HomeMy Public PortalAbout01-20-2021 Minutes Tree Board Regular Meeting
101 E. Orange St., PO Box 429, Hillsborough, NC 27278
www.hillsboroughnc.gov | @HillsboroughGov
Tree Board Minutes | 1 of 3
Minutes
Tree Board
Remote regular meeting
9 a.m. Jan. 20, 2021
Virtual meeting via YouTube Live
Town of Hillsborough YouTube channel
Present: Chair Andrea Lewis, Vice Chair Frances Harris, Casey Collins, Tim Logue, Bryan Stuart and Liz
Waters
Absent: Gregory Yavelak (ex-officio member)
Staff: Public Space Manager Stephanie Trueblood
1. Call to order, roll call and confirmation of quorum
Chair Andrea Lewis called the meeting to order at 9 a.m. Public Space Manager Stephanie Trueblood called
the roll and confirmed the presence of a quorum.
2. Agenda changes and approval
The agenda stood as presented.
3. Minutes review and approval
Minutes from regular meeting on Nov. 20, 2020
Motion: Member Casey Collins moved approval of the minutes as presented. Member Tim Logue
seconded.
Vote: 6-0. Ayes: Members Collins, Frances Harris, Lewis, Logue, Bryan Stuart and Liz Waters. Nays:
None.
4. Discussion items
A. Diseased boxwoods in Old Town Cemetery
Guest Bill Harris gave a brief history of his efforts to identify what was causing the boxwoods to decline. In
2016 he contacted an Orange County Extension who then took soil samples. The testing showed a high
concentration of nematodes, which will eventually kill the boxwoods. He followed the agent’s
recommendation to prune the boxwoods. In 2019 he asked the new Orange County extension agent for a
consultation. The new agent noted spiders and insect damage. Lab tests confirmed the problem was not
Boxwood Blight but a lethal concentration of nematodes. The report concluded that the boxwoods would die.
Harris said he checked on the boxwoods periodically in 2020. He contacted Trueblood about two weeks ago
because the boxwoods are in serious distress. On the screen Harris shared the 2016 report and recent
photographs of the leafless branches on the boxwoods. He also shared photos of other boxwoods that are
dying around town.
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He then shared options with the board, which included removing the boxwoods, letting them die naturally,
trying chemicals that might kill the nematodes but would likely also damage the shrubs, or attempting to
contact a boxwood specialist.
Harris added that he thinks the boxwoods were planted in the early 1960s, based on how small they are in
photographs from that decade.
Trueblood added that Harris has kept her informed and she decided it was time to bring the matter to the
Tree Board.
The Tree Board decided to ask Harris to call the J.C. Raulston Arboretum to ask if any staff has expertise in
boxwoods and can help the Tree Board identify the exact species in the Old Town Cemetery and determine if
another species of boxwood, including native species, is resistant to blight and nematodes. Harris was also
asked to fact check that American boxwood is more resistant to nematodes.
B. Videos
1. Managed Natural Landscapes Ordinance
Trueblood said the Master Gardeners have created a video on this subject that she will share the video with
the board when it is ready. The Tree Board is interested in promoting the videos created by the Master
Gardeners. Tree Board members agreed that they will wait to see the Master Gardeners version before
deciding if this project should proceed.
2. Ivy and invasive vines removal
Logue and Harris have completed this video. They requested video credit be given to Ryan Chamberlain.
3. Leaves
Harris and Collins will create this video in Fall 2021.
5. Updates
A. Hillsborough Garden Club
Lewis reported that the club would continue publishing articles in The News of Orange County.
B. Bee City Subcommittee
Lewis reported that the subcommittee had plans to meet.
C. Staff and board updates
Staff and board gave brief updates. There was discussion of organizing a workday or campaign to encourage
volunteers to “adopt” a tree from which they would remove English ivy.
6. Adjournment
Lewis adjourned the meeting at 9:54 a.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Tree Board Minutes | 3 of 3
Stephanie Trueblood
Public Space Manager
Staff support to the Tree Board
Approved: February 17, 2021