NEWS
Surveying the Trees of North Texas
Park by Park—Surveying the Trees of North Texas by Jerry Hamby (This article was originally published in the Elm Fork Chapter Texas Master Naturalist newsletter.) When an abandoned golf course near my house in Houston was developed into a nature park called...
The Ancient Cross Timbers Forest
Cross Timbers Road. Cross Timbers Development District. Cross Timbers Gazette. It seems everywhere you turn in North Texas, you see the words “Cross Timbers.” Newcomers to the area may wonder what the Cross Timbers is and why it’s so important that it is immortalized in names all over the area.
How to Protect Trees from Insects and Pests
Protecting trees from insects and pests keeps the greenery healthy and strong while preventing your yard from becoming a bug-fest.
No matter where you live, but especially in Texas where summertime heat and humidity can be brutal, the bugs want to chew on just about everything — trees and people included. Keep your trees healthy in these ways.
Selecting the Right Red Oak
Chlorosis (yellowing of the foliage) in red oaks is a common problem in the North Texas area that is a result of the tree’s inability to obtain iron from the high pH Alkaline soils. This problem occurs in species or varieties of red oaks that are not adapted to North Texas soils. The solution is to select a variety that can tolerate high alkaline conditions.
Keeping the Green Side Up
Laura M. Miller, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, North Texas Urban Forestry Conference Chair The 2023 North Texas Urban Forestry Conference will provide tree professionals with an opportunity to learn about the ways we can best protect valuable trees while...
Behind the Bark: A look at the beautiful wood inside North Texas trees – Part Two
By Kelly Geer, Urban Tree Merchants PART TWO: Changing trees. Autumn breeze. Falling leaves. Cooler temps are often a reminder to look up and take in the beauty of the trees and nature around us. But let’s take a deeper look at the beauty hiding behind the bark in...
Behind the Bark: A look at the beautiful wood inside North Texas trees
It may be hot in Texas but we are still blessed to be surrounded by many lush and beautiful trees that offer shade, blooms, and even nuts to eat! This article will help you identify and learn more about five of the most popular trees in North Texas and take you behind the bark to see the unique wood grains hiding all around us.
The Lost Maples of Vanderpool in the Texas Hill Country
By Amira Hamdan The four seasons in Texas are an elusive thing. Sure, you’ll find summer, and even for a month or two, you’ll enjoy the mildest of winters south of the Panhandle. (You’ll find real winter in the Panhandle itself.) Spring lasts about as long as a...
Mayfest 2022
Join Cross Timbers Urban Forestry Council for a free tree giveaway during Mayfest. May 7th and 8th trees will be given away from Noon to 5pm.
City of Fort Worth Heritage Trees
Fort Worth has long promoted urban forestry practices dating back to 1873 when the city charter declared it illegal to hitch a horse to a tree. The city even hired their first arborist in the 1920’s. So, it should come as no shock that there is an assortment of trees spread throughout the city that are considered significant and are classified as Fort Worth Heritage Trees.
Emerald Ash Borer Trapping in the Metroplex
It’s not a complicated device: just some purple plastic, coated with glue and baited with a clear pouch containing a lure– but this emerald ash borer (EAB) trap is a scientifically-designed instrument and serves as our first line of defense against EAB infestation.
Wilt Diseases of Elms in Texas
The tree genus Ulmus contains many valued elm species growing throughout all of Texas. Although elms are among the most highly prized of all shade trees, they are susceptible to some serious wilt diseases.
Saucer Magnolia
The saucer magnolia is a hybrid exotic ornamental species planted in the Cross Timbers. Saucer magnolia is distinct in early spring as its flowers bloom prior to leaf out.
Preparing for Winter
The Texas Winter Storm of 2021 was one for the record books, the first billion-dollar weather disaster of a long and severe weather year. Not all those billions of dollars were made up of plant related losses, but billions of plants were lost on farms and in landscapes in North Texas.
Hiring an Arborist
Have you ever wondered about a problem with your tree or needed pruning work done? The International Society of Arboriculture is one the most well known and respected organizations for tree care credentialing. The ISA’s Find an Arborist tool is useful for verifying credentials or locating professionals in your area, but you should understand that not all certified arborists are consulting arborists.
Monitoring and Inventorying Trees
New guidelines from the US Forest Service show a distinct change from inventorying to monitoring individual trees. This distinction has many advantages such as more accurate tracking of individual tree growth rates. Some North Texas cities already practice monitoring and have software to take full advantage of the data.
How To Protect Trees From Insects and Pests In Texas
We take pride in the fact that everything’s bigger in Texas, except when it comes to the insects that destroy our trees and urban forests. With a little effort, you can protect your trees from insects and pests.
Economic Contributions of Urban Forests in Texas
The Texas A&M Forest Service has completed a statewide analysis of the economic impact Texas’ urban trees provide. So what are the impacts on the economy from urban tree care and planting? $500 million? $1 billion? Nope, the direct economic impact is over $2.4 billion! These services employ more than 43 thousand people with an average income of more than $30 thousand per year. Read more about the contribution of urban trees to the state economy.
Myrtlecide She Wrote
Crape murderers, armed with pruning saws and lots of excuses, strike every spring, rendering one of our most lovely landscape plants, the crapemyrtle, one of our most ugly landscape plants.
The Importance of Tree Conservation in Texas
It turns out money DOES grow on trees. Trees increase the value of your property and can lower your heating and cooling costs. But that’s a drop in the bucket compared to the intrinsic value these forces of nature bring to planet Earth.