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November, 2000 Vol.5 No.11 This newsletter is sent electronically (via email or fax)
around the first of each month to state urban forestry program coordinators and
Forest Service urban forestry staff.
Please print or copy this newsletter and distribute it to volunteer coordinators, state council chairs, and
other interested individuals within your state. You can also find it on-line at www.treelink.org
Submissions to this newsletter are welcomed, and in fact,
requested. Items suitable for inclusion
are regional and national urban forestry information, state events, products,
or innovations that can be replicated by other states, personnel notes, and
notices of regional and national urban forestry events. Please submit a maximum of two paragraphs by
the 20th of the month for inclusion in the following month's edition. NEXT DUE DATE FOR SUBMISSION: November 20, 2000 Compiled and Edited by: Paula Rosenthal, Montana Dept. of Natural
Resources (prosenthal@state.mt.us) phone 406/542-4284 Phillip D. Rodbell, USDA Forest Service - Northeastern Area (prodbell@fs.fed.us) phone (610) 975-4133 Special Thanks to: Anne Cumming, Patrice Carroll, and Mele Fong, USDA Forest Service *************************************************** NEW UCF COORDINATOR IN CT
Chris Donnelly is the new urban forestry coordinator for the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. Fred Borman will continue to provide administrative and technical support for the state program along will his responsibilities for the Legacy and Stewardship programs. Prior to joining the state, Chris spent 3 years working in private tree care and as executive secretary for the CT Tree Protective Association. Chris is both licensed as an arborist and certified as a forester by the State of Connecticut. He has a Master's degree in Forest Science from the Yale School of Forestry. He is a life-long resident of CT, and currently lives in a 260 year old house that needs constant work. Chris is "looking forward to the rewards of urban forestry, that will come about from working with the trees, but also from working with the people associated with the urban forest". For your records, Chris's address and phone number is included below. Chris Donnelly, Connecticut Division of Forestry, 79 Elm St., Hartford, CT 06106 Phone: 860-424-3178; FAX:860-424-4070; E-mail: chris.donnelly@po.state.ct.us
CHANGES IN LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY
David Swenk, member of the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council (NUCFAC) informed us of his new position as environmental planner for Santa Barbara County, Calif. He shared that his replacement in Lexington is Tim Queary whose task will be to implement the newly established tree preservation ordinance, mandating canopy retention, riparian and woodland protection and setting standards for landscaping. ISA GOLD LEAF AWARD TO REVITALIZING BALTIMORE
On October 27, 2000, Revitalizing Baltimore (RB) was presented with the International Society of Arboriculture's (ISA) Gold Leaf Award. The award was presented on behalf of ISA by Mid-Atlantic Chapter President Mike Galvin to Jacqueline M. Carrera, executive director, and Guy Hager, project manager for the Parks & People Foundation. Revitalizing Baltimore (RB) is a national model for urban and community forestry, watershed restoration, and federal-state, and local-private partnerships. Participating organizations are working together to improve the quality of life in urban neighborhoods by restoring natural resources. RB also strengthens community-based environmental research, improves community-based decision-making, and creates urban forest management plans. With funding from the USDA Forest Service in 1999, it funded 13 community-based projects. RB partners worked together in Baltimore's four regional watersheds, planted more than 2,500 trees, maintained 700 previously planted trees and monitored and cleaned streams with the help of 3,800 volunteers who provided over 11,000 volunteer work hours. Nearly 17,000 youths were involved in environmental stewardship education and activities. Watershed celebrations, one in each of the watersheds, attracted more than 8,800 people to see, learn about and participate in watershed restoration activities.
URBAN RESOURCES PARTNERSHIP REVIEW UNDER WAY
The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Forest Service is in the process of conducting a 100 percent review of grants under the Urban Resources Partnership initiative. The purpose for the review is to evaluate and implement the remaining recommendations from the Office of Inspector General. This effort is lead by Ed Biggers, NRCS, with many field personnel assisting in the Step 1 phase of the project, already completed. Step 1 was the Fact Finding Subteam, responsible for reviewing all grant agreements including project implementation and congressional authorities. Nearly 10-percent of the 700 grants were referred to Subteam 2 for more indepth financial and procurement examination. The review will be completed by December 23, 2000. Contact: Teresa McWhirt at tmcwhirt@fs.fed.us or (202) 205-1393.
NATIONAL URBAN AND COMMUNITY FORESTRY ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETS
Lexington, KY -- On October 12-14, the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council (NUCFAC) met to discuss the 2000 Annual Report, the 2001 Challenge Cost-Share Grant Program, and emerging issues in urban and community forestry. Deborah Gangloff, American Forests, chaired the meeting. Isabel Yates, Vice Mayor, City of Lexington, welcomed the Council to Lexington. Participants toured urban and community forestry project sites in and around the Lexington area. NUCFAC members heard presentations from several grantees, discussed the 2000 annual report and the proposed urban and community forestry communications strategy. Forest Service participants included Luz Parris-Sweetland, Liaison to NUCFAC, and Suzanne M. del Villar, Executive Assistant to NUCFAC, Jim Ehlers, CF Director and Ed Macie, Urban Forestry Coordinator, Southern Region, and Lisa Burban, Urban Forester, Northeastern Area. Contact: Suzanne M. del Villar at delvr@lodelink.com 2001 BUDGET FOR DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR COMPLETED
President Clinton signed into law the Interior and Related Agencies' appropriations bill (H.R. 4578) in early October. As noted in last month's bulletin, the bill includes $31,721,000 for the urban and community forestry (UCF) program along with nearly $1.5 million in earmarks. In addition, and in place of the Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA), the bill contains funding for a new title: Title VIII-Land Conservation, Preservation and Infrastructure Improvement. This six-year program provides an additional $686 million above current spending in 2001 to support a tremendous range of conservation activities. Through Title VIII, the UCF program receives an additional $4 million above current year appropriations (total $35.7 million in 2001). These special funds are "fenced-off" and the appropriations subcommittee must approve agency plans for the funds. Based on need and program performance, the UCF program will compete for an additional $160 million in 2002 and each of the next five years, distributed competitively by the Appropriations Subcommittee for Interior and Related Agencies. It should be noted that the UCF program is fenced off with a group of programs titled "Urban and Historic Preservation" that will compete for available funds. These programs include UCF, Urban Parks and Recreation Recovery, Historic Preservation and Youth Conservation Corps. As of this printing, the Forest Service has not submitted its plans for the use of these additional funds. OLYMPIC PARTNERSHIP TO ADVOCATE URBAN FORESTRY
At an October 18 news conference, the White House Millennium Council announced the partnership between Salt Lake Organizing Committee (SLOC) for the Winter Olympics of 2002 Environmental Program, USDA, the Alliance for Community Trees, the International Society of Arboriculture, the National Tree Trust, American Forests and TreeLink.org.
The kickoff event brought together two new advocacy programs that recognize the importance of urban forestry to a healthy environment. SLOC's "Plant It Green" is an Internet based domestic and international program that enables people to plant a tree in their community and register it in the name of the Olympics. Visit the website at
http://www.saltlake2002.com/sloc/beyond_sport/environment/tree_link/about_project.html.
"Global Releaf Sarajevo" is the first planting project of "Plant it Green" program in partnership with American Forests. Global Releaf Sarajevo is a tree planting initiative to help restore the war devastated urban forests of the host city of the 1984 Winter Olympics. During the four-year siege of Sarajevo, residents used trees for heating and cooking fuel, and consequently deforested the hillsides. The devastation of the urban forests created the potential for severe landslides. Debbie Armstrong, gold medallist in the 1984 Winter Olympics, has joined the effort to aid Sarajevo in restoring its urban forests.
In FY 2000, USDA Forest Service selected twelve landscape-scale (250,000 to 500,000 acres) watershed restoration projects for supplemental funding (including $550,000 in UCF funding over a three year period). Projects were selected due to their precedent setting approach to achieving long-term improvement of watershed conditions, important location and purpose, collaborative relationships, and feasibility. The projects ranged from research assessments in New York City's municipal watersheds and the Chesapeake Bay to river restoration efforts on the Chattooga, Conasauga, Rio Penasco, Upper Sevier, Upper South Platte, Warner Mountain/Hackamore and the White. The Pacific Coastal Watersheds, the Blue Mountains of Eastern Oregon and the Lower Mississippi Valley were also selected. Three projects have been added this year (Kootenai in Montana and St Joe River and Lost River in Idaho). Contact: Karen Solari at ksolari@fs.fed.us or go to the Cooperative Forestry website at http://www.fs.fed.us/cooperativeforestry/ and select Large-scale Watershed Restoration Projects from the Quick Index.
10/16-19--The newly developed National Technology Transfer Team met in Chicago, Illinois to develop a strategy for Urban Forestry Technology Transfer. The team is comprised of Forest Service employees working directly in Technology Transfer and key partners. The team defines Technology Transfer as the process of developing and disseminating urban forestry research and technical information, products, outputs, concepts, and guidelines into the hands of those who will use them, and in a form that will help them address their particular situations. The team's mission is to provide direction and priorities for urban forestry technology transfer. Urban Forestry research and technology transfer provides useful information that influences urban natural resources policy and management at the national, regional, and local levels. Contact: Gracie Joy at gjoy@fs.fed.us or (202) 205-7829
With the backdrop of Roberto Clemente State Park, hundreds of people including children, locals, community leaders, government, and Congress, gathered in the Bronx in New York City on October 17 to sign an historic agreement between the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Forest Service.
Forest Service Northeastern Area Director Michael T. Rains and HUD Regional Administrator Charlie King signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to work on improving the livability of housing projects like River Park Towers, a 1654-unit federally assisted housing complex located in the Roberto Clemente State Park. The signing ceremony, which took place in the shadow of Yankee Stadium and the history of No. 21 (Clemente) with the Pittsburgh Pirates, carried added meaning and significance. For information, contact Matthew Arnn at marnn@fs.fed.us.
9/18 - Today the Forest Service signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Project Impact - Building a Disaster Resistant Community. This MOU reflects the national interest of both agencies to work together to help communities reduce their vulnerability to natural hazard events such as flood, hurricane, tornado, earthquake or wildfire. Both agencies have agreed to set priorities and timetables, identify primary contacts, and help communities develop and employ mitigation strategies, and seek new education and training opportunities. Several agencies and national organizations have already signed similar MOUs with FEMA. Contact: Steve Yaddof at syaddof@fs.fed.us or call (202) 205-1386.
The USDA Forest Service has announced its plan to assist rural communities in and around Forest Service lands in managing natural resources, while strengthening their economic health and vitality. The plan, "Working Together for Rural America: 2000 and Beyond," calls for community and Forest Service policy-makers to effectively integrate rural economic, social and ecological concerns. The plan was announced during the national Rural Community Assistance conference in Burlington, Vt. Forest Service Chief Mike Dombeck said, "Thousands of rural communities all across the country, including those in and around the 155 national forests and 21 grasslands will benefit from effective community-based partnerships. This builds on the Forest Service's long-standing commitment to strengthen rural America through sustainable approaches and collaboration," he said.
The plan is the outcome of 11 multi-state workshops, conducted all over the United States, involving businesses, interest groups, economic development councils, citizens' groups, elected officials, individuals and state and federal agencies. Dombeck said, "The plan was developed to reconcile increasing public demand for natural resources in a manner that sustains land health and water quality." The plan is available on the Cooperative Forestry website www.fs.fed.us/cooperativeforestry. Communities may apply for assistance by contacting their local Forest Service office.
New Professorship at Texas A&M University-- Texas A&M is seeking eligible candidates to lead its undergraduate degree program in urban forestry. Candidates must have a Ph.D. with at least one degree in forestry, horticulture, landscape architecture, or related plant science or natural resource area preferred. Interested persons should submit a letter of application before December 31 including a formal, one-page statement of teaching philosophy and research interest; vitae; official university transcripts; copies of recent major publications; and complete contact information for five references to: Dr. C.T. Smith, Head, Department of Forest Science, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-2135; Phone: 979-845-5000; Fax: 979-845-6049;
g-hyden@tamu.edu; http://forestry.tamu.edu Urban Forestry Postdoctoral Scientist, Patrick Center--
The Patrick Center for Environmental Research at the Academy of Natural Sciences (www.acnatsci.org/research/pcer) invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellowship in urban forestry. The applicant will provide expertise and take on major responsibility for the Norway maple component of an ongoing project focused on rigorous evaluation of alternative management techniques for two invasive exotic plants (Norway maple and Japanese knotweed). Study sites for the project are located in woodlands of Philadelphia's Fairmount Park system, which is the largest urban park system in the United States. The position is available immediately and is funded through February 2003. Send CV, representative publications, and names, addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of three references to: Urban Forestry Postdoctoral Search, Patrick Center for Environmental Research, Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103.
The FY 2001 EPA Environmental Education Grant
Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council 2001- Challenge Cost-Share Grant Program
Home Depot Community Grant
GIS Grant Support for Non-Profit Organizations
An Assessment of Our Nation's Urban Forests--
The Resources Planning Act (RPA) Assessment, prepared periodically by the USDA Forest Service, reports on status and trends in renewable resources for all forests and rangelands in the United States. For the 2000 RPA Assessment, the first national assessment of urban forest resources in the United States was prepared. This technical report details variations in urbanization and urban tree cover across the United States by state, county, and individual urban areas. It illustrates local-scale variation, complexity, and connectedness of the urban forest resource and how this resource changes through time in response to a wide range of powerful forces. The report concludes by outlining future areas of emphasis that will facilitate comprehensive, adaptive, and sustainable urban forest management and improve environmental quality, enhance human health, and connect people with ecosystems in the 21st century. Connecting people with ecosystems in the 21st century: an assessment of our nation's urban forests. Gen. Tech. Rep. PNW-GTR-490. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 483 p. [You can view the document at http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/pubs/gtr490/gtr490.pdf
"Livability and Affordability: Open Space Preservation and Land Supply"--
is a report prepared by the Solimar Institute and Growth Management Institute for the Fannie Mae Foundation scans eight state open space programs. The report concludes that even with high projected demands for housing, there is ample vacant land for development. For more information see: http://www.cp-dr.com/pdfs/lehopenspace.pdf.
The National Park Service's Conservation Institute, in collaboration with the Woodstock Foundation and the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park has released a new report, The Landscape of Conservation Stewardship: The Report of the Stewardship Initiative Feasibility Study.
The study looks at the convergence of past, present and future trends in conservation, place-based initiatives and sustainability. It includes 50 interviews with community-based practitioners in the U.S. and around the world. To obtain a copy e-mail to: stewardship@NPS.gov or by mail contact
Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller NHP, PO Box 178, Woodstock, VT. 05091
William Honachefsky's new book, entitled, "Ecologically Based Municipal Land Use Planning", will revolutionize the way American communities plan their land use. Drawing upon more than 30 years of experience, including the investigation of thousands of cases of environmental abuse, Honachefsky presents a powerful combination of strategies that 1. Help restore the Municipal Master Plan to its rightful place of dominance over zoning; 2. Incorporate 30 years of scientific research and a host of new and unique "ecological indicators" with which a community can finally assess the health of the natural resources that help sustain it; 3. Apply GIS to problem solving; 4. Make preservation of the community's "ecological infrastructure" the paramount priority of the Municipal Master Plan. Available at Barnes and Noble.com (http://www.uwm.edu/Org/acsp/JPER/19-3_abstracts.htm).
Farming Inside Cities--
Entrepreneurial Urban Agriculture in the United States.
This report, funded by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and completed by the
University of Wisconsin- Madison, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, highlights 70 entrepreneurial urban agricultural projects in U.S. cities. Case studies include urban agricultural examples in Chicago, Boston and Philadelphia. The report can be viewed and downloaded an www.lincolninst.edu and additional copies can be requested, for a fee, from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy,113 Brattle St., Cambridge, MA 02138-3400. To view from the Lincoln Institute website, select the link for 35 Current Working Papers for Free on the main page, then select sorted by title and scroll to find this report.
Guide for Cooperators Who Receive Grants Now Online--
Project for Public Spaces--
PPS is a non-profit organization focused on building communities and sustaining public spaces. PPS focuses on major initiatives including an Urban Parks Initiative. Visit their site at http://www.pps.org for information on urban parks, livable communities, alternative transportation, public markets, local economy rebuilding and valuable resources for strengthening communities and promoting open spaces. The site also includes project experience summaries and case studies of cities working to create and incorporate open space.
The National Park Service's Conservation Institute, in collaboration with the Woodstock Foundation and the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park has released a new report, The Landscape of Conservation Stewardship: The Report of the Stewardship Initiative Feasibility Study.
The Forest Service has just put up a web page that includes brief project summaries and detailed project business plans for Large Scale Watershed Projects. The page is still under construction. Future improvements will include links to other sites and a team room providing opportunities for interactive discussions.http://www.fs.fed.us/largewatershedprojects.
GAO Releases results of the 1999 Peformance Reports--
The General Accounting Office (GAO) has released its observations of the FY 1999 Performance Results and the 2001 Performance Plans for the 24 largest departments and agencies, which were due on June 30, 2000. To review GAO's comments, click on http://www.gao.gov, and select the reports issued on August 1, 2000.
American Forests
announces the 2001 National Urban Forest Conference theme: Investing Natural
Capital in Urban Places. The conference
will be held in Washington DC on September 5-8, 2001. Cities have the
opportunity to use natural capital--tree cover, as green infrastructure to
improve air and water quality and to reduce summer energy use. This conference will highlight the
scientific research on the value of tree cover, computer technologies that
analyze data and calculate these benefits, and tools people can use to change
public policies. Taken together,
conference participants can use these strategies to turn their communities'
gray infrastructure into a brighter shade of green. American Forests seeks
proposals for presentation for concurrent sessions and workshops. Deadline for
submittals: November 15, 2000. For more
information and proposal forms, check our website:http://www.americanforests.org/.
Click on Trees, Cities, and Sprawl. Promoting Participation in Community Development. On November 30- December 2, 2000
Get hands-on experience in a number of participatory methods and tools. Working sessions include: Bridging participatory approaches in community development; public participation best practices sharing and strategizing sessions; Tools bazaars; The planning team approach to community development; participatory monitoring and evaluation in community development; and others. Location: Knoxville, Tennessee. Contact information: http://research.utk.edu/ora/.
November 2000: December 2000: 6-8: Rhizosphere Chemistry and Biology, Dr. Alex Shigo, Portsmouth, NH, 603-436-4808. 7-8: Rhizoshere Chemistry and Biology, Portsmith, NH. Seminar presented by Alex Shigo. $195 for both days. Contact Northeast Shade Tree at 603/436-1493. January 2001: 22-25: Professional Horticulturalists Conference of Virginia, Virginia Beach, VA. 40 ISA CEUs available. Contact Polly Carden at 757/523-4734. February 2001: 6:Tree Appraisal Workshop with Robert Tate, Hawaii. Contact Teresa Madriaga at ttm@hawaii.rr.com for more information. 7: A Cut Above - Keeping Trees Health Seminar, Dayton OH. Sinclair Community College. For information contact Judith Leraas Cook at 703/370-3141 or leraascook@aol.com. March 2001
6: Stormproofing Your Community, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA. For more information, visit http://www.umass.edu/urbantree/stormproofing.shtml.
7:Stormproofing Your Community, The Urban Forestry Center, Portsmouth, NH. For more information, visit http://www.umass.edu/urbantree/stormproofing.shtml. 6-8: Social Issues and the Environment Conference, Arbor Day Farm/Lied Conference Center. A look at how natural resources and use of green space contribute to the success of a community and provide benefits to society in general. It will demonstrate the inter-relationship of societal and environmental issues. Contact the National Arbor Day Foundation at 402/474-5655. 9: Enhancing Livability Through Community Trees: How Urban & Community Forestry Can Meet the Multiple Challenges of Salmon Recovery, Urban Sprawl & Community Livability, Corvallis, Oregon. Sponsored by Oregon Community Trees, Oregon Department of Forestry, and USDA Forest Service. Visit the Oregon Community Trees web page at www.odf.state.or.us/fa/uf/oct/index.html for further information. 12-15: Riparian Habitat and Floodplains Conference, Sacramento, California. A conference integrating California riparian and floodplain restoration, research, conservation, partnerships, education, policy, and biota, bringing together a wide variety of experts and interests. Registration and program information can be found at our website: http://www.tws-west.org/riparian/. 13: Trees and Utilities seminar, Providence RI, National Arbor Day Foundation, 402-474-5655. 26: Introductory Green Infrastructure Course at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV. Contact: Peggy Harwood at pharwood@fs.fed.us or (202) 205-0877. 26-28: 26-28 Building with Trees National Conference, Arbor Day Farm/Lied Conference Center, Nebraska City, NE. Contact the National Arbor Day Foundation at 402/474-5655. May 2001
1-3: Urban Wildlife Management Conference, Arbor Day Farm/ Lied Conference Center, Nebraska City, NE. This conference demonstrates management opportunities for urban habitats from small city parks in urban centers to large subdivisions with considerable open space. The roles of urban soils, vegetation, water quality, noise, open space, greenways, habitat, animal communities and human communities will be discussed. Contact the National Arbor Day Foundation at 402/474-5655.
1-3:Northeastern Area State Urban Forestry Coordinators Annual Meeting, Portland, ME. Contact Phillip Rodbell, 610-557-4133. 6-8: "TREE STRUCTURE & MECHANICS: How Trees Hold Together and Fall Apart." Savannah, GA. CALL FOR PAPERS: Volunteered paper presentations are now being accepted for this important meeting. For more information: kcoder@arches.uga.edu. 17: Hazard Trees: How to Identify, Evaluate and Manage Defective Trees, Morgantown, WV. Presented by National Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories. Contact the National Arbor Day Foundation at 402/474-5655. June 2001
3-5: Locally Led Conservation Efforts, Arbor Day Farm/ Lied Conference Center, Nebraska City, NE. The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Association of Conservation Districts, the National Association of State Conservation Agencies and other partners have joined to organize this event. Contact the National Arbor Day Foundation at 402/474-5655.
September 2001
5-8: National Urban Forestry Conference, Washington, DC. "Investing Natural Captial in Urban Places." Seeking proposals for presentation for concurrent sessions and workshops. Deadline for submittals: October 15, 2000. For more information and proposal forms, check our website: http://www.americanforests.org. Click on Trees, Cities, and Sprawl.
15-19: Mid Atlantic Governors Conference on Greenways, Blueways and Green Infrastructure, Arlington, VA. Contact Paul Revell at 804/977-6555. TBD: Firewise Communities Workshop, Hidden Valley, PA. The National Wildfire Coordinating Group is presenting this workshop to teach people how to protect their homes and communities from wildfire damage and to encourage representatives from various professions to share their experience regarding the wildfire phenomenon. Contact Judith Cook at 703/370-3141 or www.firewise.org/communities. Quote: 'Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country.'
~FDR
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