Davey Tree Flipbooks

25 July/August 2021 | THE DAVEY BULLETIN MILKWEED, MONARCH RESEARCH PUBLISHED IN JOURNAL In recent years, an emphasis on planting milkweed to help monarch butterflies has permeated the arboriculture world. But exactly where in a garden you plant that milkweed could drastically affect how many monarch eggs are laid and eventually hatch, according to Adam Baker, technical advisor, Davey Institute. Baker was lead author on "Configuration and Location of Small Urban Gardens Affect Colonization by At left, a diagram of three garden design layouts featuring different arrangements of milkweed and nectar/camouflage plants, with respective real-world photos of the gardens. Above, a monarch butterfly. Monarch Butterflies," a research paper published in the scientific journal Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. The research found that when milkweed is planted on the perim- eter of a garden, more monarch eggs and larvae are likely to be found within the habitat. "This research demonstrates that we can use the ecology of an organism to inform our conservation practices and maximize their value," Baker said. DRG EXPANDS SERVICES INTO CIVIL ENGINEERING In Hinckley Township, about 18 miles south of Cleveland, Davey Resource Group (DRG) transformed a former golf course into a residential subdivision featuring 97 single-family lots on under 200 acres of land. The work was accomplished through DRG's recent acquisition of TGC Engineering, Inc. (TGC). TGC created the higher density living situation using a unique Conservation Development District form of zoning, with the nonprofit conservation steward Stream and Wetland Preservation Group holding the easements. Before TGC was acquired, DRG worked as a subcontractor to reforest several acres in the subdivision, planting more than 400 trees to create a native, early successional forest that combined fast maturing shrubs with slower developing understory and canopy trees. TGC supplied additional services that made the work possible, including civil engineering, surveying and project development. mature and forest develops, stormwater runoff volume during rain events will be reduced and the quality of the runoff will be improved. "This project exemplifies how conservation-based zoning – designed to protect more of the local environment – can work hand-in-hand with a developer's vision, optimizing the number of lots while setting aside land for preservation," said TGC founder Travis Crane, now engineering area manager, DRG. "We chose this forest model because it has an almost immediate impact in creating food and habitat for pollinators and birds, like warblers," said Bob Cenni, senior environmental specialist, DRG. "The diversity in our selection of shrub and tree species creates diverse habitats attracting a greater range of native wildlife over a long period of time." Along with habitat and wildlife benefits, the reforestation provides significant value to the watershed. As the trees A rendering of the subdivision.

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