Tree Banding Grants Available

In the Charlotte metro area, most of us have heard of cankerworms. If not, you've probably wondered what those black wraps are around the trees heading up Providence Road. This pest feeds on deciduous trees. In our area, the population of cankerworms is growing. According to Charlotte Mecklenburg's website, last year, more than 73,000 acres in Charlotte were infested with cankerworms (more than 40%). The City did a preventative aerial spraying in 2008 and recommends banding trees in the fall to keep the cankerworm population down. Banding prevents the female cankerworm from climbing the tree, thereby preventing her from laying eggs on the branches. The hatchling caterpillars feed on the leaves and can defoliate a large tree.

The good news is that the efforts seem to be working. Previously as many as 3000 female cankerworms could be found on a single willow oak in the Charlotte area and now those numbers average less than 100. As an incentive to support tree banding, the city of Charlotte is offering neighborhood matching grants to communities in locations identified as within or adjacent to the Cankerworm Infestation Area to assist with the cost of banding trees. This includes trees located on private property. Charlotte has recognized that "it takes a village" to make an impact on cankerworms.

For more information on these grants, see the Charlotte Mecklenburg website at: http://www.charmeck.org/city/charlotte/nbs/communitycommerce/Pages/TreeBanding.aspx
For more information on the importance of tree banding, see our blog at: http://aatexlawn.blogspot.com/2010/11/protecting-city-of-trees-canker-worms.html

We'll be sending out tree banding proposals to our clients soon. With the possibility of a matching grant from the city of Charlotte, there is more incentive than ever to add this service. Applications for a Neighborhood Matching Grant need to be submitted by October 21^st, so time is of the essence. Let us know if we can help.

Thanks,
The AA Tex Lawn Team