Fall 2018

Letter from the CEO

One of the things we are proud of at Almstead is the long tenure of our staff. Each year, when I hand out our service awards at our company picnic, I am gratified and humbled by the number of employees who have been with us for ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five and more years. This year, one of our longest serving arborists from our New Rochelle branch, Michael Marks, retired after 23 years of exemplary service to the company. He will be missed by the entire Almstead family of arborists, office staff and field crew. We celebrated Michael at a couple of events over the summer and I wish him only the best as he begins his well-deserved retirement.

 

I can’t believe it’s Fall already as I write this. All our arborists are performing our annual seasonal inspections now. It’s a valuable, complimentary service we offer our clients. Your arborist or administrative staff may have reached out to you already. If you haven’t scheduled a consultation yet, please do so at your earliest. It is also an excellent time to assess on-going plant health care and lawn care programs to make any required adjustments for 2019.

 

The big news, and of particular concern to us, as arborists, is the spread of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) in our region. We’ve been following news of this very invasive and dangerous beetle for several years, since it first became a cause for concern. In spite of the best efforts of state and local authorities, it is slowly but surely spreading in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. The good news is that ash trees can be inoculated and treated against EAB. Recently, another invasive pest, the Spotted Lantern Fly (SLF) was added to the quarantine list in New York and New Jersey. Both these destructive pests can be fatal to your trees. Please read the articles on EAB, SLF, and Boxwood Blight (a fungus that we’re seeing more of in our area).

 

Visit our website at www.almstead.com for more information on insects and diseases in our region. You can also always reach out to me, or any Almstead arborist, if you have concerns about your trees, shrubs and lawn.

 

Have a Happy Thanksgiving and a wonderful holiday season!

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

 

Ken Almstead, CEO

International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist NY0335

Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ)

Organic Lawn Care Professional