<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<!--[if !mso]><style>v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
.shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}
</style><![endif]--><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Calibri Light";
panose-1:2 15 3 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Impact;
panose-1:2 11 8 6 3 9 2 5 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:.25pt;
margin-left:.5pt;
text-indent:-.5pt;
line-height:102%;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:black;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#0563C1;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#954F72;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.msonormal0, li.msonormal0, div.msonormal0
{mso-style-name:msonormal;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
span.EmailStyle18
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle21
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1028" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:102%;color:windowtext"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:15.25pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:5.4pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:right;text-indent:0in;line-height:105%">
<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f">
<v:stroke joinstyle="miter" />
<v:formulas>
<v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0" />
<v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0" />
<v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1" />
<v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2" />
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth" />
<v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight" />
<v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1" />
<v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2" />
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth" />
<v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0" />
<v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight" />
<v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0" />
</v:formulas>
<v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" />
<o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t" />
</v:shapetype><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_2" o:spid="_x0000_s1026" type="#_x0000_t75" style='position:absolute;left:0;text-align:left;margin-left:5.4pt;margin-top:-31.3pt;width:62.5pt;height:89pt;z-index:251657216;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:absolute;mso-position-horizontal-relative:text;mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:text;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-width-relative:page;mso-height-relative:page' o:allowoverlap="f">
<v:imagedata src="cid:image001.png@01D658FB.0784D630" o:title="" />
<w:wrap type="square"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><img width="83" height="119" style="width:.8645in;height:1.2395in" src="cid:image005.png@01D659BC.0A46E3B0" align="left" hspace="12" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_2"><![endif]><span style="font-size:18.0pt;line-height:105%;font-family:"Impact",sans-serif;color:#00457A">Rhode
Island Department of Environmental Management </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="right" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:16.55pt;margin-bottom:16.85pt;margin-left:5.4pt;text-align:right;text-indent:0in;line-height:105%">
<span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:105%;color:#00457A"> 235 Promenade Street | Providence, RI 02908 | 401.222.4700 |</span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:105%;color:#0070C0;text-decoration:none">
</span></a><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:105%">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:105%;color:#0070C0;text-decoration:none">
</span></a><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:105%;color:#00457A;text-decoration:none">|</span></a><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:105%;color:#00457A"> @RhodeIslandDEM</span><span style="font-size:10.0pt;line-height:105%;color:#1F497D">
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:5.4pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:0in;line-height:105%">
<span style="font-size:11.0pt;line-height:105%;color:#1F497D"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:0in;line-height:105%">
<span style="font-size:12.5pt;line-height:105%;color:#0070C0"> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Gail Mastrati, 401-255-6144
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:0in;line-height:105%">
Monday, July 13, 2020
<u><span style="color:blue"><a href="mailto:gail.mastrati@dem.ri.gov">gail.mastrati@dem.ri.gov</a></span></u>
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:0in;line-height:105%">
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p align="center" style="text-align:center"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shape id="Picture_x0020_1" o:spid="_x0000_s1027" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="A large green tree Description automatically generated" style='position:absolute;left:0;text-align:left;margin-left:245.25pt;margin-top:44pt;width:262.5pt;height:276.3pt;z-index:251658240;visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-wrap-distance-left:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:9pt;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;mso-position-horizontal:absolute;mso-position-horizontal-relative:margin;mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:text;mso-width-percent:0;mso-height-percent:0;mso-width-relative:margin;mso-height-relative:margin'>
<v:imagedata src="cid:image003.jpg@01D658FB.0784D630" o:title="A large green tree Description automatically generated" />
<w:wrap type="square" anchorx="margin"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><img width="350" height="368" style="width:3.6458in;height:3.8333in" src="cid:image006.jpg@01D659BC.0A46E3B0" align="left" hspace="12" alt="A large green tree
Description automatically generated" v:shapes="Picture_x0020_1"><![endif]><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">DEM
ASKS PUBLIC TO BE AWARE OF BEECH LEAF DISEASE <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">PROVIDENCE – The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is asking Rhode Islanders to monitor their beech trees for signs of leaf damage from Beach Leaf Disease
(BLD). Early symptoms of BLD include dark striping on the tree’s leaves parallel to the leaf veins and are best seen by looking upward into the backlit canopy. The dark striping is caused by thickening of the leaf. Lighter, chlorotic striping may also occur.
Both fully mature and very young, emerging leaves show symptoms. Eventually the affected foliage withers, dries, and yellows. Drastic leaf loss occurs for heavily symptomatic leaves during the growing season and may appear as early as June, while asymptomatic
and mildly symptomatic leaves show no or minimal leaf loss. Bud and leaf production also are affected.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal">
<span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">BLD was detected in the Ashaway area of Hopkinton, Rhode Island, in 2020 and in coastal Massachusetts. Before these findings, the disease was only known to be in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Connecticut.
The disease is caused by a </span><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.goodhousekeeping.com_home_gardening_a20705657_nematodes_&d=DwMFAg&c=tSLbvWYfvulPN3G_n48TUw&r=PNPCCLvWGdSuU1Tdn5Dnfma8bA9iLrs91avOnZ4uMV0&m=Ihm2vT5k49GSFqxUxYKk_zyS6XUbAFn6iqOQJ1PE_Xs&s=sgx7SXW4-xbYWw5kILk9hqGjC2tkPED5pzDGauJ_qPc&e="><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">nematode</span> [goodhousekeeping.com]</a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">, a microscopic worm.
While there are good species of nematodes, the BLD nematodes cause leaf damage that leads to tree decline and death. At this time, they are known to only affect American, European, and Oriental beech species. Currently, there is no defined treatment for BLD
as nematodes are difficult to control in the forest environment. Research is underway to identify possible treatments for landscape trees.</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:windowtext"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">All ages and size of beech are affected, although the rate of decline can vary based on tree size. In larger trees, disease progression is slower, beginning in
the lower branches of the tree and moving upward. The disease also appears to spread faster between beech trees that are growing in clone clusters, as it can spread through their connected root systems. Most mortality occurs in saplings within two to five
years. Where established, BLD mortality of sapling-sized trees can reach more than 90 percent.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Because of the seemingly random nature of disease in Rhode Island, DEM encourages homeowners and forest landowners to monitor their beech trees and report any suspected cases of BLD on DEM’s
</span><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__appengine.egov.com_apps_ri_dem_demcaps&d=DwMFAg&c=tSLbvWYfvulPN3G_n48TUw&r=PNPCCLvWGdSuU1Tdn5Dnfma8bA9iLrs91avOnZ4uMV0&m=Ihm2vT5k49GSFqxUxYKk_zyS6XUbAFn6iqOQJ1PE_Xs&s=b7QaGEvHbG8s7S81s1XbdgMJKJ83mIOkAuMXbNS7xIE&e="><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Invasive Species Sighting Report</span> [appengine.egov.com]</a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"> webpage.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Although BLD is relatively new in the US and information is limited, links to additional information about the disease and photos are posted on
</span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;color:black">
</span><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">on the Division of Forest Environment’s
</span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/bnatres/forest/pdf/disease-beech-leaf.pdf"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Current Threats</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"> page. If people have further questions,
they should contact a licensed arborist or email Nancy Stairs, forestry program supervisor in DEM’s Division of Forest Environment, via
</span><a href="mailto:Nancy.Stairs@dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">Nancy.Stairs@dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">For information on DEM programs, visit
</span><a href="http://www.dem.ri.gov"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.dem.ri.gov</span></a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">. Follow DEM on Twitter (@RhodeIslandDEM) or Facebook at
</span><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.facebook.com_RhodeIslandDEM&d=DwMFAg&c=tSLbvWYfvulPN3G_n48TUw&r=PNPCCLvWGdSuU1Tdn5Dnfma8bA9iLrs91avOnZ4uMV0&m=Ihm2vT5k49GSFqxUxYKk_zyS6XUbAFn6iqOQJ1PE_Xs&s=HxbtT3ojmFs0k-AnWoz1Vuj1FQv_nbnyqB6AybbAGcE&e=" target="_blank"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">www.facebook.com/RhodeIslandDEM</span> [facebook.com]</a><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"> for timely updates.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center"><span style="font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif">-30-<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>