Residents bark over West Acton tulip tree's fate

A tulip tree on Spruce Street near the intersection with Arlington Street has grown so large that its roots and trunk are damaging the sidewalk next to it to the point that it is impassable for people in wheelchairs, a violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act. The tree has also made the sidewalk narrow and difficult for children and parents with strollers to pass.

What we knew

Dean Charter, Acton’s tree warden, held off on cutting down the approximately 40-year-old tree after residents objected to a proposal to remove it during a hearing last fall. The level of opposition to removing the tree sent the issue to the Board of Selectmen for a decision.

What happened

Roughly two-dozen residents attended the board’s March 23 meeting to again object to the removal of the tree. No one in the crowd of attendees spoke in favor of cutting down the tree, but officials reaffirmed that the condition of the sidewalk is an obstacle to people with disabilities and will worsen as the tree continues to grow. The Board voted unanimously to continue the discussion at the board’s May 4 meeting.

What’s next

Town staff will look at various alternatives to cutting down the tree, including building a ramp over the its roots, extending the sidewalk further into the street to get around the tree’s trunk or installing a sidewalk made of rubber.

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The Painting is by George Caleb Bingham

AEP and Fiserv Team Up To Save Customers Money and Plant Trees

COLUMBUS, Ohio, March 30, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ ----Customers of American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP: 24.64, -0.45, -1.79%) utility companies who enroll in AEP's paperless billing program over the next two months will save time and money while helping the environment.

AEP and its paperless billing partner, Fiserv, Inc. (Nasdaq: FISV), will contribute $1 to the Arbor Day Foundation for every customer who enrolls during April and May. The funds will be used for reforestation projects in AEP's service territory.

At the end of 2008, approximately 7 percent of AEP's residential customers - 261,350 customers - were enrolled in AEP's paperless billing program, which allows them to receive and pay their electric service bills online. More than 2.9 million paperless bills were sent to AEP customers during 2008.

Customers may enroll for the program at www.AEPPaperless.com. CheckFree, whose name appears on the site, recently became part of Fiserv.

"Our customers who choose paperless billing find they save time and money, in addition to making a positive environmental contribution," said Dennis Welch, AEP executive vice president - environment, safety & health and facilities. "Those who enroll in April and May will make an even greater impact with the planting of trees in our service territory.

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The Painting is by George Caleb Bingham

Obama signs protections for Mon Forest acreage

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Lewisburg Mayor John Manchester on Monday had a bird's-eye view of President Obama signing into law a bill granting wilderness protection to more than 2 million acres of land, including 37,771 acres in the Monongahela National Forest.

"For some reason, they stuck me in the second row," Manchester said after the signing. "It was a wonderful ceremony, and I got to shake the president's hand and meet a lot of the congressional leaders."

Manchester was among about 150 supporters of various pieces of the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 who were invited to attend the bill-signing ceremony at the White House. The legislation protects tracts of federally managed land in nine states, from Oregon to Virginia.

Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee and a longtime backer of the legislation, was among 13 U.S. senators and representatives in attendance, along with Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.

"As Americans, we possess few blessings greater than the vast and varied landscapes that stretch the breadth of our continent," Obama said. The new law, he added, guarantees that Americans "will not take our forests, rivers, oceans, national parks, monuments and wilderness areas for granted, but rather we will set them aside and guard their sanctity for everyone to share. That's something all Americans can support."

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Tree planting and reforestation in Lofiriha community, Sudan, East Africa

Every day in Lofiriha community, an area of forest the size of a football ground is being cut downAims of the project

- To grow 5 million trees by establishing 500 community tree nurseries, each growing 10,000 trees per year to provide a sustainable source of wood for the future.

- To train, educate and empower the local Lofiriha communities to sustainably manage their local environment to reduce poverty.

Budget for Each Nursery

Euro1, 000 pays for setting up and running each tree nursery for one year. This money pays for transport, training, monitoring, polythene tube, and equipment.

Project total cost

Euro 33,577

Project Duration

Ongoing — we will be opening nurseries as funds become available.

Deforestation and Land Degradation

Lofiriha is a poor community and 100% of the people live in rural areas. Wood is a necessary part of daily life, and also there is great pressure to clear forests for agriculture. The present way of life is not sustainable. Wood has always been treated as a free resource, and vast areas of woodland have been cleared carelessly without any replanting for future coming generations. This deforestation also leads to soil erosion, land degradation and ultimately climate change which is and will have a devastating effect.

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The Painting is by George Caleb Bingham

Plant a tree for every employee

Companies have been urged to come on board and plant a tree for every one of their employees. Trees help fight global warming and look good too.

City Parks is urging companies to donate and plant a tree for every employee in support of Joburg's campaign to plant 200 000 trees as a legacy of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™.

Jenny Moodley, the utility's spokesperson, says that not only will the tree planting be for 2010, but it will also improve the quality of the environment in under-developed townships before the end of the year.

"An average of 150 trees need to be planted to offset the carbon emissions of one person and City Parks is urging all businesses - including tree growers, cellphone providers, the construction industry, mining houses, financial institutions and vehicle manufacturers - to donate a tree for every employee in your organisation. This programme affords both small and big businesses a platform to offset their emissions based on their employee complement.

"It also encourages organisations to adopt the tree-planting programme as part of their corporate social investment initiative and organisations are further encouraged to use the programme as a team-building exercise to nurture healthy lifestyles," says Moodley.

"City Parks needs to intensify tree planting in areas such as Cosmo City, Ivory Park, Soweto, Eldorado Park, Lenasia, Westbury, Midrand, Roodepoort and Alexandra, with additional trees required to beautify main arterials, including 2010 routes to Soccer City and key tourist destinations ... 1 000 to 10 000 trees need to be planted per suburb."

The tree-planting project started in 2004, and already 136 000 trees have been planted in partnership with government departments, residents and businesses. The programme is transforming dry and dusty streets into tree-lined corridors that "act as a catalyst for environmental enhancement and socio-economic empowerment".

Trees reduce the effects of climate change by absorbing pollutants such as carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. They act as coolants, are used for medicinal purposes and as a source of food; they increase property values and the aesthetics of an area, generate civic pride, provide a habitat for valuable biodiversity, absorb car lights at night and act as a barrier against sound.

"The price of a street tree may vary from R500 to R1 200, depending on the species, age, size and girth. Ideally, City Parks aims to plant more established street trees versus saplings, as saplings are more likely to be damaged due to inclement weather and pedestrian traffic. We want interested parties to contact us as soon as possible because there is a limitation on tree planting over seasons. We need a commitment so that we can start planting trees after winter season."

Those interested in participating in the planting of trees, can call 011 712 6600 or send an email to trees@jhbcityparks.com.

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The painting is by Alfred Glendening

Hundreds of trees will green Alex

Trees are being planted at houses in Alexandra's extension seven, and residents are being challenged to maintain their environment.

Some 600 trees are being planted in Alexandra's extension seven as part of a greening project in the area.

The trees will be planted in residents' gardens; there are 1 400 houses in extension seven. The greening initiative is a joint venture between the City, the Department of Housing, the National Housing Finance Corporation (NHFC), Absa bank, City Parks, Gauteng housing department, the Alexandra Development Forum and extension seven residents.

"The [housing] department has sponsored R200 000 to the greening challenge project; Absa bank has provided over 500 fruit trees and we are waiting for City Parks to give indigenous trees," said Isaiah Mabua, the campaign and project manager in the department of housing.

City Parks provided an aerial map of the area before the project got under way to give direction to where the trees should be planted, according to Kgantse Mofokeng, a stakeholder liaison at City Parks.

Residents and about 40 volunteers from various NGOs attended workshops earlier this month where they learned how to plant trees and how to maintain the environment. The NGOs include Shumang, Tswaranang, Thsogang, Suncross and Rhedi, all found in and around Alex. The workshops were taught by Vic and Dave Garden Plant.

"They taught us how to dig holes and the length and width needed for the different sizes of trees. We first dig the hole, put in some bone-meal, the plant, some soil and then the compost," said Elsa Tladi, one of the volunteers.

"Some of us have been planting our own trees at our homes way before the start of the workshop."

Another aim of the initiative is to teach communities how to look after their environment.

"The department started this greening challenge by supplying residents with grass; they asked us to provide them with flowers or trees and we [decided to provide] them with trees," Mabua said.

He explained that department of housing officials would pay regular visits to the area, checking on the maintenance of people's gardens.

"The families who keep their gardens well-maintained will receive cash prizes of up to R10 000 and gift prizes like stoves, fridges and television sets. We will have as many as nine winners."

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The painting is by Alfred Glendening

Jozi's urban forest now at 10m trees, and growing

Proud of its six million trees three years ago, Johannesburg has even more cause to celebrate as the urban forest has now grown to 10 million trees with active planting taking place in the city and on periphery areas.

Since 2001 when the various municipalities combined to form the Unicity, the City has planted around 1,3 million trees, bringing the tally of trees maintained by the City to 2,5 million, with a further 7,5 million trees in residents' gardens.

The 2,5 million trees are situated within parks, cemeteries, nature reserves, conservation areas, roadsides and on the city's pavements. Johannesburg City Parks, the custodian of the trees, estimates that the trees are worth R13-billion

On satellite pictures, the city looks like a rain forest, albeit man-made, but because the city does not get the required amount of rainfall to qualify as one, it passes as an urban forest. In the 1860s, when trekkers first settled on the Witwatersrand, there was not a tree in sight, and the area of rocky grassland was dotted with the odd shrub and several streams.

City Parks' Street Tree Management Strategy originally envisaged planting 10 000 trees per year but because of a mayoral request to plant larger trees, which are less vulnerable to vandalism, theft and destruction by goats and horses, the planting quota has had to be cut back to 2 500 trees per year, for budgetary reasons. Larger trees cost R600, compared with R350 for smaller trees. Larger trees are defined as those of over three metres in height, with a girth of more than 50cm.

A priority is to plant trees in the sparse southern suburbs, and despite having planted 17 000 trees in Orange Farm and 4 000 in Soweto in recent years, around 300 000 trees are still required to green these areas.

City Parks estimates that it would need R180-million over a period of 30 years to do the job. While it has budgeted an amount of R1-million for this financial year for the purchase of trees, additional funding of R6-million is still required.

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The painting is by Alfred Glendening

Joburg's urban forest to grow

Already the largest manmade urban forest in the world, Johannesburg is planning to add thousands more trees to its landscape, greening the traditionally neglected townships.

Thousands of trees will be planted across Joburg over the next three years under City Parks's new One tree at a time campaign.

Some 100 000 indigenous trees will planted on the streets of new and developing suburbs under the campaign, which will be launched on Monday, 3 September.

According to Prema Naidoo, the member of the mayoral committee for environment, the campaign is aimed at solving greening problems caused by urbanisation. "There is a collective need to accelerate greening programmes to enhance the quality of life of every resident."

One tree at a time is an appeal to individuals and business to work with the City in building a greener and healthier Johannesburg, says Jenny Moodley, the City Parks spokesperson. The agency will plant 9 500 street trees during Arbor Month to add to the 2 100 already planted. Various completed road island initiatives will also be unveiled.

Arbor Day – when people are encouraged to plant trees - is celebrated nationally on 1 September; in 1999, the government extended the celebration for a week, running from 1 to 7 September. City Parks will run its programmes over the full month.

Some R44-million has been set aside for the City Parks campaign. "This is a huge investment in greening and beatifying our city," says Johnny Masinga, the organisational developmental adviser at Equity Aviation, one of the companies that is working with City Parks on One tree at a time. Through supporting the project, companies will have a chance to help fight climate change.

"Residents are reminded that we have a collective responsibility to nurture our greenery, as trees improve air quality, provide a habitat for wildlife and have the potential to increase property values," Moodley adds.

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The painting is by Alfred Glendening

Greening Soweto, tree by tree

When Executive Mayor Amos Masondo led the planting of 6 000 trees to launch Greening Soweto in September 2006, an ambitious project to beautify the massive township ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, he began what has become Joburg's "biggest greening revolution".

Since then, 51 821 indigenous trees, worth R46-million, have been planted along Soweto's streets and in its gardens. Through Greening Soweto, a legacy project of the World Cup, the City aims to plant more than 300 000 trees in the country's biggest township.

"We are satisfied with the progress of the project," says Jenny Moodley, the spokesperson at Johannesburg City Parks, the agency charged with the mammoth task of implementing it.

With R7,6-million set aside for Greening Soweto, it is the City's biggest greening initiative. "It is by far the biggest greening initiative in terms of implementation. The landscape of Soweto is changing for the better."

In his budget speech for the 2006-07 financial year, Masondo said: "The greening of Soweto will receive R7,6-million, which will primarily be driven by the planting of street trees to enhance the quality of life and the environment; in 2006-07, 5 000 trees will be planted."

Johannesburg Water, City Power and Johannesburg Roads Agency are on board to ensure that there is sufficient water and power, and that roads are in good condition. The World Conservation Union and the national Department of Water Affairs and Forestry have also endorsed the programme.

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The painting is by Alfred Glendening

It's tree planting time again

It can be considered an old news. But news about Tree Planting neer gets old.

Another sapling will be added to Madiba's collection of birthday trees in Thokoza Park, Soweto, to mark his 90th birthday, and the 90 990th tree planted for the Soweto Greening project.

Taking place on 4 September, the occasion will also mark the start of a month of tree planting for the City of Johannesburg as part of national Arbor Week.

"On the day, 1 000 trees will be planted at various institutions around Thokoza," says Jenny Moodley, the media spokesperson for City Parks. Madiba will be present to cut the ceremonial ribbon around the white stinkwood that will be planted in his honour.

In July 2007, the City planted 89 trees in Thokoza Park to honour Nelson Mandela during his birthday month, with the promise that a new tree would be added each year.

The tree that Madiba will be planting will be for ceremonial purposes only as City Parks has already planted all these trees, Moodley confirms. The more than 90 000 trees have been planted along main arterials leading into Soweto as well as throughout the township to green one of Johannesburg's most populated, but barren areas.

And it is a landmark target for the Soweto Greening project which is now approaching its third year. The project officially kicked off in September 2006 when Executive Mayor Amos Masondo planted the first 6 000 trees.

The target for the project is to plant 200 000 trees in the next three years. The Soweto Greening project has since also been extended to other marginalised areas, Moodley confirms.

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The painting is by Alfred Glendening

Lionel Richie plants trees in Jozi

Scores of fans shoved and pushed, desperate to catch a glimpse of legendary singer Lionel Richie, who was at Zoo Lake yesterday to plant five trees.

The trees were planted in honour of his family, as a symbolic gesture of support of City Park's Greening Soweto campaign. The campaign is aimed at transforming Joburg's dust bowels into green corridors.

"I think the Greening Soweto campaign is an important initiative and I have been part of many similar ones," Richie said during the tree-planting ceremony.

City Parks' managing director, Luther Williamson, said the five trees represented the final staging of the greening campaign. These trees brought the number of trees planted as part of the extensive greening project to 20 000, he explained.

After planting the trees, Richie signed a few autographs and promised the ecstatic crowd that he would return to Joburg for another visit.

He is in the country on his Coming Home tour, organised by 94.7 Highveld Stereo, 94.5 Kfm and East Coast Radio. His first concert performance in Joburg last night was sold out. It was "stunning" and well worth it, according to morning callers to local radio stations.

He is performing again tonight, again at the Coca-Cola Dome in Northgate. Richie has already performed a single concert each in Cape Town and Durban.

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The painting is by Alfred Glendening

Take action and plant a tree

People from around the world are joining the greenie ranks and investing in the planet, and Joburg is no exception. From the average Joe to corporate giants, everyone is working towards the seven-billion Plant for the Planet goal.

If it takes 16 trees to provide enough oxygen for the lifetime of one individual, it may be time Joburgers join the greenie ranks and donate or plant a tree.

Like most urban dwellers, Joburg residents struggle to lessen the impact of their heavy carbon boots on the environment. Fortunately, there are a number of tree planting initiatives taking off across the world in which residents can participate, some without getting their fingers dirty.

The biggest local project is run by the City of Johannesburg. Its 200 000 Tree Planting Campaign is a mayoral priority, which will plant 200 000 trees in preparation of the 2010 Fifa World Cup™ in previously disadvantaged areas, predominantly in the south of the City.

One of the biggest beneficiaries of this project to date has been the township of Soweto. The campaign tally stands on 119 215 trees planted. Companies and individuals can get involved by making financial donations or supplying trees to City Parks for planting.

According to City Parks spokesperson, Jenny Moodley, one of the biggest problems for the organisation is to get suitable stock and suppliers for this project. City Parks only use indigenous species with a height of at least two meters for this project.

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The painting is by Alfred Glendening

Tampa Electric Earns Tree Line Certification

There are Scientific Practices to trim trees above electric lines

TAMPA, Fla., Mar 26, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) ----The National Arbor Day Foundation(TM: 63.82, -1.66, -2.54%) has certified Tampa Electric a Tree Line USA(R: 26.63, -1.63, -5.77%) utility for its efforts to protect the health of trees the company must trim near power lines. A tree that comes into contact with a power line can create a safety hazard and can also lead to power outages.

The Tree Line USA program is sponsored by The National Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters. The program recognizes public and private utilities across the nation that demonstrate practices that protect and enhance America's urban forests. To qualify for Tree Line USA status, a utility must demonstrate quality tree care practices, complete annual worker training and participate in tree planting and public education.

"The Tree Line USA designation is an important one for Tampa Electric and our customers," said John Webster, right-of-way maintenance supervisor in Tampa Electric's Line Clearance department. "Our team members work hard to balance our dedication to reliability with our dedication to the health of the trees in the communities we serve. The Tree Line USA certification shows that we're achieving the right balance."

For its tree-trimming practices, Tampa Electric follows the guidelines outlined in the ANSI A300, The American National Standards Institute, A300 Standards for Tree Care Operations: Tree, Shrub, and Other Woody Plant Maintenance - Standard Practices (Part 1 & 7). The company trains its team members and contractors who conduct tree trimming to follow these guidelines.

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The painting is by Alfred Glendening

Grand old Central District pear tree now on heritage list

In late fall, residents of Seattle's Central District feast on the D'Anjou pears that rain down from the towering tree at East Cherry Street and 27th Avenue.

Tom Samuelsen, who owns the corner lot on which the tree sits, believes it is more than 100 years old — possibly part of an orchard that existed when the area was "way out in the country."

On Sunday, a group of tree lovers gathered to raise a cider toast to the grand pear tree and its recent designation as a Seattle Heritage Tree because of its continued production, size, condition and age.

City of Seattle arborist Nolan Rundquist awarded Samuelsen's tree a "Best in City" award. There are about 60 other Heritage Trees in public parks and on private properties across the city, though few are fruit trees.

Dousing the celebration with a bit of cold water, tree surgeon Michael Oxman offered his own diagnosis: "Truthfully, it needs to be pruned."

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The painting is by Alfred Glendening

Forest owners can sell carbon credits for their trees

IRVINE — Justin Maxson admits that the concept he's been explaining to Appalachian landowners is a little difficult to wrap your mind around:

"There's an odorless, colorless gas that is sucked out of the air by your trees, and somebody's going to pay you for that."

The gas is carbon dioxide, or CO2, which contributes to global warming. Industries that produce it, and want to reduce their carbon footprint, are willing to pay when healthy trees do what they do naturally, which is absorb the CO2 and store it.

Because the trees must be in forests that are well-managed, a side benefit is that the region's long-abused forests could finally get some respect. That, in turn, is good news for wildlife and water quality.

No money has changed hands yet, mostly because the program is voluntary and the recession has lowered the amount of money that companies are willing to spend. But legislation is looming that could limit CO2 emissions and push up prices.

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The painting is by Alfred Glendening

UN lauds effort to reforest Appalachia's mountains

BLACKEY, Ky. (AP) — Sam Adams laid his tools aside and gently pushed fresh dirt around an oak sapling he hopes one day will be part of a hardwood forest high above this Appalachian community.

He was one of about 70 people gathered in Blackey last week to plant thousands of trees on the barren grasslands left behind by mining companies that have ripped the mountaintops apart to unearth coal, decimating entire forests.

"We've got an estimated 741,000 acres in Appalachia that are barren," said Adams, the Kentucky coordinator for the conservation group Appalachian Coal Country Watershed Team. "If we put a dent in that, if we could correct that, I think it's well worth doing."

Adams and the others were volunteering for the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative, a movement led by the U.S. Office of Surface Mining and several Appalachian states to replace trees uprooted in the search for coal. The campaign is being lauded by the United Nations Environment Programme, which wants to plant 7 billion trees worldwide in the next three years to combat global deforestation.

Elisabeth Guilbaud-Cox, a staff member of the UN Environment Programme's Regional Office of North America, is scheduled to visit an eastern Kentucky mine site on Saturday to help volunteers plant more trees.

The overall goal is to plant about 38 million trees on Appalachian mine sites.

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The painting is by Frederik Marianus Kruseman

Himalayan Houseboats Shut Down for Polluting Lake

Adventurous, and eco-friendly, travelers often seek out off-beat lodging options, staying in yurts or on organic farms, both to soak up more local color and to avoid the social and environmental impacts often associated with large hotels. But when the small, local option is polluting the landscape, what's a green tourist to do?

That's the problem facing the (admittedly few) visitors to Kashmir these days, where historical houseboats on Lake Dal and Lake Nagin are being shut down for polluting the water. The area, near the summer capital of Srinagar, has been an oasis in war-torn Kashmir, a place where tourists still ventured to enjoy a restful holiday amid the Himalayas. The historic and luxurious houseboats, originally built during colonial times as holiday homes for officers with the British Raj, were always a draw.

But the State Pollution Control Board has accused operators of the approximately 1,200 boats on the two lakes of dumping millions of liters of raw sewage from the vessels' kitchens and bathrooms into the lake each day, leading a court to shut the boats down until they can install appropriate waste-disposal systems. The Houseboats Owners Association is challenging the court order, saying that residential homes around the lakes are equally responsible for the pollution, and that the ban would devastate the area's economy.

While I'm all for the "polluter pays" principle, the situation in this case seems a bit less black and white. The sewage-treatment units are estimated to cost $5,000 to $10,000, a lot of dough for people already hit hard by the effects of the insurgency. And previous efforts to clean up the lake have been hampered both by violence and corruption. As the BBC reports,

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The painting is by Frederik Marianus Kruseman

Municipalities recognized as Tree Cities

Several McHenry County municipalities were on the list of 191 communities in the state honored Thursday as Tree Cities.

McHenry has reached the milestone of 15 years of promoting tree planting and care as recognized by the Tree City USA program. The city is in its second year of using computer mapping to create a tree inventory, although it’s a work in progress, said Tom Schmidt, superintendent of forestry and park planning.

“That will tell us the overall health of our trees, how many trees are out there, [and] what species,” he said. “It will help provide more information for better management.”

Many communities, such as Hampshire, have policies set in place for tree preservation when land is developed. The village has been named a Tree City for the fifth year.

“A tree survey must be completed, and if they have any trees to be taken down, they have to be replaced at a certain ratio or a monetary contribution has to be made,” said Eric Palm, Hampshire village administrator.

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The painting is by Frederik Marianus Kruseman

Sidewalk damage in south Salinas leads to tree cuttings

A minty, medicinal aroma filled a south Salinas neighborhood this week as the city cut down three two-story-high camphor trees as part of its ongoing sidewalk repair efforts.

The cuttings at the intersection of Acacia and Riker streets began Monday and finished Wednesday, with repairs ongoing.

It's the old tug of war between the beauty of the area's big trees and pedestrian safety on sidewalks left cracked and heaving by their spreading roots.

Homeowners said the cutting left them with feelings of regret.

"It's a little upsetting," said Samuel Mora, who's owned a home at the intersection for 14 years. "It was a beautiful tree. My kids grew up climbing this tree."

Manny Rodriguez, a homeowner on the opposite corner, said his family misses its tree already. "It was always green, so it gave us shade all year," Rodriguez said.

The homeowners won't have to pay for sidewalk repairs, though. The city for now is continuing to cover damage caused by city trees. A Jan. 27 report to the City Council from City Manager Artie Fields and Finance Director Tom Kever suggested charging homeowners for sidewalk repairs to help make up for revenue shortfalls, but the idea has not been acted on by the City Council.

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The painting is by Frederik Marianus Kruseman

Tree planting event to be held Saturday

WINCHESTER -- Spring means time to plant more trees for an area conservation group that plans to host its third such event Saturday.

Opequon Watershed Inc. will hold its third annual community tree planting with Virginia Cooperative Extension and the Virginia Departments of Conservation and Recreation, Environmental Quality and Forestry, according to Jim Lawrence, watershed coordinator for the Opequon Targeted Watershed Project.

Volunteers will have about 450 trees and 50 shrubs to plant this year.

The group has expanded its efforts to include three sites for planting trees, Lawrence said, and volunteers will be joined by the three state agencies. Organizers try to plant trees along streams and drainage areas to create an important riparian buffer, he said.

"We work with three different state agencies, and all three of them support the notion that riparian trees or a riparian buffer, streamside tree plantings, are beneficial to the water quality problems that we have in the Opequon," Lawrence said.

This year the effort will be to plant trees at Frederick Douglass and Virginia Avenue-Charlotte DeHart elementary schools from 9 a.m. to noon.

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The painting is by Frederik Marianus Kruseman

Arbor week to be celebrated at OU with tree planting

The University of Oklahoma will celebrate Arbor Week with a picnic and tree planting on the Norman campus Wednesday honoring students, faculty and staff who have helped with the campus reforestation efforts.

Members of the university and surrounding communities are invited to participate. The picnic is scheduled for noon at David A. Burr Park, 1501 Asp Ave., with a tree planting to follow immediately in the housing area west of David A. Burr Park. In the event of rain, the picnic will be held in Couch Center Cafeteria, 309 W. Third St.

During the picnic, President David Boren will talk about the importance of Arbor Week and the tradition of tree-planting at OU. As part of the festivities, members of OU staff will be recognized for their contributions and campus organizations will be honored for maintenance of their "adopted" areas.

OU first recognized Arbor Week in 1997 with the dedication of David A. Burr Park, honoring the late vice president for university affairs. Oklahoma celebrates Arbor Week earlier than some communities nationwide because of different planting times. This year, National Arbor Day is April 24, while Oklahoma's Arbor Week is March 22 to 28.

The picnic is free and open to the public. Call Student Affairs at 325-3161 to volunteer for the tree planting. For more information or accommodations on the basis of disability, call the Office of Special Events at 325-3784.

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The painting is by Frederik Marianus Kruseman

Power e-billing supports tree-planting program

Dominion Virginia Power customers who sign up for electronic billing and payment can save themselves time and money -- and help teach students lessons in environmental stewardship.

The state's largest electric company is offering customers two paperless billing programs that eliminate the expense of postage stamps and paper checks:

eBills notifies customers by e-mail that their bill is available for viewing online.

BillMail provides an e-mail bill that can be viewed and paid using e-mail alone.

For each new enrollment in April, the companies that operate the two paperless programs will donate $1 to Dominion Virginia Power's Project Plant It! program, an effort to educate children, plant trees and improve the environment.

About 422,000 Dominion Virginia Power customers already have signed up for electronic billing.

Project Plant It! is a partnership between Dominion Virginia Power, the Arbor Day Foundation and local school districts in areas where the company operates.

This year, nearly 29,000 elementary school students in Virginia will learn about the value of trees to the ecosystem and how to recognize and care for them.

Each student who participates in the program will receive a tree seedling to plant on Arbor Day, which falls on April 24.

For more information about Dominion Virginia Power's electronic billing program, go to http://www.dom.com, click on the "Customer Service" link at the top of the page, and then click on the link for "Paperless Billing."

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The painting is by Frederik Marianus Kruseman

Fund Created for Fighting Wildfires

The House voted 412 to 3 to create a fund to cover the costs of combating major wildfires. President Obama’s budget proposal included $357 million for a similar fund. The House bill, which now goes to the Senate, does not specify a dollar amount, which would be set later in spending bills. Lawmakers hope a reserve fund will make it less likely the Forest Service and other federal agencies will have to dip into other parts of their budgets that are dear to lawmakers to pay for fighting fires. The Forest Service and Interior Department

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The painting is by Frederik Marianus Kruseman

Texas is second to Alaska in acres of forest land

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The first detailed statewide tree count in Texas history is headed toward this conclusion: Texas is No. 2.

The Texas Forest Service said Wednesday initial results of the first inventory outside East Texas indicate that the state has 60 million acres of forest land. That ranks second to Alaska and is about 23 percent of the forestation in the southern U.S.

The state has counted trees in the Piney Woods above the Gulf Coast since the 1930s. But this is the first scientific statewide tally.

"Last one we had was some dude on a horse in like 1904, rode through there and made notes," said Burl Carraway, a forest service department head.

The 10-year study is at the halfway point. But Tom Boggus, the state forester and interim director of the forest service, said he doesn't expect the number to change. The projection was made from 10,000 plots of land scattered from the heavily wooded areas of East Texas to the desert plains of West Texas.

The forest service called the report a baseline for all change — like the U.S. census, but for trees.

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The Painting is by Frederick William Hulme

Tree lovers have plan

A London group dedicated to upholding the city's Forest City moniker will focus its efforts downtown this year.

Greening the Core, a three-phase initiative by ReForest London, will see more than 50 trees planted in the city's core, including in two key gateways.

"Downtown needs trees," said Julie Ryan, executive director of the charitable non-profit organization.

"Trees lead to a better quality of life in the core. Studies have shown people are actually willing to spend more shopping on a tree-lined street."

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The Painting is by Frederik Marianus Kruseman

Climate speeds Japan's cherry blossom season

TOKYO (AFP) — Japan's celebrated cherry blossom, which for millions heralds the start of spring, is under threat from climate change, according to experts, who say warmer weather is causing early flowering.

Cherry blossom season officially began in Tokyo this year on March 21 -- five days ahead of schedule and a full week earlier than the average for the last 30 years of the 20th century.

Far from being a freak occurrence, the phenomenon of early blossoming has been happening for several years, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).

Traditionally, the first sakura -- cherry tree -- flowers appear in the second half of March on the southern islands of the Japanese archipelago and advance slowly up the central island of Honshu towards the far north.

However, according to the JMA, the "blossoming line" -- the latitude where trees start to flower on a given day -- on April 1, which 40 years ago was in the south of Honshu, is now about 200 kilometres (125 miles) further north.

This change, according to JMA climate expert Takashi Yoshida, is caused "by a warming climate and urbanisation."

City temperatures are noticeably higher than those in the countryside, say experts.

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The Painting is by Frederick William Hulme

Environmentally-Friendly 100% Bamboo Lunch Bag

ENGLEWOOD, Colo., March 24, 2009 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ ----New Wave Enviro Products has added a 100% Bamboo Lunch Bag to its line of money saving, reusable, green living products.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/CL88372 )

The Bamboo Lunch Bag is made from 100% Bamboo.
-- Light as a feather.
-- Soft as silk.
-- Strong as steel.
-- Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on earth.
-- A 60 foot cut takes only 59 days to re-grow.
-- Regenerates without planting.
-- Grows without chemicals and pesticides.



Every day thousands of pounds of plastic end up as litter in our landfills. Much of this litter comes from one time use bottles and plastic bags. The New Wave Enviro 100% Bamboo Lunch Bag is a great addition to any family trying to find ways to live green and do so affordably.

For more information about the 100% Bamboo Lunch Bag, and other New Wave Enviro Products or to find the nearest store please visit www.newwaveenviro.com or call 800-592-8371.

Contact: Dan Dettwiler
800-592-8371, dan.dettwiler@newwaveenviro.com

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The Painting is by Frederick William Hulme

A growing controversy

ROCHESTER, MN (KTTC-DT) -- Just about everybody loves to walk or drive down a tree-lined street. Now, Rochester's City Council is thinking about changing the ordinance that would "grow" the city's urban forest. NewsCenter's Jennifer Hoff has more on this growing controversy.

City foresters say, there are 30,000 open spaces in Rochester that they want to fill with trees.

These would be along city boulevards.

But homeowners might not be too pleased to know - if they want a maple, they might get a pine tree instead, in front of their house.

Pictures of city streets nearly always show tree-line properties.

Boulevard trees are at the center of those pictures.

Not only are they pretty, but help keep our air and water clean, argues City Forester Jacob Ryg.

At Monday's Committee of the Whole meeting, Ryg and his colleagues proposed the boulevard tree planting ordinance.

This would allow the forestry division to plant nearly 30-thousand trees in developing or already developed areas.

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The Painting is by Frederick William Hulme

County celebrates 250,000th tree planting

A CEREMONY took place to mark the planting of 250,000 young trees.

The county council had promised to plant a quarter of a million new trees across Essex and the successful end of the scheme was celebrated at Marks Hall, Coggeshall.

Essex County Council leader Lord Hanningfield said: “I am delighted to mark the successful completion of this terrific project.

“It really has brought so many people together to achieve a common good. I am thrilled many of those partners will be able to enjoy this special event. By planting 250,000 trees we have improved the ecology and enhanced the beauty of Essex, helping to preserve our county’s environment for the younger generation.”

Ten thousand trees were planted at Marks Hall through the work of various partners.

County councillor responsible for environment, Tracey Chapman, said: “The tree pledge has been a remarkable way of bringing so many people who care about the environment together to do something to positive.”

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The Painting is by Frederick William Hulme

The Painting is by Frederick William Hulme

THE 1,300-square-foot, modern cedar house in the Hollywood hills was starting to feel cramped, so James MacKinnon, 38, decided to build an additional bedroom. But his wife at the time delivered an ultimatum: the 65-foot sycamore tree in the middle of the sloping backyard would have to stay.

“It was her deal breaker,” he said.

Designing around the tree would prove difficult. The trunk grew at a 45-degree angle and a tangle of roots was six feet below grade, according to his architects, Mike Jacobs and Aaron Neubert, who are based in Brooklyn and Los Angeles. Plus, it would add an extra $14,000 to the proposed budget of $218,000.

But Mr. MacKinnon, an Emmy-winning makeup artist for actors and television shows like “Nip/Tuck,” happily agreed. He originally bought the post-and-beam home for $940,000 in 2003, a cozy two-bedroom that sits on a steep slope on Runyon Canyon. The tree, which predates the 1957 house, “has more right to be here than me,” he said.

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The Painting is by Frederick William Hulme

Tree-planting jobs are state’s first funded by stimulus

CARSON CITY – The Legislative Interim Finance Committee today approved what would be the first Nevada jobs paid for by the federal stimulus package.

At a cost of $700,000, 20 people will be hired to plant trees in state parks and clear brush for fire protection along state Route 319 and in the town of Pioche. The contract is to last 18 months. The workers would be paid the federal prevailing wage in Lincoln County -- anywhere from $30 to $50 an hour.

Assemblyman Joseph Hogan, D-Las Vegas, called the jobs the “first boots on the ground” in putting people to work in a state where unemployment is above 10 percent. In Lincoln County the jobless rate in February was 7.4 percent.

State Forester Peter Anderson said a project must start by Wednesday to receive the funds. Anderson said his division has submitted additional requests for money from the stimulus package and he has his “fingers crossed” that the state will receive millions.

The state Transportation Department will open bids April 9 for repaving 20 miles east of Lovelock on Interstate 80. It will be the first state road building project using the federal stimulus funds and it is estimated to cost $14 to $16 million.

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The Painting is by Frederick William Hulme

Tree planting draws people from all walks

With seedlings no bigger than school rulers, students from Ben Franklin Science Academy helped prepare an industrial park for potential clients on Saturday.

About a half-dozen members of BFSA’s 4-H Club trudged through the mud and across plowed fields Saturday to help plant thousands of seedlings around Southside Industrial Park, 53rd Street and U.S. 64. The club worked with A More Beautiful Muskogee, Inc., Greater Muskogee Development Corp., the Port of Muskogee and the City of Muskogee to plant the seedlings, which will grow into natural buffers along the industrial park’s west, south and east borders.

“We’re going to plant them in the ground, and this summer they’re going to have leaves,” BFSA sixth-grader Taja Beasley said, holding a scrawny twig with wispy hair-like roots.

“And in five or six years, they’re going to have buds and be 6 feet tall,” said Autumn Nichols, a fifth-grader.

Muskogee Development is working with the port to create the buffer. Executive Director Leisha Haworth said they ordered more than 15,000 seedlings of various types — including loblolly pine, shumard oak, persimmon, sand plum and eastern redbud — from the Oklahoma Forestry Division. The City of Muskogee paid for the seedlings. In addition to the 160-acre Southside Industrial Park, where the students planted, Muskogee Development also is planting buffers at John T. Griffin Industrial Park on Dal-Tile Road.

Workers with the Port of Muskogee helped plant 5,000 seedlings on Friday. Workers with the City of Muskogee Public Works Department mowed about 30 acres before the tree planting.

“This is a project that has involved the whole community,” Haworth said. Other participants include the Cherokee Nation, Love Bottling, Oklahoma Conservation Commission, Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, the Oklahoma Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

BFSA recently received a $5,000 Project Learning Tree “Greenworks” grant to help them learn about the environment and develop community awareness.

“A lot of kids do not have the opportunity to do hands-on projects like this,” said 4-H Club sponsor Valerie Ragsdale. “We’re doing so many projects within the club. So far this morning, we’ve identified trees. I picked up a branch that had fungus on it and they identified it. They’re really excited.”

A motorized tree planter from the Cherokee Nation planted seedlings about 8 to 10 feet apart. The kids followed the machine and patted each seedling into place.

“It was pretty easy,” said student Drew Ragsdale. “All you had to do is tamp the dirt down.”

Port Director Scott Robinson said, “It is wonderful the kids are working with us.”

“They are taking responsibility for a more beautiful Muskogee,” he said.

Haworth said she was amazed the kids were willing to work on a chilly day during spring break.

The buffers will help make the property look more appealing to potential clients. Cattle recently grazed on the property, Haworth said.

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The painting is by Francisco Peinado

Garden offers trees, lessons to ice victims

FAYETTEVILLE - Lured by the promise of a free tree, some 350 people funneled through the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks on Saturday.

Morning showers and cool temperatures forced the program inside the Carl A. Totemeier Horticulture Center but didn't keep people from coming from all over the area to claim their free tree.

The program, Replant Northwest Arkansas, was intended to foster replacement of trees lost in January's major ice storm. Saturday's rainy weather was blamed for a smaller crowd than expected, so some people got more than one tree, said Sarah King, garden spokesman.

King said there were about 100 seedlings left at 1 p.m., but another 500 had gone home with people eager to put them in the ground.

Many among those in attendance were interested in restoring their property to pre-ice storm foliage levels.

"I've got 2 acres of brush," said Gerald Cartar, of Elkins.

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The painting is by Ferdinand Hodler

Public Invited to SMCM Tree Planting

St. Mary’s College of Maryland, the St. Mary’s River Watershed Association, and others will plant more than 250 trees on Saturday, March 28, from 9 a.m. to noon. The event will take place at 17761 Point Lookout Road, St. Mary’s City (one mile north of the college).

This event is free and open to the public for participation. Parking is limited to along the highway, so carpooling is highly suggested. Please bring gloves, shovels, post-hole diggers, and work shoes, as these items are not provided.

For more information and/or directions, e-mail Lindsay@StMarysRiver.org or call (301) 737-2903. Waivers of liability are required; parents will have to sign waivers for children under 18 years of age.

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The painting is by Ferdinand Hodler

Tree planting aims to help rare wildlife

NEW native trees have been planted in a Northumberland wood to help rare wildlife.

Workers from firms across the North East have given up their time to join staff and volunteers from Northumberland Wildlife Trust for the project.

They have been removing non-native trees from Juliet’s Wood nature reserve in Slaley, replacing them with other species.

The trust has brought in a coppice system using wych elm and hazel which it hopes will attract endangered butterflies and wildflowers.

It is hoped the wych elm will benefit and attract the endangered white-letter hairstreak butterfly.

The butterfly lays its eggs on wych elm which has now largely disappeared from the countryside as a result of Dutch elm disease. The disease is spread by the elm bark beetles which enters the tree via mature stems. By coppicing the elm on a 10-year cycle, no stems should reach a stage where the beetle can invade.

Duncan Hutt, head of land management at Northumberland Wildlife Trust, said: “Hopefully, our efforts will attract a very rare species of butterfly back to the region as well as a huge array of birds and invertebrates.”

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The painting is by Eduardo Naranjo

Lebanon's cedars threatened by global warming

BAROUK, Lebanon — There's no escaping the cedar tree in Lebanon.

A cedar is emblazoned on the country's flag, and another on the planes of the national airline. It is on the currency, on passports and on all official documents. It is proudly worn on the uniforms of soldiers and crudely plastered on tourist knickknacks from ashtrays to fridge magnets.

Cedars also have played an integral part in Lebanon's volatile political life. Several Christian factions in the country's civil war adopted the cedar as their emblem; one called itself the Guardian of the Cedars. When Lebanese took to the streets to demand the withdrawal of Syrian troops in 2005, their protest was dubbed the Cedar Revolution.

And such is the importance of the cedar that onetime Druze warlord Walid Jumblatt, now a leading politician, planted land mines around the trees in his Shouf mountain fiefdom during the civil war era, to protect them from loggers, militias and other marauders.

But the imposing, majestic tree that has defined Lebanon since biblical times now faces a potentially bigger threat to its existence than war or political overkill.

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The painting is by Edward Lear

Tree planting to be held today in Nantou County

The public were urged yesterday to participate in a tree-planting activity today organized by Cingjing Veterans Farm in Nantou County to contribute to land conservation and environmental protection.

The annual “LOHAS Tree Planting Fun” event was launched three years ago to promote conservation through tree planting.

Organizers said this year’s event will be bigger than ever, with 2,642 cherry, peach, plum, sweet osmanthus, camellia and azalea saplings to be planted in the Little Swiss Garden and an additional 1,000 cherry saplings planted alongside a “natural ecology path” surrounding the farm.

Some 200 staff from 7-Eleven and 80 volunteers will take part, organizers said.

“We hope that this activity will raise public awareness that it is very difficult but absolutely necessary to protect the ecology,” a spokesman said.

“We hope to call on more volunteers to take care of these plants and contribute to conservation,” the spokesman said.

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The Painting is by Edward Lear

Animal-rights group in Spain strip to protest seal hunt

Around 100 people stripped naked and lay on the ground in a central Madrid square yesterday, pictured, as part of an international day of protest against Canada's annual seal hunt, due to resume next month. The members of animal rights group Equanimal smeared themselves in red liquid to signify a "massacre" of seals by Canada, where the annual seal hunt is due to resume in April. Some wore red underwear, others were totally nude. "We want to sensitize people to the fact that animals are capable of feeling and suffering like us, and to protest against the massacre of hundreds of thousands of seals which is about to begin in Canada," said spokeswoman Silvia Toval.

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The painting is by Edward Lear

Chesapeake scout leads tree planting effort at Great Dismal Swamp Refuge

CHESAPEAKE – Almost 5,000 acres of the Great Dismal Swamp was burned by wildfires last year.

The fires destroyed trees and habitat for the wildlife that live there and too many fires threatens the balance of life.

"In the last five years, we've gone from 300 acres to 500 acres to now almost 5000 acres," Refuge Manager Chris Lowie notes.

He says the changing climate may be partially responsible for the increase.

Working to become an Eagle Scout, Matt Dennison of Chesapeake has raised $500 to purchase 1,000 native Atlantic White Cedars.

On a wet, chilly Saturday morning, armed with planting tools and the trees, the Chesapeake teen, along with scouts volunteering from Troop 234, hiked deep into the swamp.

For hours, the scouts planted tree after tree.

Dennison looks forward to the efforts paying off as animals build new homes and start new habitats.

Lowie says, without the scouts’ project, some of the land might have been left a charred wasteland.

"With Matthew stepping up getting donations, coming out here and planting trees for us. That's an area we probably wouldn't have done. We would have let it go naturally and see what would happen. And we don't know what would happen. But now, with these trees, we know we have a head start on the restoration process," Lowie says.

Dennison and the scouts are taking contributions so they can buy and plant more trees in the refuge.

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The painting is by Denise Sydenham

69 trees to be protected from Howell street reconstruction project

A week away from bid letting for Phase I of the city's $23 million street project, city of Howell staff is scrambling to save 69 trees initially targeted for replacement or replanting. The move was prompted by a resident's complaint to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.

"The city's commitment as part of the (Drinking Water Revolving Fund) was not to touch any tree over 8 inches" in diameter, City Manager Shea Charles told members of City Council during Monday night's special council meeting.

The regulation, according to Charles, was understood, but the MDEQ has allowed larger trees to be replanted or replaced on other (East Sibley Street) projects they've funded because a mitigation plan was in place. "On one project, the rule is applied this way, and on another project, it is applied this way. Both are acceptable," Charles explained.

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The painting is by Denise Sydenham

City tree policy takes root

ENCINITAS — The Encinitas City Council has adopted the city's first policy codifying the importance of trees to the community, but many details of how it will work remain to be addressed.

The tree policy, approved unanimously Wednesday, is a set of objectives that will guide the planting, maintenance and removal of the 15,700 trees on city land, mostly in parks, street medians and rights-of-way. It won't apply to trees on private property.

A key component is a new “heritage tree” designation, which will protect certain landmark trees by requiring a special permit and public outreach before they can be removed.

Mayor Maggie Houlihan, who participated in Wednesday's meeting by teleconference, said that recent events – such as public protests over the removal of trees in Orpheus Park – show the need for such a policy.

“What we've had is a couple of situations that have highlighted the fact that we don't have policies in place that protect certain trees that people have strong feelings about,” Houlihan said.

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The painting is by Edward Lear

Volunteers needed for tree-planting project

The Illinois River Watershed Partnership is looking for volunteers for the 2009 Riparian Project set for March 28.

The groups hopes to plant 10,000 native tree seedlings in five area cities across the watershed to improve riparian buffers from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 28.

Riparian zones are land adjacent to the bank of a river.

The projects will take place at Fayetteville's Scull Creek, Springdale's Spring Creek, Rogers' Turtle Creek, Siloam Springs' Sager Creek and Town Branch Creek in Tahlequah, Okla.

Another 5,000 seedlings will be available for pick up at each location.

Five free seedlings will be available per person for those who sign up to receive trees from the Arkansas Forestry Commission.

The Illinois River Watershed Partnership is a membership-based organization working to protect and restore the Illinois River and its tributaries.

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The painting is by Edward Cucuel

Leaders of Hunan Province Planting Trees

　It is a perfect time to plant trees in March. On the morning of March 18, 2009, Zhang Chunxian, secretary of Hunan Provincial CPC Committee and director of the Standing Committee of People's Congress of Hunan Province, Zhou Qiang, vice-secretary of Hunan Provincial CPC Committee and governor of Hunan province, and other leaders from Hunan Provincial CPC Committee, People's Congress of Hunan Province, Hunan Provincial Government, Hunan Provincial People's Political Consultative Conference and Hunan Provincial Military Area Commnad all came to Hunan Forest Botanical Garden to join in voluntary tree-planting. Zhang said," The forest coverage percentage in Hunan Province must be raised to at least 57 % in 2012, and all the people can enjoy the fruits of greening!" Some other provincial leaders also took part in voluntary tree-planting the same morning.

　　At 9:20 in the morning, all the leaders came to the tree planting base in Hunan Forest Botanical Garden to plant trees together with other officials and citizens. They have planted a forest of various trees of many rare species.

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The painting is by Denise Sydenham

Project aims to plant more viable trees downtown, parks

Knoxville's Legacy Parks Foundation has created a new Legacy Tree Fund aimed at planting larger, more viable trees in Knoxville's downtown and parks.

For every $300 contribution to the fund, the foundation will plant one tree, holding part of the money for the maintenance and possible replacement of the tree. Contributions for tree care also are welcome.

"We aren't planting the little whips - the things that look like sticks," said Carol Evans, director of the Legacy Parks Foundation.

As a kickoff for the project on Feb. 25, the foundation planted five trees on Union Street near Market Square. The Valynor trident maples donated by Moon's Tree Farm are replacing Bradford pear trees, which Evans said were removed because they were not thriving in the cramped urban environment.

The Legacy Parks Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization that operates in partnership with Knox County and the City of Knoxville parks and recreation departments.

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The painting is by Cox David

Tree Planting tips

Tree Planting tips - by - M.Sundara raman - tree planter and tree seed collector (Founder Trustee of NIZHAL,an NGO ofChennai , SeedEXNORA Senator)

1)Tree-Planting should start with "Selecting the Seeds".(A respectable term for picking)
2)Tree-planting is a long-drawn and continuous exercise.
3)Trees take a long time to grow.
4)Daily watering arrangements are a must ,before undertaking Massive Tree-planting.
5) You should be an amateur and not an expert so that you can be successful.
6) You should enjoy tree-planting , and make Children associate themselves as , for them every little experience is education.and Training
7) You should not be afraid of soiling your hands, fingers and feet
8) The availability of seeds under the Mother trees is a seasonal affair.So you should pick as many as possible in one season.
9) Since there is no will or mind in the minds of Urbanites, as also there is no space, we should try to use Road-sides and Villages.
10) We should co-ordinate with the Civic Authorities for using open places and Parks.
11) As many people should start raising trees in milk-sachets and other PVC packing material like Atta-Bags,Woven sacks etc.,
Contact details of M. Sundararaman: Tel# 044--24461660

Email id: m.sundararaman40@gmail.com

The motto of Sri. sundararaman is

"Until the last tree is cut; Until the last river is dry; Until the last fish is caught; Until the last animal is killed; Man willnot realise that he cannot eat money"

The painting is by Baldomero Romero Ressendi

Help flowering tree live the good life

As temperatures start getting warmer, we are drawn to the outdoors. For many of us that involves sprucing up our yards and planting new plants.

If your gardening plans include planting a new tree, you have a great opportunity today to purchase one at Greenscape's annual Flowering Tree Sale. There will be a variety of trees available, from crape myrtles and hollies to river birches and cypresses. Azaleas and Knockout roses will also be available.

For many people, planting a tree consists of buying the tree, taking it home and planting it. I recommend adding a few steps to guarantee success. They are Planning, Purchasing, Planting and Establishing.

Planning

Planning involves looking over your landscape and answering a few questions.

How much space do you have? A large tree needs a lot of rooting space as well as space for its branches to spread.

Is your planting site in full sun, full shade or somewhere in between? How well drained is your property?

Planning also involves figuring out the attributes you would like to have in your tree. Do you want an evergreen or a tree that looses its leaves in the winter? What leaf shapes are attractive to you?

Your site characteristics should be matched with a tree that meets your criteria. The more planning you put into your purchase, the more satisfied you will be with the outcome.

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The Painting is by Byun Shi Ji