ScanSource Employees pose for a photo after planting trees at Century Park in February |
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We are proud to announce that together we’ve planted and given away over 25,000 trees! It happened on February 25, 2022 when our Corporate Partner ScanSource was planting 16 trees at Kids Planet in Century Park and while we were simultaneously giving away 382 trees through the Energy Saving Trees program presented by Duke Energy. As the giveaway was in Greenville County’s Eastside Park, it will go down in history as THE 25,000th tree moment that happened in Greer!
Way to go everybody!
Now, ready to be amazed again? Can you guess what this is?
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If you guessed a Snuff Box Sea Bean, you’d be correct! But that isn’t the half of it. These beans come from a vine commonly called Elephant Creeper. One such vine in India is reportedly the longest vine in the world. At 4,900 feet long, it stretches nearly a mile. Why is it called Snuff Box?…well…um…we aren’t experts, but if everyone started using this bean, the Surgeon General may need to put a warning label and age restriction on it. It’s been known to mix with tobacco, and tobacco is bad for you in much the same way that vines can be bad for trees.
But just like it is never too late to quit smoking, it is never too late to remove vines on your trees. It could save their lives.
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Why are vines bad for trees?
Some vines can be so aggressive in their growth habits that they eventually shade out the tree canopy, blocking sunlight and air. Kudzu, a particularly unwanted invasive vine, can grow up to 1 ft per day stealing nutrients away from trees and decimating a forest. The photograph above was taken near Furman University. But If you guessed it's kudzu in this photo, guess again! It's actually Japanese wisteria.
We strongly recommend removing kudzu, wisteria, ficus, Poison ivy, Confederate jasmine, Yellow jessamine, and English ivy from your trees before they take over. And it's not just blocking sunlight that's the problem. Vines encourage moisture and rots, hide decay, and increase the likelihood of pests and diseases. They have hairs that attach to the bark, putting more stress on the tree and their extra weight can break branches. During a wind or ice storm, the extra leaves and weight increases the chance for major damage.
Can you identify this next photo?
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While native smilax (commonly called greenbrier) can be seen in the bottom half of the photo, the root in the middle is actually a very difficult to reach kudzu crown. If you have successfully removed one of these in the past, you are in a very elite group of nature's tree care warriors! |
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Tips on removing invasive vines
- Give them a "haircut." Cut as close to the roots as possible (or dig up the roots!) and then cut as high as you comfortably can on the tree. This method makes it harder for vines to re-attach to the tree if they do sprout back. The vines in the tree will die slowly and eventually fall off the tree. Use caution pulling on the vines as it could bring down any debris or dead or damaged branches in the tree.
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- Multiple removals may be necessary. If mechanical removal isn't working, try a cut and paint method. Make sure to always follow label instructions and wear proper PPE when working with chemicals. Cut back to and remove the crown root. Dip a paintbrush in a disposable cup with glyphosate (roundup) to paint over the stump in the ground. The chemical will spread through the root system and kill the vine. The "roundup" has to be a high concentrate or specifically marked for use with vines like kudzu and poison ivy. The "cut and paint" method doesn't often work with regular roundup.
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- And if all else fails... Try goats! You'll want to protect any vegetation you want to keep because the goats do eat EVERYTHING.
Read more tips about removing vines here:
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Meet our newest staff member |
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Evangeline Costa
Outreach & Community Engagement Manager
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What do vines have to do with our newest staff member? If you are tempted to look at the name Evangeline next to the word Vine and think they rhyme, you’d be mistaken. Nor does the name EV-angel-ine mean something silly like “Electric Vehicle Angel Vine.” Rather, it means that TreesUpstate now has a really, really awesome new staff member named Evangeline Costa (pronounced E-van-gel-een).
With experience ranging from Fortune 500 sales to owning a successful landscape and design firm; and serving as Conservation Commissioner, Evangeline has used her skills to negotiate “win-win” deals, build long term relations and care for the environment. She is excited to expand TreesUpstate’s NeighborWoods program and create a new workforce development project. Evangeline loves photographing urban parks and public art. When she’s not traveling you can find her walking the Swamp Rabbit Trail and exploring all the Upstate has to offer!
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Red Maple Society Tree Tour |
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Speaking of Evangeline’s photography, how about these lovely photos above that she took of our inaugural Red Maple Society Tree Tour? Our first thank you event was held at Milliken Arboretum on April 14th. After some delicious hor d'oeuvres at the Guest House, members took a golf cart tour of the arboretum and heard fascinating stories from Dr. Kevin Parris and Stewart Winslow who today play a role in the history, planting, education, maintenance, and prestige of the arboretum.
Articles on Dr. Kevin Parris here and Stewart Winslow here
---Want to join us on our next tour? This year we will host two more donor appreciation tree tours for our Red Maple Society members. More information on the Society can be found here.
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Volunteer Spotlight: BMW Charity Golf |
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From left to right. BMW Charity Golf staff members Mike McGovern, Kari Snyder, Morgan Shock, and Chrystal Assadzandi help give away free trees to offset carbon used for upcoming golf event. |
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BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by TD SYNNEX donated and volunteered for a TreesUpstate free tree giveaway to Spartanburg residents. The 520 trees given away at the Milliken Arboretum on April 30th will help offset the amount of car and airplane emissions that are used to travel to the celebrity golf event. Sponsors of the giveaway also included IAC Group, Milliken, and Rabble Wine Company.
Last year the Carolina Recycling Association recognized this tournament for incorporating sustainability and operating as a zero-waste event. Thanks to volunteers and sponsors, last year's tournament prevented 47,360 pounds of waste from entering landfills.
This year the golf event will not only prevent waste, but thanks to trees will be that much closer to becoming a Zero-Emissions event. We hope you will consider volunteering at next week's event.
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Volunteer Opportunities June 6-12 |
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TreesUpstate has an educational table in the Sustainability Village at the BMW Charity Pro-Am June 9-12, and we need your help, and especially if you are good with children! The event takes place at the Thornblade Club in Greer where we will have some fun crafts activities for kids including leaf rubs and leaf cutout art. |
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Volunteer and earn $50 for TreesUpstate!
Kids crafts and tables not your thing? Our friends at Friends of the Reedy River are organizing Green Team volunteers at the golf tournament June 6-12. By volunteering on the Green Team you will earn $50 for TreesUpstate, Friends of the Reedy River, or the favorite charity of your choice. Sustainability volunteers at the event educate attendees and ensure that waste doesn't enter the landfill.
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Thanks for reading. Now time to save some trees and go get those vines!
Thanks for all you do for trees,
Joelle, Kylie, Evangeline, Kris, Kelly, and Aaron
TreesUpstate Staff
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White Oak
$20,000+
BMW Charity Golf
Duke Energy
The Greenville Journal
Illinois Tool Works
The Noble Tree
Foundation
TD Bank N.A.
Tulip Poplar
$10,000
Grassy Creek, LLC
Sage Automotive Interiors
Summit Media
Black Tupelo
$5,000
Bank of Travelers Rest
BMW
Christopher Trucks
Earth Design
Fluor
Piedmont Natural Gas
Prisma Health
Publix Super Market, Inc.
ReWa
Riverside Apartments
Staytion at TR
The Rotary Club of the
Reedy River Greenville
WaterTower ApTs
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Southern Magnolia
$2,500
AFL Global
Blue Ridge Lions Club
Briles Company Insurance, Inc.
Fairway Subaru
Foothills Rotary
Greer CPW
Greer Centennial Lions Club
Jacobs
Nexus PMG
Pintail Capital Partners
Saint Capital Partners
Schneider Tree Care
Taylors Lions Club
TreeDiaper: Zynnovation, LLC
Red Maple
$1,000
Blue Ridge Outdoors
Blue Water Civil Design, LLC
Canal Insurance
The City of Travelers Rest
emedia Group
EnviroSouth
Greenville 360
Greenville Water
Keys Innovative Solutions
NAI Earle Furman
PACE Magazine
Robins & Morton
Ross & Enderlin, PA
ScanSource
Smith Hudson Law, LLC
Upstate Greenery
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Carolina Sapphire
$500
AMECO
Arrowood and Arrowood
Boyd Cycling
Brasfield & Gorrie
Bridge City Coffee
Crawford
Davis & Floyd
DP3
Firewater Photography
Fleet Feet Sports
The Gallivan Group at UBS
Gallivan & Christopholis, PA
Go Green Events
Graycliff Capital Management, LLC
Greenville Spinners
Johnston Design Group
McMillan Pazdan Smith
Public Strategy
Red Oak Developers
Reedy Rides
Robert Rogers, DMD, PA
Southern Om
Spinx
Sync.MD
Upstate Running Club
Westminster Presbyterian Church
Without Limits
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We are the upstate's friendly face of trees. Would you like to see your company name on this list? Contact Joelle Teachey at 864-313-0765 or jteachey@treesupstate.org to partner together with TreesUpstate to plant, promote, and protect trees in our region.
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#TreesAreGood #PlantPromoteProtect #GotTrees |
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