Urban Forestry Tree Commission

BO AR D M EM BE R S Joy Winbourne – D2, Chair Alexander Elton – D5 Joseph Johnson – D1 Robin Karoway-Waterhouse – D3 C ON T A CT URBAN FORESTRY TREE COMMISSION MEETING AGENDA • 50 Officer Manny Familia Way • Worcester, MA 01605 Thursday October 9, 2025 @ 6:00 PM • Hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 PM Department of Parks, Recreation & Cemetery • Phone: 508-799-1190 Administrative Office – Meeting Room A • Email: 50 Officer Manny Familia Way Worcester, MA 01605 Worcestertrees@worcesterma.gov • Website: www.worcesterma.gov/parks/trees The Urban Forestry Tree Commission meeting will be held in-person at the date, time and location listed above. Meeting attendees will additionally have options to participate remotely by joining online or by The Urban Forestry Tree Commission is phone: committed to ensuring that its public meetings are accessible to all. If you need reasonable accommodations to participate in the meeting, • Use the following link to join the meeting via computer: please reach out to the staff contact listed. While boards and commissions do their best to 1) Go to www.team.com accommodate you, certain accommodation may 2) Enter Meeting ID: 288 401 438 680 1 not be available if requested within short notice of 3) Enter Password: st3B6mq6 the scheduled meeting. Requests for American Sign Language interpretation must be made 10 4) Join the meeting now business days or more in advance of the meeting. Hay disponibles servicios de interpretación y • Call 1-469-998-7682 (Access Code: 969 709 809#) otras adaptaciones con solicitud previa. ‫ﺗﺘﻮﻓﺮ اﻟﺘﺮﺟﻤﺔ اﻟﻔﻮرﯾﺔ وﻏﯿﺮھﺎ ﻣﻦ وﺳﺎﺋﻞ اﻟﺘﯿﺴﯿﺮ ﻋﻨﺪ اﻟﻄﻠﺐ اﻟﻤﺴﺒﻖ‬ Note: If technological problems interrupt the virtual meeting component, the meeting will continue in-person. अनवु ◌ाद र अ6य आवसह अ'-म अनरोधपचत ◌ु उपल5ध हु6छ। Application materials may be viewed by appointment at: Interpretação e outras adaptações estão Department of Parks, Recreation & Cemetery, disponíveis mediante solicitação prévia. 50 Officer Manny Familia Way Worcester, MA 01605 between 8:00 a.m. Përkthimi dhe akomodime të tjera janë në – 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. dispozicion me kërkesë paraprake. Kasa nkyerɛaseɛ ɛne akwanya afoforɔ da hɔ For more information concerning this meeting, please contact the ma wɔn a wɔn bɛ bisa ato hɔ. Department of Parks, Recreation & Cemetery, Forestry Operations by Phiên dịch và các hỗ trợ khác có sẵn theo email at worcestertrees@worcesterma.gov or phone at 508-799-1190. yêu cầu trước. Please send written comments 3 business days or more in advance of the meeting. If you need reasonable accommodations to participate in the meeting, please reach out to the staff contact listed. While boards and DI V IS IO N S TA F F commissions do their best to accommodate you, certain accommodations may not be available if requested within short notice of the scheduled Robert C. Antonelli Jr. Commissioner meeting. Requests for American Sign Language interpretation must be Brian Breveleri, Supervisor of Forestry made 10 business days or more in advance of the meeting. John Grady, Foreman Para más información sobre esta reunión, comuníquese con el Mily Pacheco, Staff Assistant III Department of Parks, Recreation & Cemetery, Forestry Operations por Melissa Richford, Principal Clerk correo electrónico al correo worcestertrees@worcesterma.gov o por teléfono al 508-799-1190. Envíe sus comentarios por escrito 3 días hábiles o más antes de la reunión. Si necesita adaptaciones razonables para participar en la reunión, comuníquese con el contacto del personal indicado en la lista. Aunque las juntas y comisiones hacen todo lo 1 U P CO MI N G M EE TI N GS posible para atenderle, algunas adaptaciones podrían no estar OCTOBER 29, 2025 disponibles si se solicitan con poca anticipación a la reunión programada. Las solicitudes de interpretación de lenguaje de señas NOVEMBER 10, 2025 estadounidense deben hacerse 10 días hábiles o más antes de la reunión. DECEMBER 10, 2025 1. Call to Order – 6:00 PM 2. Attendance (Roll Call) 3. Acceptance of Minutes (May 14, 2025 & June 16, 2025) 4. Public Participation (Agenda Items) A person may speak for no more than three (3) minutes in total on any item appearing on the agenda. 5. Commissioner Report a) Capital Improvement Update 6. Old Business The individual / organization / group who has placed an item on the agenda may speak for no more than five (5) minutes in total on the item they have submitted. a) Request of Commissioner Winbourne for the Commission to set goals for the Commission b) Request of Commissioner Winbourne on updates on EAB and successional planting strategies at Newton Hill c) BMP Review d) Review of City Ordinances e) Current Street Tree Species List from other communities 7. New Business Agenda items must be submitted three (3) business days before each Commission meeting with subject line “Agenda Item” to Parks@worcesterma.gov and reply satisfactorily to any required follow-up requests sent by the Parks and Recreation Commission. The individual / organization / group who has placed an item on the agenda may speak for no more than five (5) minutes in total on the item they have submitted. a) News articles b) MDAR Spotted Lanternfly Information c) Commission Communication 2 8. Tabled Business To take an item off the table, a motion must be made by a member of the Commission, seconded and approved by a majority vote of the members present. The item can then be discussed at the next meeting a) NA 9. Meeting Adjourned (Roll Call) 3  SPOTTED LANTERNFLY: Management Guide for Infested Areas BACKGROUND: Spotted lanternfly (“SLF”, scientific name Lycorma delicatula) was accidentally introduced into the United States around 2014, on shipments of crushed stone sent to a business in Pennsylvania. Since then, this pest has been unintentionally spread to other states in many ways, including by hitchhiking on vehicles, nursery stock, and sheds and other outdoor equipment. FOUR THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SPOTTED LANTERNFLY (SLF): 1 SLF is an invasive pest that can harm agriculture and make it unpleasant to be outside 2 SLF does not bite, sting, or otherwise harm people or pets 3 If you are in an area with a known infestation of SLF: • Check your property for SLF and its favorite host plants, tree-of-heaven and grape • Consider setting up traps, hiring someone to treat for SLF, or whether removing the tree-of-heaven on your property is possible (see LIVING WITH SLF below for details) 4 If you see SLF outside of a known infested area, take a picture and click the “Report” button at https://www.mass.gov/slf (Not sure? Check this map: https://bit.ly/SLFDashboard) WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Spotted lanternfly’s appearance changes over the course of the year. Here’s what to look for: EGG MASSES YOUNG NYMPHS OLDER NYMPHS ADULTS (September-June) (May-July) (July-September) (August-December) Wa lth y-c er a c-s Flat, gray masses, about Tiny, wingless insects Small, red, wingless Look for large insects, an inch long, usually that are black with insects with black and at least 1 inch long, that covered with a gray or white spots. Also called white spots. Also called have grayish wings with beige waxy coating, “early instar” nymphs. “late instar” nymphs. black spots, and a set of and containing rows of hindwings underneath tiny eggs. Can be found marked with a large red on trees or any other patch. flat or smooth surface outdoors. A hard freeze kills off any remaining SLF at the end of the year, but their egg masses will survive to hatch the following spring. Typical New England winters are not cold enough to harm SLF egg masses.  SPOTTED LANTERNFLY: Management Guide for Infested Areas IMPACTS OF SPOTTED LANTERNFLY AGRICULTURE: Because grapevines are a preferred host plant for SLF, the biggest impact from this pest is expected to be in vineyards or natural areas where there is a lot of wild grape. Spotted lanternfly adults have also been observed to swarm in large numbers in fruit orchards, causing problems during harvest and impacting operations at pick-your-own orchards. Nymphs have been observed feeding on nursery plants and other agricultural crops. GARDENING AND THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT: Spotted lanternfly is a sap-feeding insect that feeds on over 100 different plant species. The plants most at risk are its preferred host: grapevines, black walnut, and tree-of-heaven. Grapevines can be killed by as little as one season of SLF feeding, while the impact to black walnut and tree-of-heaven is Wine grapes infested with SLF only severe when they are small saplings. The long- term impact on other plants varies from species to species, and is still being studied. QUALITY OF LIFE: Heavy infestations of spotted lanternfly may discourage you from spending time in your yard or visiting natural areas, especially while the adults are swarming in late summer. The sticky waste product produced by these insects, known as honeydew, accumulates all over plants, vehicles, yards, and anything else underneath where SLF is feeding. Honeydew is extremely difficult to wash off, attracts stinging insects, and leads to the growth of a fungus known as sooty mold, which can stunt plant growth if it covers the leaves and is slippery on flat surfaces. SLF honeydew has also been found to cause the growth of other fungi and bacteria that have a bad odor. People often ask if spotted lanternfly bites, stings, or is otherwise dangerous. SLF cannot sting and is not known to bite or attack people or animals. While it is best to avoid letting your pet consume a large number of any insect found in the wild, there is no scientific evidence that spotted lanternflies are poisonous if ingested. Consult with Heavily infested tree covered with your pet’s veterinarian if you have additional concerns. honeydew and fungal growth  SPOTTED LANTERNFLY: Management Guide for Infested Areas STATE EFFORTS TO DEAL WITH SLF The Mass. Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) has a team of inspectors that monitor high risk pathways, survey areas where SLF has been found, and respond to reports from the public. When a new population is found, these teams carefully survey the area to determine the extent of the infestation. If you or someone near you find SLF, you may see survey crews from MDAR, their partners at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), or the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) checking trees in your area. Surveyors have the regulatory authority to inspect for SLF (M.G.L. c. 128, Section 24), but will ask for permission before entering a property. If property owners are not home at the time of the survey, the team will typically leave information at the door and then check the property for signs of SLF. MDAR may also ask permission of property owners to set up traps to monitor for SLF. Property owners should review the LIVING WITH SLF section below to determine how best to manage SLF infestations on their own property. State resources are limited, but for certain high-priority infestations, MDAR may assist with management efforts, including monitoring, pesticide treatments, tree removals, and/or training of property owners to prevent SLF from leaving the area. Even if we cannot fully eradicate spotted lanternfly, slowing the spread of this pest allows more time to develop better management methods, and gives us the chance to lower the impact if SLF becomes established throughout Massachusetts. LIVING WITH SLF Dealing with SLF on your property can be challenging, depending on how heavy the level of infestation gets and how much tree-of-heaven you have on or near your property. Practice the following three steps to minimize the impacts of this pest: 1. INSPECT: Check trees and any other items on property that could have SLF adults, nymphs, or egg masses. Avoid parking under infested trees, and inspect your vehicle before leaving your property, so that you do not accidentally spread SLF to new areas. Use our Checklist for Residents In or Near Infested Areas (https://bit.ly/SLFResidentGuide) for a detailed inspection list. 2. MONITOR: Identify any preferred host plants of spotted lanternfly on your property. For all SLF life stages, this includes tree-of-heaven, grape, and black walnut. For the nymph stages, you should also check poison ivy and Asiatic bittersweet. In the fall, the adults may also gather on maple and birch trees. Use the “What to Look For” chart on page one of this guide to know which stages to look for at which times of the year. 3. MANAGE: There are several options for managing an SLF infestation, depending on the level of infestation, the resources you have available, and whether you have host plants on your property. A detailed description of the choices you have available is provided in the TOOLS FOR MANAGING SLF section below.  SPOTTED LANTERNFLY: Management Guide for Infested Areas TOOLS FOR MANAGING SLF NON-CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT Vacuuming: SLF can be removed from an area using a shop vacuum or other type of canister vacuum. Vacuum the spotted lanternflies off the surfaces they are resting on, being careful not to damage delicate leaves or new plant growth. Although most of the spotted lanternflies will be killed by the vacuuming process itself, some may survive. Leaving them in the canister for a day or two before emptying will ensure that they are all dead. Make sure to empty and clean the vacuum shortly after that, otherwise the dead lanternflies may start to rot and smell, especially in high temperatures. You can also transfer the contents of the vacuum into a trash bag, seal it, and place it in a freezer for at least 24 hours to euthanize any SLF that are still alive. Traps: There are two main types of traps used to catch spotted lanternfly: circle traps and sticky bands. Both traps are placed on trees and use the natural movement of SLF up and down the tree over the course of the day to catch the insects. If you decide to use sticky bands, be sure to place a raised guard of mesh wire around it to prevent birds, bats, and other nontarget animals from being caught on the sticky surface. You can learn how to build both types of traps here: https://bit.ly/ SLFTrapping. Sticky band with mesh guard Circle trap Adult/Nymph Removal: If you see small numbers of SLF adults or nymphs, especially on vehicles or on materials being moved out of an infested area, squish or smash the insects to destroy them. Hand removal of insects is not effective to control larger infestations. Egg Mass Removal: Egg masses can be destroyed by scraping them off the surface you find them on, using a plastic card or putty knife. Press down and squish the eggs as you scrape them, pressing until they pop to ensure you’ve crushed them. Or scrape the egg masses directly into a plastic bag or other container filled with rubbing alcohol or soapy water, and leave them for at least 24 hours before disposing of them. Be sure to check any flat surface for egg masses, not just trees.  SPOTTED LANTERNFLY: Management Guide for Infested Areas MORE ABOUT MANAGEMENT HOST TREE REMOVAL Property owners often ask whether it makes sense to cut down tree-of-heaven or other SLF host plants, especially because tree- of-heaven is itself an invasive species. Removing host plants can have benefits, such as decreasing the accumulation of honeydew and sooty mold, but is not likely to permanently reduce levels of SLF on your property. Tree-of-heaven can also be difficult and costly to kill, so this may not be an option for all property owners. If you do decide to remove tree-of-heaven, an herbicide must be used to kill the root system. One cost-saving option would be to target only female tree-of-heaven for removal, to prevent additional seed production. Any male plants that remain can be treated with a systemic insecticide (see CHEMICAL CONTROL section below) that will kill SLF as it feeds. An experienced company with licensed herbicide applicators is typically needed Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima) to assist with tree-of-heaven removal, especially if the trees are growing against buildings or other tricky places. If you decide to try to remove tree-of-heaven on your own, take care to avoid getting the sap of this plant on your skin. For detailed instructions on dealing with tree-of-heaven, see this guide from Rutgers University Extension: https://bit.ly/TOHremoval CHEMICAL CONTROL MDAR recommends that residents only use chemical treatments in areas with heavy infestations of spotted lanternfly, and in cases where no other management techniques would be effective. Pesticide applications to kill spotted lanternfly are best done by a trained and licensed pesticide applicator. Ensure any company you hire has licensed individuals making the application. If you decide to use a pesticide on your own property, be sure to read and follow the label directions carefully. This will help to ensure the product is effective and being used in a safe manner. All applications, whether done by you or someone you hire, should be done in accordance with state law and regulations (see https://www.mass.gov/law-library/333-cmr). There are several types of pesticide applications that can be conducted, depending on the life stage of SLF and the time of year: TREATING SLF ADULTS OR NYMPHS • Contact insecticide: Products containing the following active ingredients have all been shown to effectively kill SLF when the insect comes into contact with the pesticide: ◦ Bifenthrin (pyrethroid) ◦ Carbaryl (carbamate) ◦ Zeta-cypermethrin ◦ Beta-cyfluthrin (pyrethroid) ◦ Natural pyrethrins (pyrethroid) Some products may have residual activity, where any SLF that come into contact with the treated area will be killed for up to 2 weeks after an application. Contact insecticide should be applied to plants after they have flowered, and may have limited effectiveness if applied after October, when insect activity decreases.  SPOTTED LANTERNFLY: Management Guide for Infested Areas MORE ABOUT MANAGEMENT CHEMICAL CONTROL, cont’d • Systemic insecticide: Products containing active ingredients like dinotefuran or imidacloprid (both neonicotinoids) can be applied to plants or to the soil around the plants and are taken up by the roots, stems, and leaves, so that any SLF that feed on the plants are killed. Systemics typically last longer than contact products but take time to move through a plant, especially larger trees, and should only be applied when the plants are actively growing but have finished flowering (in Massachusetts, typically July through September). Products that contain dinotefuran and imidacloprid must be applied by a licensed pesticide applicator. TREATING SLF EGG MASSES • Contact ovicide: Horticultural oils (either petroleum-based products or vegetable-derived products containing soybean or other oils) applied to egg masses in late winter or very early spring have been shown to have some control of SLF, and may be useful to treat egg masses in cases when it is too difficult to scrape them off. Oils are often a less toxic option compared to other pesticides, but must be applied at a high volume and in correct weather conditions to be effective. These products are best applied by a licensed professional and anyone using them should take care to follow the instructions on the label. For detailed information about treatment options, see this guide from Penn State Extension: https://extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly-management-guide SLF egg masses on a birch tree SLF egg masses may be hiding on any flat surface. Check outdoor furniture, playground equipment, and vehicles. HAVE QUESTIONS? Latest Massachusetts SLF info: mass.gov/slf For other questions, email slf@mass.gov Last Updated: 08/2025 Credits: Portions of this guide are based on the Spotted Lanternfly Management Guide from Penn State University Extension (https:// extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly-management-guide). Additional images are from PSU Extension, USDA APHIS-PPQ, and MDAR staff.