John See is the new state U&CF coordinator for Alaska. John's address is:

Alaska Division of Forestry
Urban and Community Forestry
550 W. Seventh Avenue Suite 1450
Anchorage, Alaska 99501
(907) 269-8466

The Kansas Arborists Association is hosting the Millenium Shade Tree Conference next week. Great agenda with lots of good information and speakers.. Short notice, but if you want more info or would like to go, contact:

Eric Berg, Kansas U&CF Coordinator
(785) 532-3308

Following are just a few opportunities that are available..

Maine is seeking a new volunteer coordinator, as Seth Mercier leaves to pursue work in the private sector. For information, contact tish carr, Maine U&CF Coordinator, at (207) 287-5024, or Steve Oliveri, Pine Tree State Arboretum, at (207) 621-0031.

Hillsborough County (Tampa, FL) as an opening for an Urban Forester. This one closes on 1/11/00. Call Carla Shelton at (813) 276-8404 for info and an application.

Here are a couple of folks who need info from you…

Alice Brown with the USFS Northeastern Area is putting together a mailing list for the volunteer coordinators in urban forestry. She needs the name, title, phone and fax #, address and email address if available of your current volunteer coordinator.

Also, for those of you who have a web site for your Urban forestry program or a state forestry home page Alice would appreciate it if you could send the web address as well.

Also,

Charlie Spencer is the Coordinator of Volunteers for the West Virginia Division of Forestry, Urban & Community Forestry Program. Charlie is doing some research into programs that other state Volunteer Coordinators are involved in. Please send information about state urban forestry volunteer programs or a copy of your urban forestry plan.

From Fred Borman, (CT U&CF Coordinator)

The CT DEP Division of Forestry hosted a series of six Tree Care Workshops for municipal tree workers during November and December, 1999. 252 Public Works, Parks and Recreation, Board of Education, CT DOT and CT Agricultural Experiment Station employees received instruction in Basic Tree Anatomy, Proper Tree Planting, Correct Tree Pruning, Tree Health, and Hazard Tree Management. 62 municipalities, 2 garden clubs, 2 conservation commissions and 2 State Agencies were represented. There was no cost to the participants. Course evaluations indicated that the program was very well received, and for many, it was the first time they learned anything at all about the trees they work with on a daily basis.

Instructors included: Fred Borman, CT Urban Forestry Coordinator; Chris Donnelly, Urban Forester; Rob Rocks, Service Forester; and Larry Rousseau, Service Forester.

For more information, please contact Fred Borman or Chris Donnelly at (860) 424-3630.

The Call for Presentations for the "Community Forestry At Its Best" conference deadline has been extended from December 27th to January 15th.

The list of topics are as follows: funding opportunities; writing grants that get results; urban growth issues; storm aftermath--regreening after the storm; inventories--successfully gathering and using information; small communities sharing resources; involving nontraditional people on tree boards to get new ideas and ways of doing things; success stories--funding, storm recovery, ordinances; obtaining political support for trees; establishing community pride with trees; the law and liability; using the internet for forestry topics; role of the arboretum as a community educational facility; computing tree valuation; using trees for storm water mitigation; saving energy with trees; preventing vandalism; working with volunteers; effective ordinance enforcement; tree protection innovations; working with kids; trees and traffic issues. If you feel, however, that another topic would benefit this conference, you are encouraged to submit it for consideration.

If you do not have a presentation proposal form please call Tina Schweitzer or Mary Yager at 402/474-5655 and they will fax you one. Proposals may be submitted by mail, fax or email to Tina Schweitzer, National Arbor Day Foundation, 211 N. 12th Street, Lincoln, NE 68508, fax--402/474-0820, email--tschweitzer@arborday.org

JANUARY 2000

Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association Convention and Trade Show, Minneapolis Convention Center, MN. Contact the MNLA at (651) 633-4987 or visit their website at http://www.mnlandscape.org for more information. January 5-7, 2000.

FEBRUARY 2000

7TH Annual Trees and Utilities National Conference, Lied Conference Center, Nebraska City, NE. For more information, contact the National Arbor Day Foundation at (402) 474-5655. February 1-3, 2000.

Conference on Stormwater and Urban Water Systems Modeling. Toronto, Ontario. Contact Lyn James, (509) 767-0197. February 24-25, 2000.

OTHER 2000 DATES - MORE DETAILS TO COME!

May - NA State Urban Forestry Coordinators' Meeting, Illinois
Aug - ISA National Conference, Baltimore, MD
Sep - National Grassroots Summit, Nebraska City, NE
Sep - Tree City USA National Conference, Nebraska City, NE
Oct - Midwest Environmental Education Conference, Iowa

… Every year they choose three or four of the humans to join them, While the trees talk the humans sit on a limb.

If you are one of the chosen you have a inner special gift, You are there as tree messengers to give the tree population a lift,

For trees are sometimes treated unfairly which is not very kind, So during this time look inside your soul and see what you find,

But remember if you are one of the humans given this treasure, Keep it in your heart always and it will bring to pleasure. ~Amanda Hutchinson, 1995