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 .

Emerald Ash Borer: Update & Grasshopper Park

Example of EAB damage: the tree shows illness
at the 'crown' first, leaving the tree looking
healthy to passers-by on the ground level. (image source)

The Emerald Ash Borer continues to eat its way through our city, and Alta Vista ward is definitely one of the worst hit. Ottawa’s Forestry department has been studying the Ward 18 area, and many of our streets are lined with well over 50% ash trees. It’s the sad reality of the situation that we will indeed be losing many trees in our neighbourhood. There is an injection that is being used on a trial basis, but it is still in the testing phase, and it can be expensive. Unfortunately, the only other solution is removal and disposal of the infected trees, in an attempt to slow the beetle’s spread.

Grasshopper Park, here in Alta Vista ward, is one of the badly hit areas. Tree removal continued right through the winter months, and many residents were upset by this activity. We’ve asked David Barkley, Manager of Forestry Services of the City of Ottawa, to share some of his knowledge with us.

“We had to remove many trees [in Grasshopper Park] this winter, as they had the potential to fall and cause damage if they came down on their own,” explained Barkley, “This is a liability that the City has to manage.”

How is the decision made about what trees need to come down and which can stay up? “The Forestry Staff continue to work closely with a number of specialists, both internal and external. We are working on management strategies for these sites; we know that all strategies will have affects on residents, animals, other plants, and even water quality. To keep everyone aware and to seek public comment, the City’s Emerald Ash Borer Strategy is a public document and has been brought to Committee for public comment several times.”

“We’re very conscientious of the timing of removals,” shares Barkley. “We take into consideration the birthing season and feeding, and the winter nesting season. We review these factors around each tree; we take into account which nests are active versus inactive storage caches.” In the end, of course, the risk management assessment must be taken very seriously: leaving a dead or hazardous tree could pose a threat to people and wildlife alike. The Emerald Ash Borer is infamous for its insidious practice of eating the trees from the inside-out, leaving a normal-looking—but brittle and dangerous—tree standing where a healthy tree once was.

What’s the next step? Barkley explains that first, they plan to complete the public Open House meetings (the final one is on April 23^rd, from 4-8pm at the Jim Durrell Centre, in Ellwood Hall), then seeking further consultation once they’ve completed the drafts of various woodlot management scenarios.

Councillor Hume has met with Barkley and has reviewed the area studies. The entire Hume Team strives to keep well-informed and educated on the matter of the EAB. Councillor Hume and Forestry continue to meet and discuss ways to reduce the negative impact of the EAB containment tactics in Ward 18, and together they continue to explore the most effective treatment, removal, and interplanting strategies.

For further questions, we recommend you attend the EAB info session on April 23rd; you can also call 3-1-1, check out Ottawa.ca, or stay tuned to the Hume Blog.

Emerald Ash Borer: Public Info Sessions

Residents,

source: Cdn Food Inspection Agency

Here is the official announcement of the public meetings to be held about the Emerald Ash Borer. We hope you'll find these sessions helpful and informative.

City of Ottawa Public Service Announcement:

For immediate release:
April 4 2012

Residents invited to attend emerald ash borer information sessions

Ottawa – The City of Ottawa and River Ward Councillor Maria McRae, Chair of the City’s Environment Committee, are hosting two public information sessions on the emerald ash borer in April.

Since 2008, this invasive insect has been spreading across Ottawa, killing ash trees. The presence of emerald ash borer (EAB) poses a serious threat to 25 per cent of the City’s forest cover located on both public and private properties. 

By attending these sessions, residents can learn more about what the City is doing to prevent the spread of EAB and what they can do to help mitigate the impact this insect is having on our ash trees. 

The information sessions are scheduled for:

Date:                April 12, 2012

Time:               4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Location:          Ben Franklin Place, 101 Centrepointe Drive, Andrew S. Haydon Hall

Date:                April 23, 2012

Time:               4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Location:          Jim Durrell Complex, 1264 Walkley Road, Ellwood Hall

For more information, please visit ottawa.ca/eab or call 3-1-1.

- 30 -

For more information:
Media contact
613-580-2450

Public inquiries
3-1-1

Buckthorn in Ottawa: Invasive Species Spotlight

The planting season is on its way, and this is always a good time to review some of the troublesome plants that we are combating in the Ottawa area. The insidious Buckthorn is making its way across our city, and make no mistake: it’s a tough one. To get the story on Buckthorn and what it’s doing in Ottawa, we asked David Barkley, Manager of Forestry Services for the City of Ottawa, to tell us a bit about this invasive species.

Q: WHAT IS BUCKTHORN? HOW CAN PEOPLE RECOGNIZE IT?

DAVID: It is a non native plant that was brought here as an ornamental shrub. There are two varieties in Ottawa: European and Glossy Buckthorn. It is a small tree with small rounded leaves and small fruit.

Q: WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL WITH BUCKTHORN?

DAVID: The issue with Buckthorn is that it is quite invasive and takes over open and grassed areas not allowing other vegetation or trees to grow in the area by shading them out, and it is difficult eliminate.

Q: WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR REMOVAL?

DAVID: Removal of Buckthorn is for the most part almost impossible or is a very daunting task on large sites.  The most effective way is done manually by pulling out the plant and the roots to discourage any possible new growth from the plant, but this will need to be done a number of times over a few years.

Q: WHAT IS THE BEST WAY FOR A CITIZEN TO DEAL WITH BUCKTHORN?

credit: treetopics.com

DAVID: On private property, on a small scale, pulling the complete plant out is the most effective way, and disposing of the materials in the Green Bin program.

Q: ARE THERE OTHER WAYS TO CONTAIN IT OR KILL IT?

DAVID: Other methods that are much more difficult or where success is uncertain are spraying with chemicals (such as Round Up), burning off the site with fire, mowing and flooding.  All these methods have varied results and will need to be repeated a number of years to be successful.

Q: WHERE CAN PEOPLE GET MORE INFO?

More information is found on the internet at sites such as the Invading Species site or Tree Canada.    

Q: WHAT ELSE SHOULD PEOPLE REMEMBER?

DAVID: Communities can assist the City by partnering with us to carry out buckthorn removal and tree planting in their community parks to get a forest growing.

Well, there you have it: the down-low on the low-down dirty nasty Buckthorn! Take care of your gardens, parks, and forests by dealing with Buckthorn as early as possible. If you have questions or are participating in a Buckthorn community clean-up, contact 3-1-1.

About David Barkley:

David Barkley is the Manager of Forestry Services for the City of Ottawa.  David studied Traditional Forestry, before going on and studying Urban Forestry and becoming a Certified Arborist. David has worked in various areas from tree seedling production, silvicultural operations, tree care, tree protection during construction and invasive plants and insect that impact forests and urban environments.

Emerald Ash Borer in Ottawa: Invasive Species Spotlight

Spring seems to really be here now, and with the return of green leaves, we’re reminded of the ongoing threat to our ash trees: the Emerald Ash Borer.

MEET THE BORER

The Emerald Ash Borer.
source: ottawa.ca

From the Ottawa.ca website: “Emerald Ash Borer is a non-native, highly destructive wood-boring beetle that feeds under the bark of ash trees. It was confirmed in Ottawa in 2008 and its impacts can be clearly seen spreading from the St. Laurent area. Since the insect spends most of its lifecycle under the bark of trees, it can be easily moved with firewood or other tree materials such as nursery stock, logs, brush and larger wood chips. This insect is able to fly, but since its spread has been primarily along major highways and transport routes, it is clear that humans are the main vector of dispersal.”

BEETLE BUSTING: A DIFFICULT BATTLE

Telltale signs of the beetle.
source: ottawa.ca

What does this mean for Ottawa residents? Over the last two years, it has meant that we’ve had to remove many dead or dying ash trees. The Borer’s effect on trees is first noticeable at the crown (top) of the tree, which means that often, it may seem as if the City of Ottawa Forestry Services is removing a viable tree; unfortunately, many of these trees only look healthy from ground level when in fact, they are destroyed internally by the beetle. Some residents have been reluctant to remove their ash trees, thinking that the tree looks relatively healthy; but because the beetle works on the insides of the tree, the result is a solid-looking tree that is actually a serious safety hazard and may fall to the ground, crushing cars, wires, rooftops, or even people.

Forestry has been experimenting with a naturally-derived pesticide that shows promise in preventing the spread of the beetle’s larva. However, treatment with the pesticide can cost between $300-$500 per tree, and must be done every 12-24 months. Removal and quarantine of the dead wood are the only other option at present...another costly process, with a full removal costing upwards of $2,000 per tree. This cost is covered by the City when the tree is on City of Ottawa property, but residents with ash trees on their own property are responsible for the cost of treatment or removal.

Ash leaves always grow in
opposite directions like this.
source: ottawa.ca

This beetle has already had a hefty impact on the number of trees in our city and most definitely within the Alta Vista ward. Forestry is interplanting, which means they are attempting to replace dead trees with new trees of different species as they go along; unfortunately, there’s an introduced plant species called Buckthorn that is complicating the process. Buckthorn strangles out other plants, and if we do not effectively remove it before planting in some areas, it will kill the saplings that are planted.

WHAT CAN RESIDENTS DO?

Residents can take some important steps toward helping with the Emerald Ash Borer problem:

1. Learn more about the Borer beetle on the city website here.

Mature ash bark.
source: ottawa.ca

2. Report any suspected outbreaks by contacting the CFIA at 1-866-463-6017 or emailing 311@ottawa.ca

3. Don’t wait too long to seek treatment for your own ash trees! Contact the City by dialing 3-1-1 to learn what your options are. Consider working with neighbours to take care of a shared tree.

4. Attend a public Open House meeting about the EAB. Two meetings are coming up: April 12 – Ben Franklin Place, and April 23 – Jim Durrell Recreation Centre. More information about the time and room will be posted here on the blog, on Twitter, on Facebook, and at Ottawa.ca.

Young ash bark.
source: ottawa.ca

5. Be sure to have your ash trees disposed of properly: the beetle won’t die just because the tree has been removed from the ground.

A NECESSARY STEP

Some parts of our ward, and the city overall, are saturated with ash trees. You may live in a neighbourhood that has already experienced some heavy tree removal, and it is indeed upsetting to see mature trees dying in this way. However, our best hope for controlling this tree-killing beetle is to remain vigilant, take action with infected trees, and keep educated. It is only through coordinated effort that we may manage to stop the spread of this insidious little insect.

UPDATE: INFO SESSION DETAILS

The following information has been gathered regarding the EAB info sessions:

EMERALD ASH BORER

PUBLIC INFO SESSIONS

APRIL 12 4-8pm

BEN FRANKLIN PLACE

and

APRIL 23 4-8pm

JIM DURRELL CENTRE

(ELLWOOD HALL)