|
August 2002 Vol.7 No.5 ARCHIVE
This newsletter is sent electronically via email or fax 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 always find it on-line and archived at www.treelink.org Submissions to this newsletter are welcome and requested. Items suitable for inclusion are state and national urban forestry information, products or innovations, and notices of regional and national urban forestry events. Please submit a maximum of two paragraphs to Pam Louks by the 20th of the month for inclusion in the following month's edition. NEXT DUE DATE FOR SUBMISSION: August 20, 2002 Compiled and Edited by: Pamela Louks, Indiana Department of Natural Resources Phillip D. Rodbell, USDA Forest Service - Northeastern Area Pepper Provenzano, TreeLink.org State Coordinators NewsWords for thought"Cities are heat sinks. Urban temperatures are often five degrees above surrounding suburbs and rural areas. It's the thousands of rooftops, jam-packed along miles and miles of black asphalt streets, interspersed with acres of parking lots, all absorbing the heat of the sun. There's a solution to this problem - inexpensive, environmentally friendly, and incredibly beautiful. It's called the shade tree."-- Thomas Hylton, editorial page of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Aug. 2 "Waking up this morning, I smile, Twenty four brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment and to look at all beings with eyes of compassion" -- Thich Nhat Hanh TABLE OF CONTENTS
STATE OF THE STATES [back to top]Alabama has found that over the past few years, the topic of "Wildland Urban Interface" has become one of the most important emerging resource issues facing Alabama's communities. To heighten awareness and provide information about wildland-urban interface issues, the Alabama Urban Forestry Association's 18th Annual Conference will engage participants with these issues. The conference is Nov. 6-8 in Opelika. For more info, contact Neil Letson, State Coordinator, http://www.aces.edu/ucf/ Indiana was busy in July hosting the Northeast Area Association of State Foresters meeting in Indianapolis. The Indiana Community & Urban Forestry program was given the opportunity by State Forester Burney Fischer to lead the arrangements committee. The perk here was that CUF would have the opportunity to take the 20 state foresters and other participants on a tour of the urban forest. The tour included lunch, stops at the urban wood utilization project site, a floodplain restoration site, a city nature center, and a state park comprised of a huge urban forest in the heart of Indianapolis. About 64 people heard about urban forestry all day long. For their listening patience, they were rewarded with a hog roast with live music at Ft. Ben State Park. What an opportunity to talk and walk the urban forest to state foresters who had budget concerns, fire problems, and a myriad of other issues on their minds! Have you talked to your state forester about urban forestry lately? For more information on the tour, contact Pam at plouks@dnr.state.in.us. Mississippi is communicating to its customers the importance of urban forestry with an article called "Economic Development Equals Green, a Strategy to Lure New Business." Walter Passmore, community assistance forester, has written a two-page article that highlights the key elements on why business and workers choose a community. In it, he includes how a business with a hot parking lot with no trees creates a sense of urgency for the customer to do business quickly and leave just as quick. His article, aimed at economic development and businesses within communities, ends with this thought. "Are you ready for your community trees to work for you, or have you had as much success as you can tolerate?" For a copy of the article, contact: Walter Passmore, Wpassmore@mfc.state.ms.us or Rick Olson, Mississippi U&CF Coordinator, Rolson@mfc.state.ms.us State Coordinator Regional Groups [back to top]National Coordinators Group Committees - Outreach and Diversity Committee report - At the last national meeting in Washington, DC, issue committees were set up to explore urban forestry issues. The committee is composed of Chris Donnelly, Connecticut, Lisa Burban, USFS, Lilz Gillard, South Carolina, Magaly Zayas, Puerto Rico, Mark Bays, Oklahoma, Matt Edwards, Iowa, Neil Letson, Alabama, Paul Dolan, Rhode Island, Teresa Trueman-Madriaga, Hawaii, Terry Galloway, Maryland, and Ashley Mulis, Indiana. This committee is developing an outreach guide focused directly on urban forestry. In their research, they have discovered that the USDA Forest Service has a booklet entitled, Reaching Out: A USDA Forest Service Toolkit for Equal Participation. It is authored by Caron Gibson and Susan Stein, USDA Forest Service Cooperative Forestry Staff, and published in September 2001. The publication number is FS-721. Check it out. Good job committee! The Northeast Area Urban Forestry Coordinators Organization (NAUFCO) was honored to be asked a few months ago by the Northeast Area Association of State Foresters (NAASF) to make recommendations to the proposed changes to the 2003 allocation budget formula. At the NAUFCO May meeting, Maryland Coordinator Mike Galvin led the group through a listing of issues of concern which were then further honed and compiled by committee members Pam Louks, Indiana; Mike D' Errico, New Jersey; Steve Sinclair, Vermont; and Dick Rideout,Wisconsin. A letter with the fact sheet was presented to the group by NAASF past chair Jim Barresi at the summer meeting in Indianapolis and will be further considered and voted on at the NAASF winter meeting. It is a great opportunity to have this type of open dialog with the state foresters in the Northeast Area. Are you talking to your state forester? For more information contact Pam Louks, NAUFCO Chair at plouks@dnr.state.in.us. The Southern Region Urban Forestry Coordinators honored John Slater, Arkansas and Connie Head, Georgia as the 2002 Urban Forestry award winners. Slater, an employee of the Arkansas Forestry Commission, has been involved in urban forestry for six years. Over 6000 youth have heard his "Growing Together" forum. He has received numerous volunteer awards for his dedication to urban forestry and he continues to promote urban forestry to all age groups. Connie Head, owner and operator of Technical Forestry Services, has provided consultation in all aspects of U&CF management to more than 40 municipalities, agencies, non-profits, and individuals throughout the southeastern United States. She is an active member of the Georgia Urban Forest Council and is vice president of the Southern Chapter of the ISA. The awards were presented at the annual meeting of the Southern Group of State Foresters meeting banquet in Montgomery, Alabama on June 11, 2002. Submitted by: Bruce Webster, Tennessee Urban Forester Job & Training Opportunities [back to top]NeighborSpace in Chicago seeks a full time executive director to work in the downtown area. The salary range is $60,000-$70,000 based upon experience. Bachelors degree required and experience desired in the related fields of community development, urban planning, landscape design, real estate, and volunteer development Send cover letter, resume and references by standard mail no later than Aug. 31 to: Ed Uhlir, NeighborSpace, 25 East Washington, Suite 1650, Chicago, IL 60602. The Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) is a national non-profit organization dedicated to training and supporting newly established environmental practitioners seeking to connect their specialized work to larger environmental and social concerns. Through the three-year ELP Fellowship, ELP provides a $2,000 stipend, training, mentoring, funding for innovative projects, and technical support to a diverse class of 25 emerging environmental leaders per year. Fellows continue their current full-time jobs or studies. Successful applicants will articulate a clear understanding of how their specialized work fits into complex social, economic, and environmental issues. To apply by Oct. 1, 2002 see http://www.elpnet.org or call 413-268-0035. Urban and Community Forestry related job opportunities are plentiful on the internet at TreeLink. Go to the Tree Talk Bulletin Board ON THE NATIONAL FRONTHouse and Senate Appropriations Committee Action in FY 2003 [back to top]As shared in last month's newsletter, the Senate Appropriations Committee has provided $37,750,000 for the Urban and Community Forestry Program, which is $1,750,000 above last year's enacted level. The committee report indicates that increases above the enacted level are comprised of $250,000 for the Chicago Green Streets program, $400,000 for the Cook County Forest Preserve to conduct environmental and technical work associated with the Preserve's forestry programs in Illinois, $300,000 for tree planting work in cooperation with the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and $800,000 to establish the Urban Watershed Forest Research and Demonstration Project Cooperative to help support existing applied research, technology transfer, and urban natural resources stewardship in Baltimore, Maryland. The committee directs that $350,000 be provided to the Northeastern Research Station for work associated with the Baltimore Ecosystem Study and the remainder of the funds be provided to the Parks and People Foundation of Baltimore. On the House side, the Appropriations Committee recommended $36,235,000 for the urban and community forestry activity as requested by the administration, $235,000 above the 2002 funding level. The committee report notes that this recommendation includes $500,000 to support the Northeastern Pennsylvania community forestry program and $1,000,000 for the Chicago Greenstreets program. The language also acknowledges that last year the committee encouraged the Forest Service to use Urban and Community Forestry Program funds to develop special living memorials, using trees, to commemorate the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001. The Forest Service targeted $1,500,000 of available funds for this special emphasis program. The committee noted the results and that the work of creating lasting memorials for individuals and communities has not been completed. Accordingly, the committee directed the Forest Service, working in close harmony with the involved states and local participants, to focus the same level of funding in fiscal year 2003 for planning, development, and implementation of the living memorial projects in New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and critical surrounding areas. Urban Forestry Coordinators Will Meet in September [back to top]All state coordinators attending the National Arbor Day Foundation's "Community Forestry at Its Best" conference Sept. 26 - 28 are invited to get together for a meeting the morning of Sept. 26. Please let Dave Mooter know if you will attend and send him any items you would like to put on the meeting agenda by Sept. 1. Email DMOOTER2@unl.edu. A schedule and agenda will be sent to you mid-September. If you are planning on attending the coordinators meeting and conference, the foundation suggests that you make your room reservations at Lied Conference Center early to assure room availability. Email Tina.Schweitzer@arborday.org. Forest Service Says It Needs More Money to Fight Fires [back to top]All of you are aware of the serious nature of this year's fire season and the problems faced by the Forest Service in paying for fire-suppression costs. Projected fire suppression costs for fiscal year 2002 exceed the resources available under a borrowing strategy formulated earlier this year and approved by Congress. As of late July, total suppression costs were estimated to reach $1.07 billion while appropriated suppression funds are at their lowest level in recent years. The Forest Service-appropriated suppression funds has run out at $321 million, creating a need to transfer $749 million from other accounts under its "borrowing strategy," including Urban and Community Forestry. The agency intends to work with the administration and Congress to restore funds to projects and programs in FY 2003. For the latest information on the fire situation, visit the National Interagency Fire Center website at http://www.nifc.gov. New Community Based Forest and Public Lands Restoration Act Introduced [back to top]The Community Based Forest and Public Lands Restoration Act (S 2672) was introduced in June, before the full Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Senators Bingaman (D-NM) and Craig (R-ID) cosponsored the bill. This bill directs the land management agencies in the Departments of Agriculture and Interior to conduct ecosystem restoration and maintenance activities using community-based approaches by developing mechanisms to ensure a consistent program of work to conduct restoration and maintenance activities; by providing innovative contracting mechanisms; developing forest restoration and value-added centers that provide technical assistance to communities; ensuring multiparty monitoring; and by creating an applied research program. For information on the Community Based Forest And Public Lands Restoration Act, go to http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:s.02672:. House Committee on Appropriations Completes Inquiry into Forest Legacy Program [back to top]On Nov. 30, 2001, the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, Surveys and Investigations staff wrote to the Secretary of Agriculture and the Chief of the Forest Service informing them that they would conduct an inquiry into the Forest Legacy Program (FLP). A five-person team conducted the inquiry over approximately six months and based its finding on interviews and on documents and financial data provided by the Forest Service and state officials. The team visited the Washington headquarters, six regional offices, sixteen state offices and conducted interviews with corporations, non-profit and land-trust organization partners and individual landowners. They completed their work and submitted a report of findings to the Committee on June 14, 2002. Primary issues identified in the report relate to program oversight, FLP strategy, project-selection process, cost share, appraisal review, financial oversight, large projects, and Congressional earmarked projects. The report can be viewed on the House Committee web site at: http://www.house.gov/appropriations/info/03forestrpt.pdf USDA Forest Service Announces FY 2002 Urban Forestry Grants [back to top]The USDA Forest Service announced the award of more than $500,000 in federal grants to benefit the nation's urban and community forests. Organizations in nine communities will match those funds with over $547,000 for research and education projects for urban forests. Recipients of the cost-share grants were selected in a competitive process, based on criteria developed by the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council (NUCFAC). More information about NUCFAC is available online at www.treelink.org/nucfac Grants included the following:
Grassroots Summit Remains on Track, Focus Group Meets September 20-23 [back to top]The Grassroots Summit will bring together a meeting of grass-roots representatives working in Urban and Community Forestry in Salt Lake City on Sept. 20-23. The purpose is to expand leadership capabilities by training attendees in the Midwest Academy model of direct-action organizing with the theme: Building a United Constituency for U&CF. The Grassroots Summit Leadership Team has selected nearly 50 participants for this focus group, but realize that many states may have already budgeted for travel or to send a Council member to the summit. The National Tree Trust has committed funding to cover hotel and food costs at the event, and limited travel funds are available. Participants will be charged with hosting a roundtable discussion back home to select short and long-term goals designed to strengthen the movement and discipline of Urban and Community Forestry. They seek leaders for a successful short and long-term effort. If you are interested in this focus-group training or the Grassroots Summit, and would like to know more, email grlt@prodigy.net or call Jerri LaHaie, GRS chair, at 706-769-3127. Burlington-Based Researcher Receives Presidential Award [back to top]The White House has announced that Dr. J. Morgan Grove, researcher with the USDA Forest Service's Northeastern Research Station in Burlington, VT, is a recipient of the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers, or PECASE, for 2001. The award was presented on July 12, in a White House Ceremony. The PECASE was established in 1996 to honor the nation's most promising young researchers. The scientists and engineers are nominated by their agencies, which award the researchers up to five years of funding to continue their work critical to government missions. Grove is being honored for his work in urban ecological research. He has contributed significantly to the success of the Baltimore Ecosystem Study - winning large research grants, producing numerous publications, and addressing the needs of the community while conducting high-quality science. He has expanded his reach to colleagues through symposia, writings on interdisciplinary research, and developing an Open Research System to share data and methods with the research community. Emerald Ash Borer [back to top]A newly identified exotic insect, emerald ash borer, has been discovered attacking ash trees in the heavily populated Detroit area. The infestation is extensive with a five-county quarantine at this point. In badly affected areas, particularly certain spots in western Wayne County, nearly all ash trees are dead or dying. Under the quarantine, ash trees, branches, logs and firewood may not be moved outside the affected area unless certified by the Department of Agriculture. This insect should be viewed as a serious threat to the nation's ash tree resource. It is a beetle in the family Buprestidae, genus Agrilus. This is the same genus that has bronze birch borer and two-lined chestnut borer as members. A Pest Alert can be viewed at: GRANTS $$$$ [back to top]Funding for Habitat Restoration Projects Programs Benefiting School-Aged Children PUBLICATIONS & WEBSITES [back to top]"Landscape Tree Factsheets," the new title of the Third Edition of the former "Street Tree Factsheets" is now available from the Publications Center, College of Agricultural Sciences, 112 Agricultural Administration Building, University Park PA 16802 at a price of $30.00, shipping included. It contains 26 additional deciduous cultivars plus 4 pages of evergreens used for screens. Call toll-free 877-345-0691, for Visa or MasterCard orders, or 814-865-6713 for information. Biodiversity Poll the new title of the Third Edition of the former "Street Tree Factsheets" is now availab Support for Main Street Accessible Research on the Value of Green Space To download copies of the flyers and access research information that went into the flyers (including long version, 2-page version, and short summaries), go to http://www.herl.uiuc.edu Criteria and Indicators Fire on the Web
Growing Native Trees "Traditional" Community Forestry Or the International network of Forests and Communities http://www.forestsandcommunities.org/ For more info on how the term is used in traditional forestry in the United States (that does not pre-date the usage in urban forestry, and is unrelated to it), check out the National Community Forestry Center http://www.nationalcommunityforestrycenter.org/ Community Forestry Resource Center http://www.forestrycenter.org/ Ford Foundation National Demonstration in Community Forestry: http://www.aspencsg.org/cbf/pages/program2.html Conservation Leadership WoodNotes
Volunteer Opportunities on the Web Stormwater BMP International Notes [back to top]New conifer species discovered CONFERENCE CALENDAR [back to top]August 200227-30 2002 IUFRO European Regional Conference, 'Forestry Serving Urbanized Societies, Copenhagen, DenmarkSeptember 200221 - 24 Grassroots Focus Group: "Building a United Constituency for Urban and Community Forestry", Salt Lake City, Utah. The participants of this Focus Group will be trained in the Midwest Academy model of direct action organizing. Participants will be charged with hosting a roundtable discussion back home to select short and long-term goals designed to strengthen the movement and discipline of Urban and Community Forestry. To learn more, email grlt@prodigy.net or call Jerri LaHaie, GRS chair, at 706-769-3127.26 - 28 Community Forestry At Its Best, Arbor Day Farm/Lied Conference Center, Nebraska City, NE. Contact the National Arbor Day Foundation at 402/474-5655. October 20025-9 Society of American Foresters National Meeting, Winston-Salem, NC7-8 Building With Trees National Conference. Arbor Day Farm, Lied Conference Center, Nebraska City, Nebraska. This conference, presented in cooperation with the National Association of Home Builders and sponsored by Firewise Communities, examines the processes and techniques of saving trees during construction and land development. The conference focuses on developments that successfully preserved the existing tree resource; the team approach to building with trees and the roles played by the various professionals involved; and new research, issues, and trends that could impact building with trees. Contact National Arbor Day Foundation at 402/474-5655. 8 - 9 Indiana Urban Forest Council, Inc., annual conference "Beyond the Basics" will focus on critical urban forestry management activities. The conference will be at Springmill State Park and will culminate with a tour of the Forest Discovery Center. An evening hog roast is planned with urban forestry talk around the campfire. For more information contact: naiufc@insightbb.com 8 - 12 The Canadian Urban Forest Conference will be held in October 2002. The theme of the conference is Urban Forest Planning: Sustainable Forests for Healthy Communities. Workshops, plenary and concurrent sessions will look at three streams: planning for the single tree, planning for the community, and bioregional planning http://www.event-horizons.com/cufc5/ 13 - 16 Society of Municipal Arborists 38th Annual Conference and Tradeshow (Ithaca, NY); "Research in the Urban Forest"; Sunday tour-Cornell University Plantations. For more information contact Andy Hillman, City Forester at 607-272-1718 or andyh@cityofithaca.org or hillman@msn.com 17 - 18 Pennsylvania Urban and Community Forestry Conference, State College, PA 24 - 25 Tennessee's 11th annual Urban Forestry Conference will be held, at Cheekwood Botanic Garden, Nashville, TN. Contact Jennifer Smith, Director, TN Urban Forestry Council, 615-352-8985 or tufc@wave3online.com for details 26 The 4th annual Tennessee Tree Climbing Championship in conjunction with the annual urban forestry conference, Nashville, TN. Contact Jennifer Smith, Director, TN Urban Forestry Council, 615-352-8985 or tufc@wave3online.com for details. 30 10th Annual Community Forestry Workshop, McDaniel College, The Forum, Westminster, Maryland. November 20023 - 7 2002 American Water Resources Association Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA. Contact: http://www/awra.org/meetings/Philadelphia2002/6 - 8 Alabama Urban Forestry Association's 18th Annual Convention, Lodge and Conference Center at Grand National in Opelika. Register at www.aufa.com. For additional information, call 205-226-7760, 1-877-548-0440 or email aufa@bsc.edu 7 - 9 National Arborist Assoc., TCI Expo 2002, Milwaukee, WI, www.Natlarb.com 13 - 15 Georgia Urban Forest Council 12th Annual Conference, "Bridging the Divide: Creating Green Partnerships in Our Communities" A conference for developers, regulators, and citizens will be held in Decatur, GA. Contact Kacey Ratterree, Executive Director Georgia Urban Forest Council, gufc@comcast.net, 800-994-4832, or visit www.gufc.org for details. 13 - 15 Brownfields 2002, Charlotte, NC. http://www.brownfields2002.org 18 - 21 Green Cities, Sustainable Cities Congress, Midrand, South Africa. For more information see www.ierm.co.za/greencities/ or ftp://ftp.adobe.com/pub/adobe/acrobatreader/win/4.x/ar405eng.exe March 200324 - 25 ISA Southern Chapter, Asheville, NC. Contact wpassmore@mfc.ms.us29 - April 2 American Planning Association Annual Conference, Denver, CO. http://www.planning.org/ May 20037 - 9 Northeast Area Urban Forestry Coordinators Organization annual meeting. Indianapolis, Indiana. Plouks@dnr.state.in.usTill next time.... |