Nab those worms

Maya Packard writes:

Thanks to the Elizabeth Community Association, tree banding kits are available to ECA residents at a fraction of what they would cost at a hardware store. The cost for supplies through the ECA is $1 per foot. The price includes roofing paper, batting, Tanglefoot and wrapping supplies. This year, The ECA tree banding materials will be sold on Oct. 30 at 2217 E. 5th St. Cash and checks will be accepted. Please make checks out to the ECA.

If you cannot pick up your supplies on this date or if you miss the deadline, email  trees4elizabeth@Gmail.com.

To find out more about the cankerworm and to get detailed instructions on how to properly band a tree please visit: http://www.elizabethcommunity.com/cankerworm.htm or email trees4elizabeth@gmail.com.

Will we get sprayed?

Charlotte city arborist Don McSween will ask the City Council tomorrow for $2.8 million to spray parts of the city -- including Elizabeth -- to control cankerworms, the Observer reports. We should know by Oct. 8 if he gets the dough. No matter what happens, you still have to band your trees. As Dana Inge writes:

Every fall our mature tree canopy is threatened by the cankerworm bug. This year, the ECA will be selling the necessary tree banding supplies for $1.00 a foot to combat the cankerworm. The cost covers batting material, roofing paper, tanglefoot, gloves, plastic spreaders and staples and/or plastic wrap. Neighbors are strongly encouraged to order enough supplies to account for banding not only their own trees, but any trees whose canopies touch the trees on their property. Residents can then pick up their supplies on October 27th in Independence Park, from 8:00AM-4:00PM near the rose garden. Additionally block captains will serve as more local points of contacts for their respective zones throughout Elizabeth. To order supplies, email trees4elizabeth@gmail.com and indicate:
• Your name
• Address
• Phone number
• The number of feet of supplies that you require.
(Please note the ECA is not profiting in any way from the sale of these materials. The ECA tree banding materials are being sold at or below cost to Elizabeth residents in an effort to encourage participation.)

Time to remove tree bands

Kara Gooding writes:

Congratulations Elizabeth Neighborhood! We conquered the cankerworm this year. Your banding efforts, along with the spraying program have saved our canopy from what was sure to be a devastating Spring for our mature tree canopy. I hope everyone is getting out and appreciating all the healthy green leaves we have right now.

However, there is one last critical step: it is now time to take down the cankerworm bands. It is important that bands do not stay up longer than needed as they tend to hold moisture against the tree bark and if they stay up too long, can house insects and/or cause the bark to get infected or rot. Also, its important to pull out any staples that were used in the installation process.

So please take down the tree bands in your area. The city has not let us know when they will remove their bands, but if a city tree was banded in your area, please try to remove that band as well.

Thank You again for all your hard work. Anyone can see how wonderfully green our tree canopy is this year and that is in large part due to your wonderful efforts.

Cankerworm grant

Crime Dawg writes:

The Cankerworm Initiative Neighborhood Matching Grant was awarded on November 13th to the Elizabeth Community Association. The majority of this donation will be used to purchase Tanglefoot. Band your trees [with batting and tarpaper]. We need all trees banded in Elizabeth by Thanksgiving, November 23rd. The Tanglefoot will be applied on the dates below while supplies last.

Today begins our call for community volunteers to come out and work together. We need at least one person per household to sign up. Please email the date or dates that best suit your schedule to print_it@bellsouth.net. If you are available at a different time then those shown below, please email and let me know when you can volunteer, we welcome all help. Someone will contact you with your meeting location prior to your scheduled work date.

Tanglefoot schedule:
Shift 1: November 25, 9am-1:00 pm
Shift 2: November 25, noon-4 pm
Shift 3: November 26, 9am-1:00 pm
Shift 4: November 26, noon-4 pm
Shift 5: December 2, 9am-1:00 pm
Shift 6: December 2, noon- 4 pm
Shift 7: December 3, 9am-1:00 pm
Shift 8: December 3, noon- 4 pm
Shift 9: December 9, 9 am – 1:00 pm
Shift 10: December 10 noon to 4:00 pm

Tree talk

Let's think about our blooming trees this weekend. First, if you haven't already, remove the cankerworm bands. Their work is done. Second, run or walk in the 21st Annual Elizabeth 8K road race 8 a.m. on Saturday. Proceeds from the race go toward replenishing our canopy. Then at 10:30, join us under the shade of the big trees in upper Independence Park for the Mad Hatter Easter egg hunt. Wear your silliest hat.

Thousands perish in neighborhood disaster

The Tanglefoot is doing its job, capturing thousands of cankerworm moths as they try to climb trees in Elizabeth. I see the moths everywhere -- on sidewalks, porches, trees -- and I have to say I'm snuffing out as many of their lives as I can (while feeling somewhat guilty about my naked agression). It certainly seems like they had a fruitful mating season. More on cankerworms here.

We'll get sprayed

Our neighborhood will be part of a $2.8 million campaign by the city to eradicate the cankerworm. As part of the effort, Elizabeth will be sprayed next spring, the first treetop spraying since 1998. You're probably thinking, "Hey -- that means I don't have to band my trees!" Wrong. You still have to band. Get busy.

Strike up the banding

Cooler weather means time to band your trees to stop the spread of that hateful cankerworm. I can hear you now: Do I have to? The answer is yes. And the Elizabeth Community Association is making it easy for you, selling everything you need for $1 a foot. Email trees4elizabeth@gmail.com with your name, address, phone number and the number of feet of banding stuff you need. (Measure the circumference of the trees at about chest-height.)
And tree banding experts will be on hand at the annual ECA dinner on Sept. 25.