I’m going to do this and then get a delicious iced coffee. Join me?
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Jesse Buff <jesseb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, Jul 16, 2021 at 5:02 PM
Subject: What you need to know for cutting vines tomorrow in Takoma Park at
8:30 am
To: Jesse Buff <jesseb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Luke Caron <
lukec@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Joseph Coufal <joseph@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Hi Volunteers,
First of all, apologies for cross-postings.
Thank you for signing up to be a part of the Takoma Park Tree Saver
Program! Throughout this spring and summer, volunteers have been removing
vines for two hours every Saturday morning, helping us rescue nearly 5,000
trees we’ve identified that are in danger of dying from invasive vines.
Tomorrow's event is the first co-hosted event between the Chesapeake
Climate Action Network and Montgomery Parks. We hope it's the first of
many.
We are excited to have you join us tomorrow at *8:30 am at** the Takoma Dog
Park* (i.e., the parking lot at 198 Darwin Ave
<https://www.google.com/maps/place/198+Darwin+Ave,+Takoma+Park,+MD+20912/@38.9849162,-77.013451,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x89b7c89fefd0cb25:0xd783a558e1c421fc!8m2!3d38.9849162!4d-77.0112623>
at
the end of Darwin Ave.). This will put us closer to the hundreds of trees
in need of rescue at the Takoma/Piney Branch Park. For our regular
volunteers, PLEASE *NOTE* this new location for this week's event.
***As always, please let us know if you can't make it. That allows us to
sign-up other people who may want to participate.***
Before you join us, there are a few things you need to know.
If students under the age of 16 are participating, we recommend that they
be accompanied by a parent or guardian. We can also sign SSL forms if
needed.
If you have any questions or concerns before the event, please contact me:
jesseb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
240-543-6607
What do you need to bring?
If you can, please bring garden tools. In order to cut vines, you will need
garden clippers, a pruning saw, some garden gloves, and we recommend some
bug repellent. If you don’t any of those things, we will provide them for
you the day of the event.
Please wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes, as well as long sleeves and pants to
protect from poison ivy and thorns. Also, please wear a hat and bring water
and sunscreen. We will have snacks and drinks to keep you going!
Training
There are many invasive vines species in and around Takoma Park, as well as
easily-confused native (and beneficial) vines. For that reason, we are just
focusing on the ones that are most common, most threatening to our trees,
and those easiest to identify - English ivy, and to a lesser extent,
wintercreeper. Tomorrow, we will also be presented with Chinese wisteria
<https://invasive-species.extension.org/wisteria-sinensis-chinese-wisteria/>and
porcelainberry (see below).
Please review these ID tips for our target plants, and ones to avoid
cutting:
-
DO CUT: English Ivy: See photos here
<https://drive.google.com/file/d/1m5p1XwfAAh_6wgJQX_6oVhaqdkZW48vN/view?usp=sharing>
-
DO CUT: Wintercreeper: See photos here
<https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Gn7UL4q4RJ6EKKa73AJ1duwCbTbEN89b/view>
-
English ivy vs. Poison ivy: While the leaves are quite different, the
two vines can be difficult to distinguish if no leaves are present. Poison
ivy can be identified by its finer, reddish-brown hairs. If you see poison
ivy growing with English ivy, use caution and be careful not to touch the
poison ivy. If the two vines are too tightly entwined, leave them alone.
Poison ivy is a beneficial native vine that should not be cut unless it is
found in a problematic location (e.g., playground, etc). See photos here
<http://old.fosc.org/EI-Look-Alikes.htm> and here
<https://www.thespruce.com/pictures-of-poison-ivy-4071932>.
-
DON'T CUT: Virginia creeper
<https://www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/weedguide/single_weed.php?id=35#:~:text=Virginia%20creeper%20is%20characterized%20as,tips%20of%20its%20branched%20tendrils.>:
another beneficial native vine, and less annoying than poison ivy.
-
DON’T CUT: Native grape, which is easily confused with porcelainberry, a
nasty invasive. See more here
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5qT0A7ecjA> and here
<https://bygl.osu.edu/node/1129> and here
<https://www.nybg.org/files/scientists/rnaczi/Mistaken_Identity_Final.pdf>.
Lastly, if you don’t know what the vine is, don’t cut it!
If you have never cut invasive vines before, don’t worry, you are in good
hands. It is a super simple process to get started. See below the 3 steps
for removing invasive ivy from trees. Also watch this simple video
<https://youtu.be/UcdhIUpfrro>!
3 Steps to Remove Ivy (or Wintercreeper) from Trees
1.
Use garden clippers to cut ivy at head/shoulder height AND at the bottom
around the entire trunk of all infested trees. This is called a “window”
treatment - you will be clearing a “window” of ivy around the tree. The
goal is to separate all ivy vines from their source of nutrients in the
soil so they will die. If the ivy is not dense, you can pull it from the
soil at the bottom of the tree with your hands, especially the day after it
rains. On heavily infested trees with ivy vines thicker than an inch, you
will need to carefully saw through the vine and carefully, gently ease it
away from the bark. Experiment with the tools below to find what works
best for you. TIP: Wear gloves and long sleeves to lessen the risk of
poison ivy. Many prefer doing this during the winter months when poison ivy
is less virulent, and heavier clothing will reduce the risk of contact.
2.
Pull all ivy vines out of the ground around the base of the tree, making
a 2 feet “life saver ring” around the tree. This will protect the tree from
future infestations. This is easiest to do when the soil is soft from
rains; if the ground is very hard and the vines keep breaking, wait until
after a rain to remove the vines. The cleared space allows you to see any
emerging ivy from roots you missed. Arborists suggest laying a 2″ thick
leaf or wood chip mulch for three feet around the tree to preserve moisture
in the soil and keep lawn mowers from getting too close to the roots. Keep
the mulch 3″ away from the tree trunk to ensure air exchange for the bark,
and you can spot any ivy trying to reinfest the tree.
3.
Once cut, you may carefully remove ivy from the window area. If it does
not easily come off, leave ivy on the tree. Trying to pull it off the tree
if it is deeply rooted in the bark could harm the tree. Also, never pull
ivy down from the tree, as you could harm the tree by removing branches,
and/or injure yourself. Don’t worry if you aren’t able to remove all ivy
from the window. Ivy will gradually blend into the tree bark after it is
cut. Just make sure that the ivy is cleanly cut.
Thank you so much for volunteering to save the trees in our community. Each
tree saved not only represents a huge win for you and your neighbors, but
also a huge victory for our climate and local environment.
We look forward to seeing you tomorrow! Please feel free to reach out to me
if you have any questions or concerns.
Best,
Jesse Buff
--
Jesse Buff
Invasive Vines Coordinator/Researcher
jesseb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
cell: 240-543-6607
