Jared Tomlinson, Consulting Arborist

Jared Tomlinson, Consulting Arborist ISA Board Certified Master Arborist ® ON-2473B
ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualified
Butternut Health Expert (as per O. Reg. 830/21)

On our last trip to France, my little apprentice was having a great time collecting cones!He gave me these, and I expl...
06/20/2025

On our last trip to France, my little apprentice was having a great time collecting cones!

He gave me these, and I explained to him that Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), a species native to our Pacific North-west, has long been planted in Europe's commercial forests.

One of these cones belongs to Douglas-fir, and the other to Norway spruce (Picea abies), a European species. Which do you think is which?

https://jtconsultingarborist.ca

06/18/2025

I'll keep this week's short and not-so-sweet: if your tree is playing host to brittle cinder fungus (Kretzchmaria deusta), it unfortunately needs to be removed.

Brittle cinder is a parasitic fungus—i.e., it doesn't just break down already-dead woody tissue, but live woody tissue too! It causes what's called simultaneous or "soft" rot, breaking down both the cellulose (responsible for tensile strength) and the lignin (responsible for compressive strength) in the wood.

06/16/2025

Think of an airspade as gun that shoots out compressed air at 90–120 PSI.

Why would such a tool be useful for arborists, you ask? Well, the airspade is strong enough to blow out the soil, but not strong enough that it damages significant roots by stripping the bark off of them, or cutting into them.

And so, there are many arboricultural applications! One of them is root-sensitive excavation (which is what I'm doing in this video).

https://jtconsultingarborist.ca

This black-locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) found in the Square René-Viviana in Paris may look a little worse for wear. B...
06/13/2025

This black-locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) found in the Square René-Viviana in Paris may look a little worse for wear. But, planted in 1601, it is actually the oldest tree in Paris!

This specimen is both a natural wonder, and a reminder of the unanticipated consequences of human activity: this North American species has become an invasive species (and a pretty significant problem) in Europe.

https://jtconsultingarborist.ca

06/11/2025

For this week's : *Do not* pile soil, compost, mulch, or fill of any kind against a tree's trunk.

There are a number of reasons for this, but the following is perhaps the most important: doing so will make the now-covered tissue "think" it's underground, potentially triggering the development of something called adventitious roots. These new roots are likely to encircle and eventually girdle the trunk.

https://jtconsultingarborist.ca

06/09/2025

The other day, I helped a colleague out with some remediation work ordered by Markham Urban Forestry: the soil within tree protection zone of this Manitoba maple (Acer negundo) was de-compacted using an airspade, and 5–10 cm (2–4") of mulch was laid down on the soil. No doubt: the tree will love this.

So, what's the problem? Manitoba maple is an invasive species—i.e., it outcompetes and replaces native plants when it escapes cultivation and establishes itself in natural areas. And this particular Manitoba maple is located in the Rouge Valley, about 100 m from the river. And so, what did we accomplish by satisfying Markham Urban Forestry's order? We ensured that this invasive species continues to thrive and spread in the Rouge River's riparian zone.

Sometimes, tree protection policy frameworks and those who enforce them quite literally lose sight of the forest for the individual trees.

https://jtconsultingarborist.ca

What prevents significant erosion on heavily forested slopes? Look at the root systems of these sugar maples (Acer sac...
06/06/2025

What prevents significant erosion on heavily forested slopes? Look at the root systems of these sugar maples (Acer saccharum) near the Taylor Creek Recreational Trail and the answer should be readily apparent.

https://jtconsultingarborist.ca

Had fun yesterday helping Lumberzacks Inc. (owned and operated by my colleague, Zack Proulx, ISA Certified Arborist ® ON...
06/04/2025

Had fun yesterday helping Lumberzacks Inc. (owned and operated by my colleague, Zack Proulx, ISA Certified Arborist ® ON-2469A) take down this tree-of-heaven.

Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima) is an invasive species—i.e., it is non-native and colonizes natural areas where it outcompetes and replaces native plants, disrupting native ecosystems. It also plays host to invasive pest, the spotted lanternfly, which poses a threat to Ontario's vineyards.

For these reasons, tree-of-heaven is regulated as restricted under Ontario's Invasive Species Act. So, for this week's , what should you do if you have one of these on your property? Cut. It. Down.

https://jtconsultingarborist.ca

06/02/2025

For this week's , a one-minute diagnostic!

Why is this Colorado Spruce struggling? Well, the short of it is that environmental stressors often predispose trees (i.e., make trees more susceptible) to pest problems such as diseases and infestations.

And this is precisely what has happened here. Watch the video for more details.

https://jtconsultingarborist.ca

05/30/2025

Behold: a mystery in my neighbourhood! One section of the crown of this Japanese flowering cherry (Prunus serrulata) is bearing pink flowers, while the rest of the crown is bearing white flowers.

How can this be!? Watch the video to find out.

https://jtconsultingarborist.ca

Let's say you're building an addition. Let's say that addition encroaches into the root system of a nearby tree. What ...
05/28/2025

Let's say you're building an addition. Let's say that addition encroaches into the root system of a nearby tree. What happens when an excavator comes in to dig for the foundation?

Well, the force exerted by the pulling motion of the backhoe often results in roots being torn *well beyond* the extents of excavation. And so, even if the excavation itself doesn't encroach into the part of the root zone that is critical to the tree's stability and capacity for water uptake, now roots are being torn there, potentially compromising the stability of the root-plate and subjecting the tree to significant water-stress.

So, how do you prevent this? You bring an arborist in to excavate in advance and prune the roots flush to the extents of excavation. This can be a lot of work, but it's well worth it!

https://jtconsultingarborist.ca

This is a bald-cypress (Taxodium distichum) that Martha, Lawrence, and I encountered at the Basel Zoo a month or so ag...
01/31/2025

This is a bald-cypress (Taxodium distichum) that Martha, Lawrence, and I encountered at the Basel Zoo a month or so ago!

Bald-cypress is a deciduous conifer—it loses all its foliage in the winter just like most temperate-climate broadleaf trees do! But there's something even more unique about it...

Notice those woody protrusions growing out of the ground around the tree? They're called "knees". Bald-cypress is a flood-plain species, and these "knees" facilitate gas exchange, providing oxygen to the roots so that aerobic respiration can continue during flooded conditions (as opposed to anaerobic fermentation, which burns much more quickly through energy stores and results in toxic byproducts—this is what is happening when you get a cramp/stitch while exercising).

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1-2374 Gerrard Street East
Toronto, ON
M4E2E1

Telephone

+16138988733

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