Study Finds How Trees Adapt to Climate Change

We have found a great article on Greenoptimistic.com titled, "Study Finds How Trees Adapt to Climate Change". The article looks into the adaptation of forest trees to our constantly changing climates and locates areas where trees are most or least likely to adapt in the future. Read the article below or click here.

"Study Finds How Trees Adapt to Climate Change."
By Mila Luleva

Raising temperatures influence growth and health of all plant species on the planet. This has already been observed as warming has been taking place since the last Ice Age. However, recent changes have caused rapid warming and it is still unknown whether species will be able to adapt.

A new study, funded by National Science Foundation and conducted by a team of scientists from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science's Appalachian Laboratory, will look into adaptation of forest trees....

Click here to read the entire story.

Nature Adapts to Shifting Seasons.

We found a great article on MNN.com (Mother Nature Network) titled, "Nature adapts to Shifting Seasons". The article discusses how scientists are using nature to determine the arrival of Spring. Read the article below or click here.

"Nature adapts to Shifting Seasons."

By Tim Radford

LONDON - Appalachian spring - and springtime in the Rockies, and mountain greenery too - will tune up a little earlier: up to a month earlier, according to new studies from the United States. 

Scientists report in the journal Geophysical Research Letters that careful analysis of observations of budburst - that promising moment near the end of winter when green shoots begin to appear on trees - show that spring could arrive dramatically earlier by the end of this centure.

Click here to read the entire article.

How to (humanely) get rid of groundhogs

Monster Tree Service's Director of Franchising Mark Elson was recently featured in an article titled, "How to (humanely) get rid of groundhogs" on courierpostonline.com. The article talks about the nuisance that groundhogs can cause gardeners and homeowners when they pop up around this time of year. Mark explains that groundhogs need to eat, and a home garden looks delicious to the little buggers. The article gives some tips on how to deal with groundhogs, and Mark brings up the ability to ward off groundhogs with smell repellent. He also explains how he lures groundhogs from his garden using treats, specifically cucumber. You can check out the full article here.

How to (humanely) get rid of groundhogs
By Steve Wood

 Only the filmmakers know why Punxsutawney's annual event became the running focus of the existential comedy "Groundhog Day" 20 years ago.

It's also unclear how the groundhog came to be held up as something more than a giant rodent. Gardeners, however, see through the groundhog's furry, buck-toothed front knowing it is more interested in their plans than its shadow. 

"They need about a pound of food (a day)", says Mark Elson, director of franchising at Monster Tree Service. "The easiest place for them to do that is your budding garden. And they'll do that in a second."

Click here to read the full article.

Free trees in January

We found this great article on dailyherald.com about Illinois residents receiving free flowering trees by joining the Arbor Day Foundation. Read the full story below or click here.

"Free Trees In January"
By Daily Herald Report

Illinois residents can receive 10 free flowering trees by joining the Arbor Day Foundation during January. New members of the nonprofit foundation will receive two white flowering dogwoods, two flowering crabapples, two Washington hawthorns, two American redbuds and two goldenraintrees.
It is part of the foundation's Trees for America campaign. The trees will be shipped postpaid at the right time for planting between Feb. 1 and May 31, with enclosed planting instructions. The 6- to 12-inch tall trees are guaranteed to grow or they will be replaced for free. Members also receive a subscription to the foundation's bimonthly publication, "Arbor Day" and "The Tree Book," which includes information about tree planting and care. 

To become a member and to receive the free trees, send a $10 contribution to TEN FREE FLOWERING TREES, Arbor Day Foundation, 100 Arbor Ave., Nebraska City, Neb 68410 by Jan. 31. Illinois residents can also join online at arborday.org/january.

Read the full article here

Building a Monster business

Monster Tree were recently featured in an article on phillyBurbs.com titled, "Building a Monster business". The article discusses Josh Skolnick's career path along with his previous ventures which led him on his path to starting Monster Tree Service. Josh also discusses the growth plans for Monster Tree Service and the franchising plans of the concept. Click here to read the entire article.

Building a Monster business.
By Crissa Shoemaker DaBree

Josh Skolnick's business makes millions of dollars every year removing dead trees and caring for living ones for hundreds of customers throughout the Greater Philadelphia area.

Yet Skolnick himself has never cut down a tree.

Instead, he said, it's his business savvy — learned over years of being in business for himself, since he began his landscaping business as a teenager — that has made Monster Tree Service a success in just four years.

Now, Skolnick, 29, wants to share that success and grow his business by franchising Monster Tree Service. "The bare bones of it is the fundamentals of business," Skolnick said of his business success. "We set out to build a brand and a professional image that people will buy from."

Click here to read the entire article

Local Entrepreneur has never cut down a tree - Monster Trees branch out, grow to millions of dollars

Monster Tree were recently featured in an article in the Chestnut Local titled, "Local Entrepreneur has never cut down a tree - Monster Trees branch out, grow to millions of dollars". The article discusses the history behind Monster Tree Service. It discusses Josh Skolnick as an entrepreneur, his background, and the future of the company. Click here to read the article or begin below.

Local Entrepreneur has never cut down a tree - Monster Trees branch out, grow to millions of dollars.
By Grant Moser

Monster Tree Service is just another success in a string of businesses for Josh Skolnick, 29. When the Fort Washington native started the company, he had never cut down a tree in his life. “Everyone doubted me. There wasn't one person, even my accountant, that thought this was going to work,” said Skolnick. “Now I’m making millions of dollars.”
In middle school, Josh began push-mowing neighborhood lawns. He was soon busy enough that he had to hire help. Every afternoon when school finished, he would head straight to work and wouldn't stop until the sun went down. By the time he got to high school, he had invested in some commercial lawn mowers, and by the time he graduated from Upper Dublin High School in 2002, he had 80 residential accounts.
His business was so profitable that he worked out an arrangement with the school that let him leave school at 10 a.m. every day to run his business while earning school credit. Shortly after he graduated, he acquired several other landscape companies and had close to 400 full-service lawn care accounts.

Click Here to read the entire article.

Top Entrepreneurs Follow Inspiration With Execution

Monster Tree Service has an article featured in Investor’s Business Daily titled, "Investor’s Business Daily." The article discusses how Josh began Monster Tree Service, what spurred the idea, and why he is franchising. Click here to read the full story. 

Top Entrepreneurs Follow Inspiration With Execution
By: By Sonja Carberry

A mix of the creative and the sensible builds strong businesses. How entrepreneurs put sturdy legs under cool ideas:

• Show spirit. Wine should be a feel-good product. That was the vision Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey had for Barefoot Cellars.

In "The Barefoot Spirit," the pair write about the distance they traveled between launching from a laundry room in 1986 and being purchased by E.&J. Gallo Winery nine years later.

Charitable organizations gave the grape smashers an early lift. Barefoot's founders donated bottles to nonprofits they believed in, worked at their events and talked about the causes — and their wine.

Supporters became patrons.

"One of the reasons we wrote the book is to show American businesses that worthy cause marketing really works and can actually be more effective than advertising," Houlihan told IBD.

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