46 Dampier et al.: A Comparison of Arborists' and Horticulturists' Preferences research team field notes indicated that partici- pants exhibited interest about the tree’s symmetry and fullness (i.e., dense needle cover), its ability to tolerate shade (an important characteristic since so few shade-tolerant evergreen options exist for landscapes), its resistance to other invasive insects and deer herbivory, whether it had the potential to demonstrate invasive tendencies (Rotherham 2005), and how T. chinensis would respond to common maintenance practices like shearing. Furthermore, participants inquired about a timeline relating to the commercial availability of T. chinensis. This participant feedback suggests a high level of engagement and genuine interest in T. chinensis. Since all participants were sampled on the basis of their arboricultural and horticultural experience and knowledge, they likely possessed increased insight into plant selection and more specifically the challenges of establishing and maintaining healthy T. canadensis in regions affected by HWA. In addition to contending with HWA, arborists and horticulturalists must consider other variables rela- tive to tree establishment and maintenance in the landscape that may influence Tsuga spp. health and performance. These include soil conditions, light requirements, salt tolerance, pest-resistance, and maintenance schedules that may feature insecticide applications (Harper and Cowles 2013). If the aut- ecologically and aesthetically similar HWA-resistant T. chinensis can be made widely available, then these green-industry professionals will be able to obtain and install an important alternative to the HWA- susceptible T. canadensis in managed landscapes. A potential limitation of this study may relate to the time of year that it was conducted. At the time of the survey, T. chinensis had already broken bud, with a new flush of growth having already occurred earlier than that of T. canadensis. As observed by one partic- ipant, this succulent, new growth may have affected visual characteristics of the plant. Another source of error could include the likelihood that some par- ticipants attended past events at this publicly acces- sible venue, which may have included visiting these study plots. It is possible that some participants knew that T. chinensis specimens had been estab- lished and successfully growing onsite since 2003. Future research might include working with larger numbers of participants who could be sam- pled from other geographic regions affected by HWA. If regional Tsuga spp. preferences do in fact exist, a study that incorporates a broader geographi- cal range may detect such differences. One obvious challenge of engaging in a larger-scale study would be locating accessible sites that have well-established T. chinensis—a largely undiscovered plant in the horticultural sector—growing in the vicinity of T. canadensis. Also, due to the limitations in the study’s inference space, future work could expand to investigate preferences in the general public and among other horticulture professionals, such as nursery growers and garden-center employees. This strategy may provide additional information that could be used in the marketing and distribu- tion of T. chinensis upon commercial availability. The results are most relevant to the lower Hud- son Valley, New York, U.S., area, but indicate that arborists and horticulturists are indeed willing to consider T. chinensis as a viable pest-resistant landscape alternative to HWA-susceptible T. canadensis. This trend may apply in other loca- tions where T. canadensis is found, including other regions of the U.S., as well as internationally. Acknowledgments. The authors wish to thank the following orga- nizations and individuals for their support: University of Massa- chusetts Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment; Brett Butler, Ph.D.; Michael E. Montgomery, Ph.D.; Kathleen Carroll; Christopher Copeland; Victoria Sturner; Cornell University—NYS Integrated Pest Management Program and Cooperative Extension Associations of Putnam, Westchester Counties; Brian Eshenaur; Matt Frye, Ph.D.; Jennifer Stengle; Jerry Giordano; Paul A. Weston, Ph.D.; Ted Kozlowski, the staff at Lasdon Park & Arboretum and the Westchester County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Conservation. LITERATURE CITED Bentz, S.E., R.J. Griesbach, M.R. Pooler, and A.M. Townsend. 2006. Tsuga chinensis as a source of host resistance to the hemlock wooly adelgid. pp. 24–25. In: K. Gottschalk (Ed.). Proceed- ings of the 17th Annual Interagency Research Forum on Gypsy Moth and Other Invasive Species. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northern Research Station. Chen T.L., P.F. Hong, Y.C. Lin, and J.C. Huang. 2009. Visual image analysis of Alishan five-wood species in Taiwan. Forest Products Industries 28(1):13–26. Childs, R.D. 2011. Factsheet: Gypsy moth. University of Massachu- setts Extension. Accessed May 2, 2014. Del Tredici, P., and A. Kitajima. 2004. Introduction and cultivation of Chinese hemlock (Tsuga chinensis) and its resistance to hem- lock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae). Journal of Arboriculture 30(5):282–287. ©2015 International Society of Arboriculture
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