By Amelia
On June 20, we toured Buena Vista with arborist Tony Petryszyn. He runs and owns a business called Honorable Tree Service with Emma Gould, his wife. First, we were given a basic tree risk assessment sheet as an example of what an arborist does while working. We learned that arborists specialize in planting, caring for, diagnosing, and maintaining trees in a given area, and Tony gave us examples of each of these skills on our tour.
First, Tony talked with us about the importance of trees in Buena Vista and different kinds that inhabit the town. Specifically, he pointed out the smaller trees that had been planted in tree boxes downtown, multiple invasive species, and the well-considered spacing of newly-planted maple trees in a downtown park. We learned about how trees are uniquely suited to cool down nearby areas. This is because, along with the shade provided by trees, each leaf on a tree has very small pores that emit water vapor when the tree exchanges carbon dioxide for oxygen. Tony also pointed out specific types of trees that serve nearby wildlife in surprising ways. For example, standing dead trees – called "snags" – can provide habitats for nearby wildlife, especially birds and insects, who don't get the same quality of nourishment or space from living trees. For this reason, Tony emphasized the importance of allowing snags to stay upright rather than cutting them down.
Near the end of our tour, Tony showed us one of his client’s houses whose yard was purposefully overgrown to maximize the amount of plant, insect, and animal life on her property. Tony pointed out that, because she has allowed so many species of trees, shrubs, and other plants to grow, she has also enriched her soil as well. In urban areas, valuable plants. and trees are often pulled out to create a "clean" look despite nature’s need for it. Afterwards, we walked around Parry McCluer Middle School and assessed the attributes and health of four trees along the sidewalk. It was very interesting to use our newfound knowledge and apply to to trees in our very own town.
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