The Hume Blog is Moving!!!

Ladies and gentlemen, loyal readers, please take note: the Hume Blog has moved over to its permanent home on the brand-new peterhume.ca website!

Now all of the Hume communications will be easily accessible from one central location on the new Hume site. Social media like Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook will continue as always.

We look forward to seeing your comments and views on the new Hume Blog!

The EAB Campaign Continues...

COUNCILLOR HUME MOVES EAB SIGNS AROUND THE WARD. 

Councillor Hume and his team have just completed repositioning large Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) educational signs around the Alta Vista ward; the goal of the signs is to help guide residents to the new EAB web page put together by the Councillor.

The signs depict a large EAB beetle and say, “The EAB Could Be In Your Tree”—the tagline for Councillor Hume’s entire summer EAB educational campaign. Like the three short videos he released last week, the signs direct residents to eab.peterhume.ca, a web page put together by Hume and his team for the latest news and information about the EAB scourge.

Approximately forty signs went out into the community, strung around trees at intersections where cars and pedestrians will see them. In 3-4 weeks, the signs will be moved to other areas in the ward. Another ten signs will be placed by volunteers at and near garden centres—where people’s minds are already on their trees and plants.

The entire ‘EAB Could Be In Your Tree’ campaign was begun by Councillor Hume to augment efforts already made by his office to better educate the Alta Vista community—an area of town where ash trees are numerous and badly hit by the beetle. More public education strategies will be occurring this summer; stay tuned to the Hume Blog.

The Hume Team places EAB signs.

WHY ARE WE PUTTING UP SIGNS? 

 The EAB signs have been placed around Alta Vista to direct residents to the newest EAB information available—all updated on our EAB web page, eab.peterhume.ca. The QR code on the beetle’s back can be scanned with a smartphone to immediately access the web page.

WHY ARE THEY IN ALTA VISTA ONLY? 

This is a Peter Hume initiative. The Councillor’s residents specifically asked Peter to provide them with an EAB web page, and more public education to help people find information they may need. Other councillors may have their own strategies and approaches to communicating EAB info to their residents.

WHY IS COUNCILLOR HUME USING THE WEB, VIDEOS, AND QR CODES? 

Traditional methods of spreading the information were only partially effective. In an attempt to increase how many people learn about the EAB and what can be done about it, Councillor Hume has expanded his communications strategy into new media channels.

WHY ARE THEY POSTED ON TREES THAT ARE NOT ASH TREES? 

The Hume Team opted to post signs at locations that made for most effective visibility; not all these spots had ash trees available for hanging the signage. As well, trees that were marked for removal were not logical candidates for hanging a sign, as the tree might be removed and the sign with it. The signs are on City trees of all species, but placed at some of the key intersections in the area.

News bite: Peter on CTV Morning on the EAB

Last week, Peter was interviewed on CTV Morning about his 'The EAB Could Be In Your Tree' campaign. Watch it here:




Be sure to stay informed by visiting eab.peterhume.ca

EAB Signs Are Up! Emerald Ash Borer Signs Around the Ward.

COUNCILLOR HUME PLACES EAB SIGNS AROUND THE WARD. 

Councillor Hume and his team have just completed placing large Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) educational signs around the Alta Vista ward; the goal of the signs is to help guide residents to the new EAB web page put together by the Councillor. 

The signs depict a large EAB beetle and say, “The EAB Could Be In Your Tree”—the tagline for Councillor Hume’s entire summer EAB educational campaign. Like the three short videos he released last week, the signs direct residents to eab.peterhume.ca, a web page put together by Hume and his team for the latest news and information about the EAB scourge.

Forty signs went out into the community, strung around trees at intersections where cars and pedestrians will see them. In 3-4 weeks, the signs will be moved to other areas in the ward. Another ten signs will be placed by volunteers at and near garden centres—where people’s minds are already on their trees and plants.

The entire ‘EAB Could Be In Your Tree’ campaign was begun by Councillor Hume to augment efforts already made by his office to better educate the Alta Vista community—an area of town where ash trees are numerous and badly hit by the beetle. More public education strategies will be occurring this summer; stay tuned to the Hume Blog. 

Hume Team putting up signs!

WHY ARE WE PUTTING UP SIGNS?

The EAB signs have been placed around Alta Vista to direct residents to the newest EAB information available—all updated on our EAB web page, eab.peterhume.ca. The QR code on the beetle’s back can be scanned with a smartphone to immediately access the web page.

WHY ARE THEY IN ALTA VISTA ONLY?

This is a Peter Hume initiative. The Councillor’s residents specifically asked Peter to provide them with an EAB web page, and more public education to help people find information they may need. Other councillors may have their own strategies and approaches to communicating EAB info to their residents.

WHY IS COUNCILLOR HUME USING THE WEB, VIDEOS, AND QR CODES?

Traditional methods of spreading the information were only partially effective. In an attempt to increase how many people learn about the EAB and what can be done about it, Councillor Hume has expanded his communications strategy into new media channels.

Our summer student placing signs!

WHY ARE THEY POSTED ON TREES THAT ARE NOT ASH TREES?

The Hume Team opted to post signs at locations that made for most effective visibility; not all these spots had ash trees available for hanging the signage. As well, trees that were marked for removal were not logical candidates for hanging a sign, as the tree might be removed and the sign with it. The signs are on City trees of all species, but placed at some of the key intersections in the area.

WILL THEY BE MOVED?

In a few weeks, the location of the signs will be evaluated, and some or all may be moved to again reach a greater audience.

Video 3: The EAB Could Be In Your Tree!

THE EAB COULD BE IN YOUR TREE: THIRD VIDEO GOES LIVE!

This morning, Councillor Hume released his third video in a three-part series geared to raise awareness of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) beetle that is devastating ash trees across the city—and especially in Alta Vista ward.

The videos are explained here on the Councillor’s blog; each video focuses on a different aspect of identification of the EAB and its effect on ash trees. This third video shows an artist sketching an infected ash tree, with an explanation of what options are available for treatment or containment of the EAB infection.

The videos are part of a larger EAB communications campaign, rolling out throughout the summer; Councillor Hume is responding to residents’ requests for further education and awareness-raising on the invading beetle. Using videos (posted on both Youtube and the Councillor’s social media channels) will provide a way for residents to share the information easily with their friends, families, and neighbours.

We encourage all Alta Vista residents to share the videos via email and social media channels. Help raise awareness of the dangers of the EAB, and the options for treatment and containment.

The videos and upcoming PSA materials all direct residents to the web page eab.peterhume.ca, where residents can see the latest up-to-date information about the EAB and what options residents have in protecting their own trees, as well as City trees they may wish to help.

Link to the second video on Youtube: http://bit.ly/EABAshTree

Video 2: The EAB Could Be In Your Tree!

THE EAB COULD BE IN YOUR TREE: SECOND VIDEO GOES LIVE!

This morning, Councillor Hume released his second video in a three-part series geared to raise awareness of the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) beetle that is devastating ash trees across the city—and especially in Alta Vista ward.

The videos are explained here on the Councillor’s blog; each video focuses on a different aspect of identification of the EAB and its effect on ash trees. This second video shows an artist sketching ash leaves, with an explanation of how to determine if your own tree is an ash.

The videos are part of a larger EAB communications campaign, rolling out throughout the summer; Councillor Hume is responding to residents’ requests for further education and awareness-raising on the invading beetle. Using videos (posted on both Youtube and the Councillor’s social media channels) will provide a way for residents to share the information easily with their friends, families, and neighbours.

We encourage all Alta Vista residents to share the videos via email and social media channels. Help raise awareness of the dangers of the EAB, and the options for treatment and containment.

The videos and upcoming PSA materials all direct residents to the web page eab.peterhume.ca, where residents can see the latest up-to-date information about the EAB and what options residents have in protecting their own trees, as well as City trees they may wish to help.

Link to the second video on Youtube: http://bit.ly/EABashleaves

Premier of The EAB Could Be In Your Tree Video Series!

THE EAB COULD BE IN YOUR TREE: VIDEOS TO RAISE AWARENESS

This morning Councillor Hume just released the first of three videos aimed at educating residents on the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) beetle that has been devastating the ash tree population in Ottawa. The first video in the series starts by showing residents how to identify an EAB.

The videos feature an artist, recorded in stop-motion style, sketching: first, an EAB beetle; next, an ash tree branch; and last, an image of an infected ash tree. Each video educates the viewer on an aspect of the EAB scourge, and refers them to the Councillor’s new EAB webpage for more information on treatment and containment: eab.peterhume.ca.

“We’ve found that residents in our ward were asking for more ways to spread the word about EAB amongst their neighbours,” explains Councillor Hume. “The video series is a catchy, cleaver way to raise awareness with their peers.” With the videos available via Hume’s Twitter, Facebook, Blog and Youtube pages, residents are encouraged to share the clips through their own social media channels. “By creating something so easily shared, it allows residents to reach out to each other.”

Councillor Hume will be continuing public education efforts in Alta Vista over the next few weeks by placing EAB signage on trees around the community, placing ads in community papers, and working with the City’s forestry department to keep the eab.peterhume.ca page updated with the newest information on the beetle.

“Our best defense right now is education,” says Hume. “Residents need to know their options: properly-conducted tree removal for badly infected trees, vaccine for milder cases, and interplanting of new species to replace those trees taken down. It’s important that residents understand: a badly infected ash tree becomes a major safety hazard.”

More information on the battle with EAB will be available on the eab.peterhume.ca page, along with all three videos being released throughout the week.

Link to the first video here: http://bit.ly/EABbeetle .