Almstead Around Town

Wave Hill Gardners’ Party

For the 9th consecutive year, Almstead sponsored the Gardners’ Party at Wave Hill Public Garden and Cultural Center in the Bronx. This year’s event included a tribute and toast to Louis Bauer, Senior Director of Horticulture of Wave Hill, who has been at the Garden since 1994. This annual benefit raises crucial funds to support Wave Hill's renowned gardens and horticulture program.

Wave Hill is a 28-acre estate in the Hudson Hill section of Riverdale in the Bronx, New York City. Wave Hill currently consists of public horticultural gardens and a cultural center, all situated on the slopes overlooking the Hudson River, with expansive views across the river to the New Jersey Palisades.

In addition to sponsoring the Gardners' Party, Almstead is also a corporate sponsor of Wave Hill and takes part in the Arbor Day celebrations there every year with a Tree Climbing Station for kids.

Air Spade Demonstration for Students

Almstead VP, Michael Almstead and Connecticut Branch Manager, Gary Norman, conducted an Air Spading and Soil Biology class for students at Naugatuck Valley Community College in Waterbury, Connecticut.

It included a live demonstration of root collar excavation (RCX) and soil decompaction by Almstead technician, Mark Christoforo. Students were shown several girdling roots of an Amur Cork (Phellodendron amurense) tree and a European Beech (Fagus sylvatica) tree that were revealed by performing a RCX using the Air Spade. The girdling roots were pruned — if these circling roots are left uncorrected, they can damage the stability of a tree's root system and restrict the flow of nutrients to the trunk. This can typically reduce the lifespan of a tree sometimes by 50% and can lead to failure directly at the stem within a few inches off ground level.

Students were also given an information sheet (click on link to view) created by Almstead on Air Spading.

At these community outreach events, we try to simulate the actual job environment as closely as possible. This includes setting up the work zone with safety cones and having the technician follow all the required safety protocols such as personal protective equipment (PPE) including safety goggles, safety vests and appropriate clothing.

Safety Training for Rockefeller State Park Staff

Almstead VP, Michael Almstead, and safety specialist, Jonathan Olsz, conducted a safety training workshop at Rockefeller State Park for grounds-staff of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historical Preservation. It covered chipper maintenance, safety, and proper use and care of equipment. We conduct these programs voluntarily to promote safety in tree care operations in our communities.