000 pounds) and grow over 350 feet tall.

* Ginkgo trees provided food for dinosaurs, and yet they can still be found along Baltimore's streets today.
* The single oldest living thing on Earth is a tree, a 4700 year old bristlecone pine growing in California. It was growing when the Egyptians built the pyramids. 
* Mankind has destroyed one third of the world's forest. One acre of forest is destroyed every second 
Maryland is currently about 42 percent forested. About 90 percent of Maryland's forests are privately owned.
* Trees and other natural vegetation help reduce stress and anxiety in individuals.

JONES FALLS VALLEY CELEBRATION
Sunday, September 22nd Sunday, September 22nd 5th Annual Jones Falls Valley Celebration
· 8:30 a.m. Jones Falls 8K Express Race Start at 29th Street
· 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon Canoe & Kayak     Registration and Check‑in Robert E. Lee Park 
· 9:30 a.m. Walk, Bike or Blade the JFX Start at Cedar Avenue Bridge near the Steiff Silver     Building
· 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Post‑Race Party Cedar Avenue Bridge Handicap Accessible
www.jonesfalls.com or 
Heather King @ 410‑448‑5663 ext.126

The Baltimore City Forest Conservancy District Board is an advocacy panel to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources‑Forest Service.
Board: 
Richard Edson, Chairman
Meredith P. Millspaugh, Vice Chairman
Tom Green, Treasurer
Russ Moss
Adelaide Rackemann
Elsa Lankford
Associate members:
Gary Letteron
Ann Lundy
Ken Williams
Robert Black
Elspeth Wheeler
Technical Advisors:
Chris Stuhlinger, Secretary
Md. DNR  Forest Service
Marion Bedingfield, Forestry Division
Department of Recreation and Parks
Pam Kelly, Executive Director, 
State Association MD DNR-Forest Service
Joe Burch, Forestry Division
Department of Recreation and Parks
Amanda Cunningham, Community Forestry
Parks & People Foundation
Jeffery Barrett - Baltimore City Public School Grounds
Gerard Moudry - Member Emeritus
For more board information, contact Richard Edson: phone 410  867 1171 or Chris Stuhlinger 410 665 5991
email: loopgaroo@email.msn.com

The Baltimore City Forestry Board web page is located at: http://www.baltocfb.sailorsite.net/BCFB.html