Mike and Ellen Neal, the owners of TCIA member company Arboristry® Associates, Inc., have been committed to giving back to their Central Virginia community through education and service.
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) have placed a call for public review of a revision draft for the current ANSI A300 (Part 4)-2008, the standard for lighting protection systems in trees. This is the intended final public review draft for this revision and will be open for comments through June 24, 2013. The A300 Part 4 standard addresses the following items:
May's TCI Magazine cover story, Managing Drought Stress on Urban Trees, by Brandon M. Gallagher-Watson takes a look at how drought is a condition that can be managed and the stress on trees can be reduced.
Back in 2011, during Texas’ worst drought on record, Bastrop State Park was nearly destroyed by wildfires caused by 30 mph wind gusts that blew broken tree limbs into power lines. The fires killed two people, destroyed around 1,700 homes, and burned nearly 6,000 acres of the park.
Based in the Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina area, Erica Strein is TCIA's new Regional Outreach Coordinator for North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.
On Friday, April 12, Petzl was informed of an accidental fall in a training center in Germany. This fall was related to a failure of the rope end attachment hole of the Petzl ZIGZAG mechanical Prusik. Petzl has since been informed of another identical failure.
Petzl has decided to immediately recall all ZIGZAGs. As a measure of precaution, Petzl asks that you:
If you have to hoist a climber into a tree with a crane, we recommend that you document your reasons in writing. It's the law in Maryland and highly advisable everywhere else.
OSHA's issue with cranes focuses on the practice of hoisting a climber into a work position. This practice violates the federal OSHA standard. Both Maryland and Virginia OSHA adopted arborist rules that permit the climber to be hoisted, but only when it provides the safest or only feasible means of access.
New Hampshire officials confirmed on Friday, April 5, that emerald ash borer (EAB), an invasive wood boring beetle that attacks and kills ash trees, has been found in the state. Specimens from a suspect tree in Concord were collected and sent to scientists at the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, which confirmed the insect's identity.
April's TCI Magazine cover story, The Cutting Edge of Chain Saws, by Chris Girard, CTSP, takes a look at new developments and updates in the technology of chain saws.
As part of a national Arbor Day Foundation program called "Energy Saving Trees," Atlantic City Electric in New Jersey is offering 2,000 free trees to customers. The idea is that planting them strategically near houses and businesses can help reduce energy bills.
An online tool developed by the foundation and TCIA member company Davey Institute uses Forest Service research to calculate the benefits of planting trees, including cleaner air and improved storm-water management.
Mike and Ellen Neal, the owners of TCIA member company 
May's TCI Magazine cover story, 
Back in 2011, during Texas’ worst drought on record, Bastrop State Park was nearly destroyed by wildfires caused by 30 mph wind gusts that blew broken tree limbs into power lines. The fires killed two people, destroyed around 1,700 homes, and burned nearly 6,000 acres of the park.
Based in the Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina area, Erica Strein is TCIA's new Regional Outreach Coordinator for North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.