Sharing Experience in the Wake of the 2020 Midwest Derecho
About a week-and-a-half after the August 10, 2020, derecho that moved through and devastated a large swath of the upper Midwest, I made a trip to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, perhaps one of the hardest-hit urban areas in its path. The shear devastation was unlike anything I have ever seen before. Straight-line winds of up to […]
Using Arboriculture to Help New Parents
By Meg Smolinski As the outreach coordinator for the University of Maryland’s Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, I have the pleasure of interacting with students, faculty and staff on our beautiful campus. As a horticulturist and Certified Arborist, I lead service projects across campus, and last year, these outreach efforts expanded to include a new program, […]
Better Than a Stick in the Eye
One day in the summer of 2018, I was working in the Bay Area of Northern California. I was the only ground guy working with three climbers who were spread out throughout a large apartment complex. Between bathroom and eating breaks at the chip truck and tarping the brush they were all dropping, I was […]
Tub Hubub: Bathing in a Neighboring Beech’s Critical Root Zone
In retrospect, the fact that the client answered the door in a Speedo gave credence to the whole case. In this well-heeled town, many hurdles were overcome to get permission to install the in-ground hot tub. A nifty design was introduced, slogged its way through innumerable boards and committees and was eventually approved. Mr. Speedo […]