Portland to Celebrate Maine Arbor Week

Series of events planned May 19-22

Portland, Maine – The City of Portland has put together a number of events to celebrate Arbor Week, which in Maine is always the third week in May.

The events include the following:

·         On Monday, May 19, the Portland City Council will declare "ARBOR WEEK" in Portland with a proclamation.
·         On Tuesday, May 20, at the State of Maine Arbor Week ceremony in Farmington, Maine, the City will receive the National Arbor Day Foundation's 'Tree City USA' award for the 34th year.
·         On Wednesday, May 21 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. there will be a 'Mount Joy Heritage Orchard' tree planting with East End School students.  At 10:30 a.m., Mayor Michael Brennan will join City Arborist Jeff Tarling, John Bunker from FEDCO, and East End School students to plant 12 heritage apple trees. The event will take place on North Street across from East End School.
·         On Thursday, May 22 at 9:15 a.m. at Pine Grove Park there will be a tree planting event with UPM Madison and Lyseth School students. The event will take place on Ray Street at Pine Grove Park near Allen Avenue.

Invasive Species Update for Portland

Hemlock Wooly Adelgid (HWA) has been discovered this past winter at Baxter Woods off Stevens Avenue by students from Catherine McAuley High School. Next week, Whitney Tree Service has donated their labor & equipment to begin systemic treatment to protect the large, 'heritage', old growth Hemlock trees in the park.  In the near future the Maine Forest Service will be donating predatory beetles that the students from McAuley will assist on releasing to use as a bio-control for the HWA.   Already in Portland on Great Diamond Island hemlock wooly adelgid have devastated the local hemlock population.

Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is another series invasive insect that threatens Portland's & the State of Maine's ash trees.  Portland will tagging Ash trees with purple ribbons to show the loss if this pest hits Portland.  This is part of a state wide effort by the Maine Forest Service during Arbor Week.  This pest has been found in Southern New Hampshire but not yet in the State of Maine.