Environmental Issues

When you hear their distinctive hammering outside your window, it’s natural to wonder if woodpeckers cause damage to trees. Generally, woodpeckers rarely cause serious damage to trees. However, their visits

Research scientists at the Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories – the research arm of Bartlett Tree Experts – have broken new ground to protect beech trees by developing novel Integrated Pest

Everyone looks up when observing trees. However, you’ll often find arborists looking down! That’s because when it comes to assessing tree health, one of the most critical factors is a

When you see tree bark covered in crusty green stuff you may wonder, does lichen impact trees? Don’t panic! It’s unlikely that the ‘green stuff’ is harming the tree. Lichens

Frost cracks are vertical cracks in a tree that are caused by temperature changes. They occur during winter when the daytime sun warms the bark causing tissue expansion. Later, when

We all know the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe, but if you see this plant in your trees and shrubs beware. Mistletoes are parasites. These organisms live on trees

When caring for trees, it’s easy to see fungi as the enemy since it often causes disease and decay. However, there are mycorrhizal fungi that help trees. Symbiotic associations between

Poison hemlock has been found in nearly every U.S. state and across much of Canada. This plant is highly toxic. In fact, ingesting even small amounts of the plant tissue

It’s the time of year for conifers to shine! Most trees have lost their leaves by now so there’s nothing like a conifer for landscape color in late autumn and

Many geographies had an extremely dry summer. How does drought impact trees? The lack of water adversely affects nearly all plant processes.  Plants are unable to to produce food, which

Autumn color is a favorite part of the season. The changing and falling of leaves is also very important to tree survival. The same processes that lead to fall color

Biocontrol, or biological control, might sounds like scary science fiction, but quite the opposite is true. It’s not science fiction, it’s just good science! Biocontrol relies on the use of

Spring is a favorite time of year to enjoy the weather, work in the garden and just be outside in nature. The season also brings the holidays of Earth Day

Stress from drought can seriously impact trees and shrubs. Leaves will wilt and drop. Overall tree growth is reduced and trees are more likely to become infested by insect pests

Invasive plants are not native to an ecosystem. Further, their introduction results in harm to that ecosystem. Their presence can negatively impact the environment as they spread aggressively and outperform