This electronic newsletter is published bi-monthly for state and federal urban forestry program coordinators and other interested individuals. Please print or copy this newsletter and distribute it to volunteer coordinators, state council chairs, and other interested individuals within your state or region, or forward it electronically to them. 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, grant opportunities, and notices of regional and national urban forestry events. Please submit a maximum of two paragraphs to the editorial committee listed below by the 20th of the month for inclusion in the following month's edition.

The Urban Forestry Coordinators Newsletter is compiled and edited by:

Ed Macie, USDA Forest Service - Southern Region
emacie@fs.fed.us or phone 404-347-1647

Dick Rideout, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
richard.rideout@dnr.state.wi.us or phone 608-267-0843

Paul Ries, Oregon Department of Forestry
pries@odf.state.or.us or phone 503-945-7391

Phillip D. Rodbell, USDA Forest Service - Northeastern Area
prodbell@fs.fed.us or phone 610-557-4133

Pepper Provenzano, TreeLink
pepper@treelink.org or phone 801-359-1933

NEXT DUE DATE FOR SUBMISSION: October 20, 2004

Words for thought

"Have you walked around this town lately and seen all these trees? We've got to have somebody who has a degree and can tell us which ones are going to fall down on whose house next."

-- Councilwoman Andrea Renner, City of LaPorte, Indiana (pop. 1013),
successfully justifying the hire of a city arborist

Around The States  [back to top]

Olympia, Washington
Olympia, WA, (pop. 42,500), has historically paid for tree planting projects (primarily contract work) out of its capital budget, then tree maintenance including watering is paid for out of the operating budget. While estimating the increased cost to operations from proposed new plantings, forestry staff came across the idea of simply keeping the capital account open after a tree-planting project and then charging the cost of seasonal labor (for watering) against the capital account for the 1-3 years after the trees are planted. This doesn't reduce the long-term expense, but for the city it ties watering to the Capital expense of planting (and establishing) a tree, rather than long-term operation's expense. This method could make it easier to tap into the capital budget than the operating budget for such things. For more information, contact Joe Roush jroush@ci.olympia.wa.us

Success Story in Maryland
A chronology: In 2001, the USDA Forest Service awarded the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) a grant to perform a Strategic Urban Forest Assessment (SUFA) in Baltimore (pop. 651,000). Project partners, Parks & People Foundation, help DNR identify the "dead zone" area of lowest tree canopy in the city's urban core. In 2002, the Baltimore mayor announces a "Paint the Town Green" campaign to facilitate installation of trees planted under the same grant. In 2003, the Forest Service and Baltimore Ecosystem Study (BES) researchers share data on research in Baltimore, combined with tree canopy data from SUFA. Dr. David Nowak's Northeast Research Unit uses its Urban Forest Effects (UFORE) model to create a "Priority planting index" based on weighted inputs of tree cover and population density. In 2004, city staff and Parks & People Foundation continue to plant and track installations, yielding a map of plantings that tracks with the index and illustrates more life in the "dead zone" and increased canopy cover in the urban core. For more information, contact Mike Galvin, MGALVIN@dnr.state.md.us

California Oak Mortality Task Force
The California Oak Mortality Task Force focuses on the potentially devastating effects of a newly discovered pathogen called Phytophthora ramorum. In California and Oregon it has caused an outbreak of Sudden Oak Death, killing large numbers of native oaks and tanoaks in coastal forests. The pathogen also infects common ornamental plants such as rhododendrons and camellias and has had a significant impact on the nursery industry worldwide. J. Hall Cushman of Sonoma State University, California, has confirmed that forest lovers are helping to speed the trees' demise. Cushman took soil samples from forests seemingly clear of the disease and tested them for the fungus. He found the pathogen frequently along trails, but not from samples taken just a few feet off trails. Parks with the most foot, horse, and bike traffic were more likely to have the disease than quieter parks. The findings, which could trigger trail closures in some parks, were reported at a meeting of the Ecological Society of America in Portland, Oregon. For more information, visit http://www.suddenoakdeath.org/

Houston, TX to Include Trees in State Implementation Plan
The City of Houston, TX (pop. 1,953,600), has taken steps to preserve trees. A coalition of 20 organizations and agencies, in cooperation with American Forests, has come together to advocate the major reforestation of the Houston region. The group, called "Houston Green", has performed an Urban Ecological Analysis (UEA) for the Houston Gulf Coast region, to study the benefits that trees provide to a community. For more information, visit http://www.lgean.org/html/whatsnew.cfm?id=793/p>

Massachusetts Tree Stewards Training
On Nov. 12 and 13, the third annual Massachusetts Tree Steward Training will be held at the Fisher Museum at the Harvard Forest in Petersham, MA. This two-day training is geared toward community tree board members, tree activists, interested citizens, tree wardens, municipal staff and other green professionals. It will provide foundation training in tree physiology, tree care, and urban and community forestry management issues with the aim of developing better tree stewardship in Massachusetts communities of all sizes. For registration and details, visit Branching Out at www.state.ma.us/dem/programs/forestry/urban/urbanBranch.htm, or contact Paul Jahnige at 413-577-2966 or paul.jahnige@state.ma.us.

Mississippi Urban Forestry Campaigns
The Mississippi Urban Forest Council (MUFC) has created four new urban forestry campaigns with the objective of involving more groups in urban forestry and promoting the benefits of urban and community forestry to all communities. 1. Scenic Communities of Mississippi is a resource listing of all programs, grants and technical services available to counties and cities to assist them in managing natural resources. 2. Ribbons of Green is a way for high school students to impact their local community as well as learn about careers in natural resource-related fields including urban forestry. 3. Trees for the Troops will be held on Arbor Day in February 2005 at the state capital. MUFC will give away trees to anyone wanting to plant a tree in honor of an individual involved in our current conflict. We are inviting other states to sign on to the program. 4. The Mayor's Tree Planting Challenge is a competition among mayors to recognize the number of trees planted in their community over the next year. Contact Donna V. Yowell, Mississippi Urban Forest Council, at 601-856-1660.

Louisiana Citizen Forester Program
Friends of Jefferson the Beautiful recently completed their second session of the Citizen Forester program. These "Tree Troopers" received 12 hours of instruction (8 weekly sessions each 1 1/2 hours long) and committed to 24 hours of volunteer service. There were five classroom sessions and three field sessions including a tree tour to see the different topics in context. A total of 93 people have now completed the training. Their volunteer activities are directed towards public areas and include planting, directional pruning of young trees, dissemination of literature, assisting in public-education events, leading tours on local arboretum trails and organizing a volunteer tree-project committee. As Louisiana goes statewide with this project, the oversight will pass from Friends of Jefferson the Beautiful (which is a parish-wide organization) to the Louisiana Urban Forestry Council. This is a tremendous opportunity for the council to broaden their sphere of influence by organizing groups of informed, motivated citizens in communities throughout the state and helping to provide the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the care and maintenance of the trees in their part of the world. For more information on how to bring this program to your area, contact Tom Campbell at 225-925-4500.

Arkansas Launches Shade Tree Program
The Urban and Community Forestry Program of the Arkansas Forestry Commission has successfully launched a "Shade Trees on Playgrounds (STOP) Skin Cancer" program. Through STOP, nine schools welcomed new trees with hundreds of school children, and many local leaders participated in the school-based events. Schools were selected for this program based on their lack of shade trees and their participation. A curriculum was prepared for the teachers and used for designing posters, and in some schools incorporated into benchmark education programs. Students were also assigned the responsibility of caring for the trees, ensuring a lasting achievement for which they can be proud. By working with each of the schools to give their playgrounds badly needed trees, the urban forestry representatives, local foresters and the program coordinator were able to promote the Urban and Community Forestry Program simultaneously to staff, students, parents, state representatives and local communities. Submitted by Patti Erwin, Arkansas Forestry Commission.

Tennessee Developing Eight New Arboretums
Tennessee has received eight new applications for arboretum status as certified by the TN Urban Forestry Council and the TN Federation of Garden Clubs. The council joined forces with the Garden Clubs and the TN Dept Agriculture, Forestry Division to recognize areas that had significant tree plantings as arboreta. Sites must have a minimum of 30 tree species labeled, be accessible to the public, and meet other standards. The eight sites are: Fred Miller Park, Morristown; Pleasant Run Creek, Pulaski; Sea Isle School, Memphis; Obed River Park, Crossville; University of Memphis campus; Zadie E. Kuehl Park, Lakeland; Victorian Village arboretum, Memphis; Centennial Elementary School, Dickson. Since the program was initiated 4 years ago, 32 sites across Tennessee have been certified as arboreta. For more information contact: Bruce Webster, Tennessee Urban Forestry Coordinator, 615/837-5436

Is Nebraska In Your Future?
The Nebraska Forest Service has announced several job openings including state forester. You can view all of the announcements at http://www.nfs.unl.edu/NFSPositions.htm.

New Pennsylvania State Coordinator
The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (PA DCNR) is pleased to announce that Seth Cassell began working this June as the new Pennsylvania Urban and Community Forestry coordinator. Seth has a Master of Science degree in Forest Resources and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism with a minor in Wildlife and Fisheries from Penn State University. Prior to joining the ranks of UCF, Seth worked as a PA DCNR Service Forester with the Gallitzin District and as a State Forest Management Forester on the Gallitzin State Forest. He has worked as a freelance writer for more than 10 years. He boasts an extensive military career with the Pennsylvania Air National Guard 193rd Special Operations Wing, is a trained pilot, and worked as an aircraft mechanic during Operation Freedom in 2002. Seth currently lives in Halifax, Dauphin County, PA, with his wife Amy. They are expecting their first child in November. Contact Seth Cassell at 717-705-2825 or scassell@state.pa.us

On The National Front

Transfer of Funds to Fire and Aviation Programs Avoided  [back to top]
House and Senate conferees in July attached $500 million for emergency wildland firefighting to the $416 billion FY '05 Defense spending measure to cover cost overruns expected by the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management in FY '04. The Defense spending bill is the only appropriations measure to reach the conference stage this year, leading to the widespread belief that other spending bills will be folded into an omnibus package in the fall. Lawmakers did not want to wait that long to approve the emergency funds for firefighting, given that the agencies are already expecting to spend more than $300 million over what they anticipated this year. The Forest Service believes it will spend about $890 million fighting wildfires in FY '04, exceeding its budgeted amount by nearly $300 million. BLM estimates it could be short $100 million, but both numbers could escalate depending on fire conditions. The House included $500 million in emergency firefighting funds for both FY '04 and '05 in the FY '05 Interior spending bill, H.R. 4568 it passed last month. The provision would take advantage of language in the stalled FY '05 budget conference report that allows appropriators to release the money without triggering budget caps if the agencies spend up to the 10-year fire suppression average.

Western lawmakers have long complained that the practice of borrowing funds to make up for a lack of appropriated dollars for firefighting has hampered the Forest Service and BLM, specifically in regards to hazardous fuels reduction, a complaint backed up by a recent General Accountability Office report. Severe wildfire seasons have forced agencies to exceed their appropriated budgets by $2.7 billion for firefighting costs in the past five years, with only about 80 percent returned to the affected agencies by Congress, GAO said last month. Such transfers resulted in cancellation or delays of hazardous fuel reduction projects and a six-month delay in collecting data to monitor fire behavior, among other projects, GAO said (Greenwire , June 4).

Survey and Investigations Report (summary by Alliance for Community Trees)  [back to top]
This past winter, Congress conducted a national investigation of the Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry program. The report is primarily a "state of the program" document, derived from conversations with stakeholders around the country. It underscores the challenges the program has faced, particularly accounting procedures, reporting procedures and performance measures. It is a good primer on how the federal program operates, for those who may want to understand this more.

Key Items from the Report:

• How UCF appropriations are spent is difficult to determine because UCF headquarters does not have the ability to track funds; it provided different versions of expenditures that cannot be reconciled.
• According to Forest Service documents, 80 percent of UCF funding over the 5-year period, FY 1999 through FY 2003, was used for field distribution. However, according to state foresters' documents, only 53 percent of the UCF Program's funds went to the states.
• Forest Service officials concede they have not used any performance standards on UCF Program implementation, thus leading to an inability to hold states accountable for success or failure against a set standard or in relation to other states.
• The proposed revised allocation methodology (effective FY 2006) will reward state programs which favor the greatest number of people possible.

Referencing the role of Non-profits:

Forest Service Response to the Report:
This report was commissioned by the House Appropriations Sub-committee on Interior and is primarily an internal tool that Congress can use in directing the Forest Service toward reforms. That said, here are some comments by Mark Buscaino, National Program Director for UCF for the Forest Service Washington Office:

The resulting report has just been released and is posted at http://appropriations.house.gov/_files/ForestServiceUrbanForestrypgmreport.pdf This report will not be permanently posted so it is suggested that you download and retain a copy for yourself.

Executive Order on "Cooperative Conservation" (from the Associated Press)  [back to top]
President Bush in August ordered Cabinet agencies to pay more attention to private landowners, states and local governments on how to manage the environment. That could influence federal decisions about the use of public lands, the level of protection for waterways and fighting pollution. The executive order, bypassing congressional action, was issued by the White House without fanfare while the president campaigned in New Mexico. It is in keeping with Bush's goal of having the government defer as much as possible to local interests. One result could be that national environmental policy is shaped more by economic pressures from local projects. Environmentalists said the order would encourage less protection for natural resources.

The order calls for more "cooperative conservation" by the departments of Interior, Agriculture, Commerce and Defense, and the Environmental Protection Agency. The term was defined as any collaboration related "to use, enhancement and enjoyment of natural resources, protection of the environment, or both." The agencies were told that "to the extent permitted by law" and by available dollars, they must collaborate more with states, local and tribal governments, private for-profit and nonprofit groups, nongovernment associations and individuals. It also requires that government "takes appropriate account of and respects the interests of persons with ownership or other legally recognized interests in land and other natural resources." Full text can be found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/08/20040826-11.html

Urban Forest Inventory Proposal Before NASF  [back to top]
Dick Rideout (WI) took the lead in drafting a resolution calling for a national continuous urban forest inventory for consideration by the Northeastern Area Urban Forestry Coordinator's Organization (NAUFCO) at a May 2004 meeting in Boston. The NAUFCO resolution passed unanimously and was forwarded to other groups for consideration.Ê The Southern Group of State Foresters (SGSF) community forestry group made a similar statement at their June meeting in Charlottesville, VA. The SGSF statement, unlike the NAUFCO resolution, specifically names the USDA Forest ServiceÕs Forest Inventory and Analysis Program (FIA) as the vehicle.Ê The Northeastern Area Association of State Foresters (NAASF) passed a resolution very similar to the NAUFCO resolution this summer.Ê The NAASF resolution will be presented to the National Association of State Foresters (NASF) for vote at their September meeting. They will also consider a presentation on the Urban Forest Health Monitoring pilots -- data and results -- at that meeting, so they will have great technical resources available. The timing is fortuitous. NAUFCO is urging all to inform your state foresters about this resolution prior to the meeting. Many thanks to Dick for leadership in drafting the initial document that is easily understood to move through process quickly.Ê To view the resolution, click here. Submitted by Michael F. Galvin, mgalvin@dnr.state.md.us

Guide for Green Construction Specifications Nearing Release  [back to top]
The US Environmental Protection Agency, in partnership with the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive, has released its Draft Federal Guide for Green Construction Specs for public comment. The online tool, when finalized, will allow federal project managers to "cut and paste" their way to greener buildings by using these model specifications in project solicitations. Those interested should view the announcement of the 60-day review period. EPA wants to hear from users. Feedback is critical to the tool's quality. To download a copy, visit http://www.wbdg.org/

Legislation Would Fund Urban National Forests  [back to top]
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) has introduced legislation (S2723) to create the National Commission on Urban National Forests (see Title III). This essentially codifies into law an expanded Urban National Forest Coalition, and provides them with a budget of $1 million per year. The Commission would include Forest Supervisors from the 14 Urban National Forests in Colorado, Utah, New Hampshire, Arizona, California, Georgia, Washington, and Oregon, as well as mayors from large cities near the UNF (one per state above), and representatives from land grant/forestry universities (one per state above) to form a commission of 30 people. An area of concern is the use of the terms "urban forests" and "Urban National Forests" interchangeably. There may also be development of programs "to further enhance the ability to achieve management goals of urban national forests" according to Title III, Section 302(4).

Since 1993, the term ÒUrban National ForestÓ has been used by the Forest Service to refer to a National Forest located within 50 miles of 1 million people.

Forest Health News  [back to top]
Emerald Ash Borer Symposium, Oct 14-15, Novi, MI
In the summer of 2002, Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), an exotic wood boring beetle, was discovered infesting ash trees in southeast Michigan. Since its arrival, this insect has killed over six million ash trees in Michigan, Canada and parts of Ohio, Indiana and Maryland. As a result, economic impacts have been significant with damages in the tens of millions of dollars and climbing. State, federal and international governments have imposed quarantine restrictions in an effort to halt the spread of EAB. The purpose of the Midwest Emerald Ash Borer Symposium is to provide a region-wide dialogue on exotic species control and reforestation efforts in the wake of the EAB infestation. The symposium is designed for participants from areas currently unaffected by EAB and for those areas already suffering from infestation. Please join us on Oct. 14 and 15 for this important event on Emerald Ash Borer and exotic species management. For more information, call 313-237-8733.

EAB Interactive
Finally, an opportunity has been created to find out what other communities are doing in the wake of Emerald Ash Borer. A municipal section of the www.emeraldashborer.info website has been developed to meet community needs. Goals of the website:

• Share Information regarding: treatment, restoration, available assistance, success stories and difficulties. This site also features a message board to discuss topics of interest and to address questions and concerns.
• Resource: Directory of communities dealing with EAB, contacts at state and local level, and the latest EAB info affecting municipalities
• A method to identify needs at the community level for EAB outreach and communication.

Asian Longhorned Beetle on the Move
New Jersey officials on Aug. 4 announced finding a major infestation of Asian longhorned beetles (Anoplophora glabripennis) in the northern commuter communities of Carteret, Rahway, and Woodbridge. At least 400 trees have been found to be infested. Experts believe the beetles may have been here for years, although their presence was detected just a month earlier. Surveys are under way to identify infested trees and potential host trees for removal within a buffer zone. The ALB was reported to USDA officials after a homeowner noticed it on a tree in his backyard. After a preliminary investigation of the site, USDA officials found one infested tree, a crimson-king maple located on city property in the Borough of Carteret. This detection marks the first discovery of an ALB located outside the 3.7-square-mile quarantine established two years ago in Jersey City, N.J. This newly discovered infestation is located approximately 20 miles south of the current quarantine.

ALB is a voracious, non-native pest of our nation's deciduous hardwood forests and urban landscape. ALB attacks many different hardwood trees including: all species of maple, birch, horsechestnut, poplar, willow, elm, ash, mimosa (silk tree), hackberry, London plane, sycamore and mountain ash. According to the Forest Service, 35 percent of the canopy cover in urban areas throughout North America could be at risk to an infestation by the ALB. This is approximately 1.2 billion susceptible host trees. Potentially, this could add up to $669 billion in losses if the ALB were to reach the urban and suburban forests of North America. In March 1999, ALB was declared a federal emergency. To date, ALB has been responsible for the necessary removal of more than 9,360 trees in New York, New Jersey and Illinois and the replacement of 7,614 non-host trees. This year, the continued use of the insecticide imidacloproid has been used to inoculate 148,846 non-infested trees within the quarantine regions of New York (56,252), New Jersey (950) and Illinois (91,644). The insecticide can remain in the tree for up to one year and has been proven to be effective in reducing ALB numbers.

ITCC 2004 Results Now Online  [back to top]
Bernd Strasser of the International Society of Abroriculture (ISA) Germany Chapter and Kathy Holzer of the Pacific Northwest Chapter have become menÕs and womenÕs champions of the 2004 International Tree Climbing Championship (ITCC). For scores, event winners and more information, see www.isa-arbor.com/itcc/itcc.asp. Look under ÒMenÕs Final ResultsÓ and ÒWomenÕs Final ResultsÓ for details, or contact Jessica Marx at jmarx@isa-arbor.com.

Southern Councils Gather for Training  [back to top]
The Urban and Community Forestry Councils of the Southern Region met Aug. 26-28 for training in Atlanta as the Southern Cooperative Council (SCC). The National Tree Trust (NTT) sponsored the training, provided by the Institute for Conservation Leadership (ICL), as the premier of the NTT Seeds Program. The US Forest Service, Southern Region, provided a grant for travel and meeting space. The groups learned about organization management based on:

• How a healthy, sustainable organization operates;
• Organizational assessment using ICL's Benchmarking Workbook;
• Organizational development and the impact on board and staff relationships;
• Strategies for managing organizational change;
• Organizational development goals and action plans for achieving those goals.

Best of the West  [back to top]
The western urban forestry coordinators are organizing another Best of the West Urban Forestry Summit this November in Salt Lake City, UT. This conference is a time to gather and share urban forestry success stories and seek ways of connecting urban forestry with other traditional forestry issues. For more information, visit the Western Forestry Leadership Coalition website at http://www.wflccenter.org/events_calendar.html?month=11

Grant Opportunitie$  [back to top]

Spatial Technology Grants
Grants are available for environmental characterization, remote sensing, and spatial technology.
NOAAÕs National Ocean Service (NOS) is soliciting applications for environmental characterization, remote sensing coastal management, and application of spatial technology for coastal management. Applications are due Oct. 1, 2004. For more information, visit http://www.lgean.org/html/whatsnew.cfm?id=781

Publications & Websites  [back to top]

Report Highlights Conservation to Protect Water Quality
This all-new report from the Trust for Public Land and the American Water Works Association explains why watershed conservation is one of the best ways to protect water quality and details on-the-ground strategies for watershed conservation. The report is intended for local governments, water suppliers and agencies, and community drinking water advocates. The 56-page report is available for free download -- or can be purchased in paper for $15 -- on TPL's Web site. Additional information on watershed conservation--including case studies, tools, and resources -- can be found on the Land & Water section of TPL's Web site, www.tpl.org/.

LGEAN Launches New Urban Forestry Hot Topic
The Local Government Environmental Assistance Network (LGEAN) has launched a new Hot Topic addressing the issue of urban forestry. The Hot Topic will include information on current news, funding and grant opportunities, publications, and links to relevant Web sites. For more information, visit http://www.lgean.org/html/whatsnew.cfm?id=767

Woodsy ABCs
Introduce young children to the environment and conservation with Woodsy's ABCs, a new picture book with full-color illustrations, rhyming verse, and movement prompts, published by the USDA Forest Service. The book is available for $1.50 from the National Symbols Cache at www.symbols.gov/catalog/, under the Woodsy Owl category. The Cache address is 402 Southeast 11th St., Grand Rapids, MN 55744, phone 218-327-4282.

Marketing Urban Forestry
Check out these Powerpoint presentations to help you market Urban Forestry. Visit http://wcufre.ucdavis.edu/powerpoint.asp.

Tree Risk Management Planning
Related Powerpoints are now posted on the Mid-Atlantic Center for Urban and Community Forestry's web-site. Please remember to give credit to the authors. Visit http://www.fs.fed.us/na/morgantown/MACUCF/ppt/risk_assessment_training/risk_assessment_training.htm
Powerpoints available for download include:

• Chapter 1- 2
  • Risk Management Planning - Jill Pokorny, USDA FS
• Chapter 3a
  • How to Detect Defects - Cynthia Ash PhD., USDA FS
• Chapter 3b
  • Conducting Assessments - Donna Murphy, USDA FS and Tod Ericson, MD DNR FS
• Chapter 4
  • Prevention of Defects - Tod Ericson, MD DNR FS
• Chapter 5
  • Correcting Hazard Defects - Martin Mackenzie PhD., USDA FS
  • Tree Risk Management Policy - Michael Galvin, MD DNR FS
  • What is Reasonable Care? - Attorney Shara Albert-Mervis, MDDNR

EPA Launches Web Site on Urban Heat Islands
EPA's new Web site about heat islands is now online. The term "heat island" refers to the phenomenon where cities and suburban areas are up to 10°F (6°C) warmer than nearby rural areas. The site provides basic information about the heat island effect, as well as detailed findings for individuals and organizations interested in taking action to cool their community. For more information, visit http://www.lgean.org/html/whatsnew.cfm?id=784

HUD Program Links
Here are some links to HUD programs that have a good fit with UCF.

1. Renewal Communities/Empowerment Zones/Enterprise Communities (RC/EZ/EC Program) http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/economicdevelopment/programs/rc/index.cfm
2. Brownfields Redevelopment http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/economicdevelopment/programs/bedi/index.cfm
3. HUD EMaps http://www.hud.gov/offices/cio/emaps/index.cfm
4. HOPE VI http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/programs/ph/hope6/about/description.cfm
5. Community Development Block Grant Entitlement http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/communitydevelopment/programs/entitlement/index.cfm

STEMS Software
The Northeast Center for U&CF recently released a new tree maintenance and management software for use in municipal settings. The Street Tree Electronic Management System (STEMS) was designed to assist arborists, city foresters and consultants in the daily management of tree-care operations. STEMS is fully integrated with the MCTI tree inventory software which was also recently updated to include enhanced reporting and data collection capability. STEMS operates on the Windows operating system and requires the purchase of no additional software to function. It is an easy-to-use system that will provide a community with an affordable entry into electronic management of tree-maintenance operations. Additional information and download of STEMS may be found at http://www.umass.edu/urbantree/stems/

The Large Tree Argument
If you are concerned that small-stature trees are replacing the large-stature trees in your community, this new research summary will give you some new arguments to change thinking. To view the research summary go to: http://cufr.ucdavis.edu/products/cufr_511_large_tree_arguement.pdf

Job Opportunities  [back to top]

Visit the TreeLink jobs page at http://treelink.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=3 for a variety of employment opportunities.

Calendar of Events   [back to top]

Visit the current Calendar of Events at www.treelink.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=4 on TreeLink.

Continuing Education  [back to top]