CountyCumberland County
RegionSouthern Maine
EAB quarantineEntire county
Hemlock woolly adelgidEstablished
Tree Medics protects trees for homeowners, businesses and municipalities in South Portland and across Cumberland County. We diagnose tree problems and treat the insects and diseases threatening Southern Maine’s trees, from emerald ash borer to browntail moth.
What’s threatening trees in South Portland
Emerald ash borerThe City of South Portland treats selected city ash trees with trunk injections to protect them from emerald ash borer.[1]
Hemlock woolly adelgidAs of December 2024, the Maine Forest Service lists it as established in South Portland.[2]
Browntail mothFound in all 16 Maine counties, and its toxic hairs stay in the environment for up to three years.[3] In 2026, Maine CDC reported higher browntail moth populations in parts of Cumberland County, along with parts of Androscoggin, Hancock and Oxford counties, even as populations statewide have been steadily decreasing over the past couple of years.[4] The Maine Forest Service’s 2026 aerial survey found localized defoliation mainly along the western shores of Sebago Lake.[5]
Beech leaf diseaseNow found in all 16 Maine counties.[6]
About South Portland’s trees
Local landscapeSouth Portland is a Cumberland County city with a 2020 Census population of 26,498 and a land area of about 12.1 square miles.[7]
Emerald ash borerIn September 2024 South Portland announced an emerald ash borer plan to catalog every ash tree on city property and treat healthy ones with an injected insecticide initially and then every two years.[8]
Emerald ash borerSouth Portland’s 2024 ash plan prioritizes removing infested or hazardous city ash trees, replacing each with a different native species, and used $30,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds for its first phase.[9]
Community treesSouth Portland’s Tree Protection Ordinance, passed November 14, 2023 and effective January 1, 2024, protects Significant Trees of at least 10 inches in diameter and Heritage Trees, and requires replanting or a mitigation payment when they are removed in reviewed projects.[10]
Community treesSouth Portland is listed by the Maine Forest Service as a Tree City USA community with 43 years of recognition.[11]
Tree care services in South Portland
Emerald Ash Borer
Trunk injections that protect ash trees from emerald ash borer.
Emerald Ash Borer in South Portland
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid
Systemic treatment to keep hemlocks healthy.
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid in South Portland
Browntail Moth
Web clipping, injection and treatment for browntail moth.
Browntail Moth in South Portland
Tree Health Assessments
Find out what’s wrong with a tree and what to do about it.
About tree health assessmentsBrowntail moth season starts in your trees right now.
From October to March, young browntail moth caterpillars overwinter in silk webs at the tips of branches. The Maine Forest Service recommends clipping and destroying webs within reach between mid-December and early April.[12] Browntail moth help in South Portland.
A year of tree care in South Portland
- WinterClip browntail moth webs, assess trees while branches are bare, and plan spring treatments.
- SpringTrunk injections for ash trees after leaf-out, and browntail moth treatment before caterpillars feed.
- SummerWatch for thinning crowns on ash and early leaf drop. Check beech leaves for dark bands between the veins.
- FallLook for white woolly masses on hemlock twigs, and spot new browntail webs once leaves drop.
Nearby towns we serve
Sources
- City of South Portland: Notification of city ash tree treatment
- Maine Forest Service: Hemlock woolly adelgid overview and distribution
- Maine CDC & Maine Forest Service: Browntail moth hairs pose risk during spring outdoor activities
- Maine CDC Health Advisory: Browntail moth (May 2026)
- Maine Forest Service: Forest & shade tree conditions, August 2026
- Maine Forest Service: Forest & shade tree conditions, September 2026
- U.S. Census Bureau: QuickFacts, South Portland city, Maine (2020 Census)
- City of South Portland: Emerald Ash Borer news release (2024)
- City of South Portland: Emerald Ash Borer news release (2024)
- City of South Portland: Tree Protection (2024)
- Maine Forest Service: Project Canopy – Tree City USA
- Maine Forest Service: Browntail moth management overview