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Tree board highlights rapid spread of English holly, urges early control and public outreach
Summary
The board reviewed research indicating English holly is expanding rapidly in Puget Sound–area urban forests and recommended early, targeted removal of large, seed-producing trees plus public education to limit spread.
Dave Olmstead, a Lake Forest Park tree board member, presented findings from a study of English holly in Saint Edward State Park, saying the species "is proliferating and spreading rapidly" and warning that delay will increase removal difficulty.
Olmstead summarized the study's key findings: sampled plants ranged from 1 to 46 years old; trees older than 10 years had low mortality and accelerating biomass accumulation; and both local vegetative expansion and long-distance seed dispersal—primarily by birds—are driving exponential increases in number and canopy area with doubling times of about five to six years. "Projecting past spread patterns forward suggests that holly has the potential to soon become a…
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