Davey Tree Wins Communications Awards from TCIA

Congratulations to The DaveyTree Expert Company who was awarded two Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) Professional Communications Awards for 2018.

Davey won in two separate categories of the professional communications awards: marketing campaign and newsletter/blog. The professional communications awards program honors marketing and communications excellence within the tree care industry.

Our “Tree RxCampaign” was the focus of Davey’s public relations efforts in 2018. The campaign, which won in the marketing campaign category, concentrated on the health and wellness benefits associated with trees. The messages were featured throughout the year on Davey’s website, social media accounts and other printed materials.

The Davey Bulletin, Davey’s internal employee magazine, was awarded in the newsletter/blog category and was submitted by the corporate communications department. The Davey Bulletin is a bi-monthly publication that highlights Davey’s employees, leadership within the green industry and the commitment to the company’s core values of integrity, safety, expertise, improvement, leadership and resolve.

“Davey’s honored to be recognized as communications leaders in the green industry,” said Sandra Reid, vice president, Davey corporate communications and strategic planning administration. “The corporate communications team created some fun and creative communications pieces in 2018, that even go beyond the two highlighted here. This recognition within the industry motivates us to think of innovative and dynamic ways to create even more effective communication pieces in 2019.”

Congratulations Davey! We are proud to work with you!

GWA Atlanta in Pictures

We had a blast attending GWA  Atlanta! Not only did we release our 2017 Garden Trends Report, 

we partied the night away at Sweet Georgia's Juke Joint. Thanks to our hosts, The Davey Tree Expert Company, Espoma Organic, Costa Farms, Sunlight Supply and OPCOM Farm and to all who came out!! We danced the night away!

And a HUGE Congratulations to Katie for receiving the first ever Emergent Communicator award. Well deserved! And congratulations to Garden Writers for a hugely successful event! Here's to many more! 

  

   

 

 

Gardens go for Olympic Gold

The summer Olympics is in full swing, but that doesn’t mean you should just root for the athletes! There is something else competing for your attention: your yard. Read more about how trees are the gold standard in your landscape from Gardening Know How! The Davey Tree offers tips on how to keep your trees healthy this season. 

Apply Nature’s Sunscreen This Arbor Day

This Arbor Day, celebrate spring by honoring the trees and beautiful landscapes that surround us. But, don’t forget to apply sunscreen before stepping outside.

Trees, one of nature’s most wonderful gifts, clean the air, increase property values and support wildlife. They also provide shade that keeps people and homes cool and minimizes the harmful effects of UV rays on skin.

That’s right — trees actually act as nature’s sunscreen.

According to The American Cancer Society (ACS), trees are equally important as hats and sunglasses when it comes to providing protection from strong and dangerous UV rays. In fact, the ACS and The Shade Foundation agree shade from trees provides both an effective and aesthetically appealing defense against the sun. 

And with skin cancer on the rise, it’s important to learn how to keep trees healthy, so they can keep us healthy, too. Arborists at The Davey Tree ExpertCompany offer advice on on how to give trees a check-up. 

2016 Garden Bloggers Recap

The 6^th annual 2016 Garden and Design Bloggers Conference was held Atlanta last week. This two- day conference packed in amazing speakers, great sponsors (Including The Davey Tree Expert Company) and leaders in the garden and design world. Stacey and Katie attended, took copious amounts of notes and wanted to share their top 3 takeaways. 

Is Your Property Ready for Spring?

Spring is just around the corner, even if it doesn't feel like it in your area. Now is the time to assess your property for damage that may have occurred over winter and prepare it for a blooming spring.

Although your home's landscape may be dormant at the moment, grasses and trees are still very much alive and need a helping hand. Preventive maintenance, including pruning and plantings, can be the boost your property needs to welcome spring, and prospective home buyers if you're in the market.

Here are landscaping tips you can do now to prepare your property for the best spring possible:

GMG's Friday Find: Tips for Winter Tree Safety

Photo Credit: Davey Tree Expert Company

This winter has been challenging in many regions with snow, ice and wind resulting in power outages from fallen tree branches, and sometimes the entire tree. Not all trees can withstand the weight of snow and ice and not many people can withstand the stress of several days of no power.  It's still not too late to inspect the trees on your property to identify weak or potentially dangerous tree conditions.  Follow these tips from the Davey Tree Expert Company to help you spot the trouble before you end up in trouble.

Keep an eye out for these tree conditions during the last months of winter to spot defects:

* Deadwood - dead trees and large dead branches can fall at any time, especially during severe weather

* Cracks - look for deep splits that extend into the wood of the tree through internal or external cavities

* Decay - soft wood or cavities where wood is missing can create hazardous conditions in advanced stages

Photo Credit: Davey Tree Expert Company

* Weak branch unions - two or more branches growing too close together with bark growing between them

* Heavy canopies - excessive thick branches and foliage catches more wind in stormy weather increasing the risk of  breakage and uprooting

* Cankers - branches weaken near bark that is sunken or missing and are prone to breakage

* Root problems - trees without a good root system are more likely to be uprooted or blown over during a storm; often nearby construction may sever large roots or compact the soil and cause poor root growth

* Poor tree architecture - characterized by excessive leaning of the tree or branches growing out of proportion to the tree canopy may indicate weakness or structural imbalance

If you've spotted one or more of these potentially harmful tree conditions, don't panic.  Not all defective trees need to be removed immediately and some can be treated for a healthy future.  Contact an arborist who can evaluate the tree and recommend the proper treatment. Trees can withstand most of what Mother Nature dishes out, even if we struggle with it.  Be safe, and remember that spring is just around the corner.

~Peggy
Garden Media Group

GMG's Friday Find: Pick the Perfect Christmas Tree This Year

It seems everyone has some kind of Christmas Tree tradition, even if it's unpacking an artificial tree to decorate and then spraying the room with pine scent.

If part of your tradition is hunting down that perfect live tree, you may suffer from 'tree confusion', a common ailment that afflicts many, no matter the years you've been hunting.

Here is a guide from The Davey Tree Expert Company to help you choose the perfect tree this year that will satisfy everyone and bring lasting memories from decorating to enjoying through the holiday.

10 Best Trees for Brilliant Fall Color

Every year thousands travel to experience the golden fall foliage of the New England countryside. Now, enjoy the painted leaf landscape in your own yard by planting consistently vibrant trees. The trees below deliver the most spectacular shades of scarlet, fiery orange or rich yellow, are easy to care for and maintain a unique look each season.

Here are the top 10 trees to plant for show-stopping fall color. Plus, here are some insider tips on planting trees from the certified arborists at The Davey Tree Expert Company.

GMG's Friday Find: New Study Finds Treehuggers Had It Right All Along

Trees save lives!  New research released from the U.S. Forest Service and the Davey Institute concludes that urban forests across the country save thousands of lives every year.  

According to the study, trees help reduce hospital visits, the number of sick days taken and help people breathe easier.  Trees remove air pollutants by collecting them on their leaves and branches, in fact, just one tree can remove 300 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere every year.

Here are just a few of the benefits that trees provide:

Environmental
A forest acts as a giant filter that cleans the air we breathe.  Trees intercept airborne particles, cooling the air and absorbing pollutants like carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.  A mature leafy tree produces as much oxygen in a season as 10 people inhale in a year.

Trees can store harmful pollutants and actually change the pollutant into less harmful forms.  They filter sewage and farm chemicals, reduce the effects of animal wastes, clean roadside spills and clean water runoff into streams.  Trees also control soil erosion by binding the soil and their leaves break the force of wind and rain on soil.

Economical
Trees increase property values.  Data shows that buyers are willing to spend 3-7% more on homes with ample trees vs. few or no trees.

Since trees shade and cool, they reduce the need for air conditioning in the summer.  Studies have shown that parts of cities without cooling shade from trees can literally be "heat islands" with temperatures as much as 12 degrees F higher than surrounding areas.

Emotional

Trees have a direct influence on neighborhood violence by fostering safer and more sociable environments.  By providing settings that incorporate nature and trees, relationships grow stronger and violence is reduced.  Neighborhoods with shady streets and parks attract people, as they are drawn to come together to interact and are more likely to become friends.

Trees never stop giving and scientists know for a fact that trees improve quality of life in almost every way.  Feel happier, improve curb appeal, and breathe easier by the simple, yet powerful gesture of planting a tree.  If you have any questions about planting and caring for trees, talk to a certified arborist at The Davey Tree Expert Company, or use the Tree$ense app to calculate various benefits of trees, such as energy savings and storm water interception. 

And next time you feel the urge to hug a tree, go ahead and share a little love to the gentle giants that provide so much.

~Peggy
Garden Media Group

Arbor Day Event at Awbury Aboretum TOMORROW

Tomorrow, April 24th, Davey Tree experts will be cleaning up debris, leaves and trees at a Philadelphia institution focused on connecting the urban community with nature, Awbury Arboretum.

To celebrate Arbor Day, April 26th, local certified arborists will clean around the Arboretum, carefully climb the trees for pruning and provide general care.

Visiting the Arboretum on April 24th will provide the perfect example for how to properly care for trees around your home and community.

For more information call the Arboretum at 215-849-2855.  To learn more about the benefits of trees, visit Davey Tree's blog, In the Shade.

Where:                        One Awbury Road, Philadelphia, PA
When:                         Wednesday, April 24, 2013, 8:00 am – 3:00 pm
Who to bring:             Everyone, Families
Contact:                      Katie@gardenmediagroup.com               

Plant Something, It will Increase Your Property Value

Living on a street lined with tall, leafy trees is as much a part of the American dream as a green front lawn and a brand-new car in the driveway. While the latter two are fairly expensive and unsustainable (think pesticides and carbon emissions), it turns out that trees reward property owners with more than just shade.

Plants and trees on and around your property are directly related to a higher property value.

Lots of research proves this- try googling it.

• A study [PDF] by the U.S. Forest Service's Pacific Northwest Research Station published last month in Urban Forestry and Urban Greening, combined rent data from Craigslist apartment listings in Portland, Oregon with tree data from Google Earth to figure out the effect of trees on rent. The researchers, Geoffrey Donovan of the Forest Service and David Butry of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, found that trees planted directly on a property increase a rental unit's value by more than five dollars per month. Rental units with trees abutting the property lines feel a 21-dollar bump. The trend holds true even when researchers control for other factors that determine a neighborhood's desirability. In the past, Donovan has also linked the presence of trees to lower crime and healthier newborns.
• According to the Arbor National Mortgage & American Forests 83% of realtors believe that mature trees have a ‘strong or moderate impact’ on the salability of homes listed for under $150,000; on homes over $250,000, this perception increases to 98% 
• Management Information Services/ICMA says that landscaping, especially with trees, can increase property values as much as 20 percent. 

And, check out an awesome new app from The Davey Tree Expert Company, Tree$ense, to calculate the benefits of the trees on YOUR property.  "Tree$ense turns users into TREEconomists, who can qualify and quantify their trees’ benefits and place trees in the best positions in the landscape to maximize these perks, including how much storm water the trees will intercept, how much carbon dioxide they will sequester and how much air pollution they will reduce."

 Visit value.m.davey.com with your mobile device to access the tool.