I inventoried Blocks 18, 19, and 20 in Cluster 5, totaling 29 trees on these blocks. Overall, there were minimal visual indicators of poor health (i.e. drought, pest/disease, crown dieback) which is a good thing! However, I have noticed throughout Cluster 5 (and maybe this occurred in other Clusters but I was unaware) that varieties of poison ivy would be wrapped around or sprouting next to Sycamore/Plane Trees and Pin Oaks. I am unsure if this signifies anything poor about the trees other than these ivies have the growing space and capacity to exist in Homewood. According to an ask.extension site, Poison ivy proves no harm to trees other than adding additional weight in the crown of the tree and/or reduction in the tree’s photosynthetic capacity, where it thrives based on partial to full sun (https://ask.extension.org/questions/195117). In Blocks 18 and 19, there were several Acer saccharums (Sugar Maples) that had red/orange spots on their leaves — I suppose are Leaf Spots and other types of funguses – but are apparently common to occur on maple leaves year-round (refer to this report: https://www.ct.gov/caes/lib/caes/documents/publications/fact_sheets/plant_pathology_and_ecology/common_diseases_of_maples.pdf). However, it was interesting to see sugar maple leaves exhibiting signs of fungus as they are becoming more and more susceptible to Verticillium (according to information passed down to me). Several of the trunks of the Sugar Maples were coating in white paint – not sure as the reasoning behind that. Further, the Sycamores/London Planetrees in Homewood are very old – some DBHs are reaching 90+ and that signifies that they provide large benefits in terms of stormwater management and shade coverage for the community.

Other than my tree inventory, I have been reading up on background information about urban trees that will help guide my thesis introduction. Due to my readings, I have become more knowledgeable and capable of identifying trees and indicators of tree health, which has assisted me in my tree inventory!

Below are some pictures I took of the day!