MSHS Center for Northern Gardening

1755 Prior Avenue, St. Paul, MN

Call to Order. MnSTAC President, Lorrie Stromme, called the meeting to order at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, March 20, 2003, at the Minnesota State Horticultural Society’s Center for Northern Gardening, 1755 Prior Avenue, St. Paul, MN.

Attendance:

Name	Affiliation
James Burks	City of Robbinsdale, City of Crystal
Robert Condon	Tree Care Advisor
Jeff Cordes	City of Eden Prairie
Steve Cook	Cook Company
Geir Friisoe	MN Department of Agriculture
Greg Groenjes	Affinity Res. Group
Glen Hambleton	Tree Care Advisor; KEEY Program
Dave Hanson	U of MN, Forest Resources
Rich Hauer	MN Department of Agriculture
Jim Hermann	Mpls Park & Recreation Board, Forestry
Katie Himanga	Heartwood Forestry
Gary R. Johnson	U of MN, Forest Resources
Steve Katovich	USDA Forest Service
Barb Kirkpatrick	Tree Care Advisor
Steve Kunde	Kunde Company
Kameron Kytonen	City of Annandale
Tina Markeson	MN Department of Transportation
Michael Max	EnvironMentor Systems
Sandy McCartney	Consultant
Don Mueller	MN Department of Natural Resources
Jim Nayes	Living Sculpture
Tom Schuster	City of New Hope
Anne Selness	MN Department of Agriculture
Mark Stennes	Top Notch Tree Care
Lorrie Stromme	Tree Care Advisor
Dave Sundmark	City of St. Paul, Forestry
Kathy Widin	Cities of Stillwater, Oak Park Heights

Minutes of Meeting of February 20, 2003. The members reviewed the Minutes of the membership meeting on February 20, 2003. Motion/Second: Michael Max/James Burks. Motion Carried.

Announcements and Agency Reports:

Lorrie Stromme announced that the next meeting would take place on Wednesday, April 16, 2003, at 9:00 a.m. at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen, MN. Instead of a speaker and presentation, the MnSTAC award winners will receive their awards and speak briefly about their award-winning urban forestry projects.
Jim Hermann announced that the Forestry Division of the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board would be making $430,000 in budget cuts. The MPRB in general will be making $3.5 million in 2003 cuts and $8 million in 2004 cuts.
Rich Hauer asked members to assist the MN Department of Agriculture by reporting exotics they see in the field, including Emerald Ash Borer (EAB)and to report sightings on a “Suspect Submittal Form.” EAB has not yet been reported in Minnesota, but it is in Wisconsin, right across the border. Rich reported that Gypsy Moth trappers would focus on eastern Minnesota this year. MDA is also trapping Douglas Fir Beetle.
Rich Hauer also reported that the Fall Conference sponsored by the Minnesota Society of Arboriculture (MSA) would take place on September 12, 2003. Rich acknowledged Mark Stennes’ work helping to raise funds for the MSA conference and to help arrange speakers.
Gary R. Johnson said that the Shade Tree Short Course would take place on March 25 and 26 at Bethel College in Arden Hills, MN. He also said that Advocate newsletter had been mailed out. Don Mueller brought extra copies of the Advocate for distribution at the meeting.
Kathy Widin reported that the Plant Health Committee had reconvened and discussed oak wilt suppression and new threats to plant health.
Geir Friisoe briefly reviewed MDA’s proposed changes to the Plant Pest Act. Geir said that the intent is to modernize the law and cull out outdated provisions. Geir contacted Jim Hermann and Steve Bratkovich about the proposed language changes in a couple of provisions regarding waste wood. Geir distributed a one-page Fact Sheet about the proposed statutory changes. He also had several copies of the 90-page bill for review.

Featured Presentation: News from the Front Line: Emerald Ash Borer. Steve Katovich, entomologist, USDA Forest Service.

Steve Katovich gave a Power Point presentation about Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), an exotic beetle (Agrilus planipennis) from Asia that attacks ash (Fraxinus spp.) trees. It has been a problem in southeastern Michigan. It was confirmed in the Detroit area in 2002 in over six counties. The exact date of its introduction is not known, but it was probably at least 5 years ago. Ash decline and ash yellows have similar symptoms.

What’s the big deal? Well, about 5.5 million ash trees are dead or dying form EAB infestation in a 400-square-mile area in Michigan. There are limited control options. And ash trees are a common street tree in many U.S. regions. The hosts include several Fraxinus species, Juglans mandishurica, Ulmus davidiana, and Pterocarya rhoifolia.

The EAB beetle is about 3/8” long and bright green. We know very little about this insect. It appears to have a one-year life cycle. Adults are active from mid-May to early August. Larvae feed on inner bark and sapwood, forming serpentine galleries. Adults chew a D-shaped exit hole when emerging. Most Agrilus beetles are secondary tree pests, attacking weakened hosts. However, EAB has attached both stressed and healthy trees. Attacks have occurred in trees as small as 2 inches DBH, as well as very large-diameter trees.

Diagnosing EAB: Step 1: Perform focus surveys in campgrounds (firewood), nurseries, and stressed urban trees. (Don’t look at healthy trees, because you must peel back the bark to see the symptoms.) Step 2: Look for crown symptoms, such as small leaves, yellow foliage, thin crowns, dead branches. Step 3: Look for evidence of infestation on the main stem, including sprouts, suckers at the tree base and on the lower stem, bark fissures/cracks, and D-shaped exit holes. Step 4: Remove bark and look for the characteristic serpentine galleries and Agrilus larvae under the bark. Step 5: Collect adults. Watch for the adults on the main stem of trees. They are active on warm, sunny days and are easy to catch (they fall into your hand if you 9disturb them).

Control of EAB: Reduce populations through sanitation. Maintain a quarantine on nursery stock, firewood, and logs to eliminate long-distance movement. Studies are underway about the efficacy of systemic insecticides. The key is to identify the edges of the infestation and concentrate control measures within that area. For more information, contact the EAB website: www.na.fs.fed..us/spfo/eab/index.html. Steve Katovich distributed copies of a Pest Alert fact sheet prepared by the USDA Forest Service on EAB.

Adjournment. Motion to Adjourn/Second: Mark Stennes/Michael Max. Motion carried. The meeting was adjourned at 11:20 a.m.