NWACA

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NWACA Oak Wilt
Suppression Program 2008
Update
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NWACA Oak Wilt Suppression Program UPDATE 2008
WHAT is Oak Wilt WHAT are the impacts? WHAT are
the NWACA Plans HOW YOU can help Resources and
Contacts Outbreak Status
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Oak Wilt Biology
Infectious disease caused by fungus Ceratocystis
fagacearum Invades and disables (clogs) water
conducting system Fungus spreads through roots
and wounds Carriers include beetles, firewood,
humans and equipment Currently killing central
Texas Oaks at epidemic rates
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Live Oak Symptoms
Veinal Necrosis is most diagnostic. Area around
leaf vein turns brown while rest of leaf remains
green. Leaves may remain on the tree or fall to
the ground.
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Red Oak Symptoms
Leaves turn pale green then brown while remaining
attached for weeks. Color change can begin on one
branch and quickly engulf the entire tree. Red
Oak trees generally die within 4-6 weeks
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Tree Mortality Central Texas July, 2007
PEOPLE SPREAD OAK WILT i.e. Pruning
Firewood Developments
ltltlt TRAVIS
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IMPACTS to YOU
Oaks add significant value () Easily
add 25,000 to 50,000 to property
Expensive to remove a dead Oak (1,500)
Oaks add Majestic Beauty Essential for great
landscaping Historic trees of Austin and
Texas Hill Country i.e. Treaty Oak
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NWACA Oak Wilt Suppression Program Summary

• PREVENTION
• 1. Resident education
• 2. Proper pruning
• Proper firewood usage
• Optimize COA Impact Activities (utility pruning,
  brush pickups)
• 5. Plant trees other than Live Oaks or Red Oaks

• CONTAINMENT
• 6. Trenching
• Inject Infected tree
• Remove Infected tree (especially Red Oaks)

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100s Distributed
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NWACA Yard Signs
WIDELY COPIED
RECOMMEND Austin ORDINANCE i.e. Lakeway
Ordinance 1,000
Fines Strong Enforcement
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Austin Energy - Tree Pruning
Communicated many NWACA historical concerns AE
now supports FEB thru JUNE Oak Pruning Ban
and implements a model pruning program AE
carefully schedules pruning projects Since I-35
splits projects almost equally between Oak
neighborhoods and Non-Oak neighborhoods
Oak neighborhoods (west of I-35) JUL thru JAN
(NWACA) Non-Oak neighborhood (east of
I-35) FEB thru JUNE http//www.austinenergy.com
/Customer20Care/Other20Services/Tree20Pruning/i
ndex.htm
NWACA
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COA Solid Waste Services Large Brush Collection
2007 DATE ENCOURAGED FEB thru
JUNE PRUNING


NEGOTIATED NEW NWACA PICKUP DATES THAT SUPPORT
FEB thru JUNE OAK PRUNING BAN January 14,
2008 LATE July, 2008
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NEGOTIATED NEW NWACA PICKUP DATES THAT SUPPORT
FEB thru JUNE OAK PRUNING BAN January 14,
2008 Late July, 2008
Plus Oak Wilt Info Insert
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Oak Wilt Resources and Contacts
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES http//www.texasoakwilt.org
(all your Oak Wilt questions) http//www.ci.aus
tin.tx.us/oakwilt/ (COA Oak Wilt Suppression
Program) http//www.treesaregood.com/ (general)
http//www.isa-arbor.com/findArborist/findarboris
t.aspx (area arborists) http//www.texasoakwilt.or
g/Vendors/certified_vendor.asp (Oak Wilt
Arborists) http//www.nwaca.org/oakwilt/ (NWACA
Oak Wilt Overview) http//texastreeplanting.tamu.e
du/ (tree selection guide) CONTACTS Oak Wilt
Information Line (Texas Forest Service and
LCRA) 512 473-3517 City of Austin, Chris
Dolan 512 974-1881 Texas Staff Forester, Eric
Beckers 512 339-3772 Texas Staff Forester, Jim
Houser 512 339-4589 NWACA Oak Wilt Committee,
Parker Blevins 512 345-6182
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www.texasoakwilt.org www.nwaca.org/oakwilt
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HOW YOU CAN HELP

• BECOME OAK WILT LITERATE !!!!!!!!
• Study Educational Materials
• Share Educational Materials
• ENFORCE NWACA OAK WILT SUPPRESSION PLAN
• Your Property
• Your Street
• Your Neighborhood
• TAKE ACTIONS
• Proper Pruning Manage Firewood
  Plant Resistant Trees

Inform New Owners
Discuss IMPACTS
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NWACA Oak Wilt Outbreaks and Trenching Projects
-------------------- MESA ------------------------
------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------
Far West ---------------------------------------
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ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
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Oak Wilt Fight Continues Austin American
Statesman 5/26/2007 Neighborhoods are
becoming very involved in educating one another.
And communities are responding. In Lakeway,
there's zero tolerance for tree trimming
ignorance. A daily, steep fine is assessed if a
homeowner doesn't paint the wounds of a freshly
trimmed oak. Also, building and development
ordinances prohibit the planting of any oak
susceptible to oak wilt. City municipalities,
residents and neighborhood associations are
warning shady and careless tree trimmers to back
away from the city's cherished oaks from February
through June when the beetles are running
rampant. Web sites and blogs are in place to
discuss problem areas for oak wilt, first-hand
accounts and schedules for meetings. Dolan, with
a PowerPoint slideshow in tow, recently spoke to
a packed house of 400 Northwest Hills folks.
Austin citizens want to be educated and share
vital information about oak wilt. Dolan says that
Northwest Hills is the No. 1 example of a unified
community action group trying to fight oak wilt.
http//www.texasoakwilt.org/Documents/Press/Figh
t_Continues.pdf