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backyard tree inspections? — Brooklynian

backyard tree inspections?

prezst
prezst
edited November -1 in Park Slope
a couple of guys showed up at the front door this afternoon, saying they were from the u-s-d-a and were here to check out the trees in my building's backyard. they had badges so we let them in. has anyone else encountered this?

Comments

  • opossumqueen
    opossumqueen
    Years ago (maybe 5) that happened to us in Crown Heights. I went out with them and it seemed legit. They were checking to see what types of trees were in the back yards of our block and if any of them were infected with whatever pest was big (a beetle?). I actually had an interesting conversation with them about a really strange tree in the neighbor's yard that nobody could identify. These guys figured it out (and I googled to check for images).

    Makes sense to me to have a record of what types of trees are in an area to know where a particular blight/pest problems might spread through.
  • idlewild
    idlewild
    They're checking for Asian Longhorn Beetles. They come around my place every two years or so.
  • nitcomb
    nitcomb
    The USDA inspects trees all over the city for the Asian Longhorn Beetle.
    Can't say for sure if these folks were ligit... usually they'll be sporting binoculars.
  • bcodsnpkslope
    bcodsnpkslope
    rule of thuumb unless they have a warrant dont let anyone in
  • booklaw
    booklaw
    Rule of thumb, yes. But unless you run a meth lab or a brothel out of your living room, you'd do yourself and the rest of the borough a grave disservice by refusing entry to Asian Longhorn Beetle inspectors... those bugs are nasty, and if not detected early, they can quickly kill your and your neighbors' trees.
  • salix
    salix
    Yes, the USDA does inspect for Asian longhorn beetles which can deforest NYC if we don't keep up the inspections. Twice a year NYC sends out cards w/ images of these nasty critters to homeowners to help identify them & the holes they make. Maples and other hardwoods are a favorite dish for these bugs, so keep an eye peeled if you want to have some fall color a decade from now.
  • bcodsnpkslope
    bcodsnpkslope
    yeah but if we get rid of all the trees we could put in more bicycle lanes!!
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