2020 ReLeaf Conference in Buffalo Rescheduled for 2021

 

In case you missed the announcement in May’s TAKING ROOT news …

From President Karen Emmerich

Sadly, due to the pandemic, we had to cancel the 2020 ReLeaf conference scheduled for July 23-25th in Buffalo. But the good news is that the Region 9 ReLeaf group has agreed to host the conference next summer, so put July 22-24th, 2021 on your calendar. We don’t want all their hard work to be in vain. It’s disappointing, but I think it’s the right decision.

I know many people had to postpone or cancel their Arbor Day celebrations, but in my town, we’re going to focus on an Arbor Week celebration in November. We’re all trying to make the best of a tough situation, so we have to be creative. As things open up in the months ahead, I hope we can re-establish our regional meetings/workshops. But until then, please stay safe and take time to smell the flowers.

Trees Naturally Social Distance (and So Can You!): Planning Safe Tree Planting Events for the Fall

Iowa-based Trees Forever has done some socially-distanced planting events this spring, and in this webinar they share what has worked for them, what to consider, and ways to make it work. They walk through some great tips as well as the online-survey they’re using to manage volunteers signing up for shifts to plant. These guidelines are included in the Trees Forever webinar and will be a great resource for ReLeaf Committee members and partners hoping to plan some fall planting events.  —Christina McLaughlin, NYSDEC Urban & Community Partnership Coordinator 

Green-Wood Cemetery “Zooming in on Nature” Series

Photo Credit: Art Presson

Join Green-Wood staff and their research collaborators on Zoom on four Fridays: May 15, May 22, May 29, and June 5 from noon to 1 p.m. to learn about urban grasslands, veteran trees, common mushrooms, and wild bees at Brooklyn’s storied Green-Wood. Free; simple registration for each program.

Zooming in on Urban Grasslands at Green-Wood

Zooming in on Veteran Trees

Zooming in on Identifying Common Mushrooms

Zooming in on Wild Bees: Behavior at Habitat

 

 

Virtual, Free NYS 4-H Forestry Course for Ages 10+ Starts May 9

The 2020 New York State 4-H Forestry Weekend has been reborn as a virtual learning experience! There will be five Saturday evening Zoom events that will include videos from various Cooperative Extension/4-H systems or related companies, as well as some made by our very own 4-Hers. Youth 10 and over, will learn about how to identify trees, how to measure diameter and log productions in trees, basic map & compass skills, as well forest ecology and tree pests and diseases. All of these programs are free to all participants. Those youth who complete the entire list of activities, including the online polls, and chats will receive a free related to the program.

Schedule:

May 9th, 2020 Introduction 6:30pm
May 16th, 2020 Tree Identification 6:30pm
May 23rd, 2020 Map & Compass 6:30pm
May 30th, 2020 Invasive Species & Pests 6:30pm
June 6th, 2020 Forest Ecology 6:30pm

Those youth 14+ who are interested in possibly competing at the National 4-H Forestry Invitational will be asked to complete more challenging learning tasks. Enrollment in the programs you are interested in is REQUIRED by completing the registration form and submitting to your local Cornell Cooperative Extension 4-H Educator.

Jane Rodd
4-H Program Leader
Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County
2715, Route 44
Millbrook, NY 12545
Tel: 845-677-8223, ext. 105

Underutilized Trees for Urban Use: Korean Mountainash

Fruit and sporadic fall leaf color of Korean mountainash. Photo by Michelle Sutton

Underutilized Trees for Urban Use: Korean mountainash (Sorbus alnifolia)

By Michelle Sutton, Council Editor

I can think of few trees with the year-round beauty of Korean mountainash (Sorbus alnifolia). It is notable for its delicate and showy white spring flowers, handsome deeply veined summer foliage, yellow to orange fall color, reddish-pink berries in fall and early winter, and elephantine bark in winter (beech-like, but with distinct white markings). Its potential height is 20 to 40 feet and potential width 15 to 25 feet. The cultivar ‘Redbird’ has rosy-red fruits and a more upright form.

Read more…

Socially Distanced-Style, CCE Nassau Plants Tree for Arbor Day

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County planted a red oak (Quercus rubra) tree on Arbor Day on April 24th at the new location for their administration office. CCE Nassau County Hort and UCF Educator, Council Board Member, and ISA Certified Arborist Vinnie Drzewucki led the planting effort.

Here’s the event flyer, letting folks know how they could participate virtually, and referring people to Arbor Day resources, including Six Ways to Celebrate Arbor Day in a Time of Social Distancing  and Happy Arbor Day (at Home).

Read more…

2020 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Grant Program

The USDA Forest Service is requesting applications for the Fiscal Year 2020 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Grant Program. A fabulous USFS GLRI StoryMap highlights contributions of this grant program to Great Lakes restoration goals.

The U.S. Forest Service anticipates that up to $4.2 million in new funds will be available for competitive grants in four program areas:

  • Forest Insect and Disease Mitigation
  • Reduce Runoff from Degraded Sites through Green Infrastructure
  • Protect and Restore Coastal Wetlands through Healthy Tree Cover
  • Restore Resilient Riparian and Shoreline Forests

The FY 2020 GLRI Request for Applications (RFA) Instructions, agency-specific forms, and other resources are available on their GLRI RFA website.

Applications must be prepared and submitted through Grants.gov by 6 p.m. Eastern on June 26, 2020. The opportunity number in Grants.gov is USDA-FS-2020-GLRI.

The GLRI FY 2020 Informational Webinar is May 12, 10:00 am Eastern/9:00 am Central. Click to register and for more information!

They encourage all applicants to work with their State forestry agency to determine how their project fits into the goals and objectives of the State Forest Action Plan. If you have questions, please reach out to your Field Representative or Sheela Johnson (sheela.johnson@usda.gov or 224-999-1997).

DEC Announces 2020 Fifth Grade Arbor Day Poster Contest Winner

child's drawing of an apple tree

Last month, NYSDEC Commissioner Basil Seggos announced the winner of DEC’s Annual 5th Grade Arbor Day Poster Contest – Nicole Halaseh from Casimir Pulaski School in Yonkers, Westchester County.

“This year’s 5th grade Arbor Day Poster Contest winner Nicole Halaseh’s unique artwork captures the importance of New York’s official State fruit, the apple, and how it’s both a healthy food source and a valuable part of New York’s economy,” said Commissioner Seggos. “DEC thanks all the students who participated in this creative demonstration of the many ways trees contribute to our lives.”

Each year, hundreds of fifth graders across the state compete in designing an educational and eye-catching poster focused on a theme that honors trees. The 2020 poster theme is “Trees Feed New York,” giving students the opportunity to learn about the dozens of ways both humans and wildlife rely on trees as a food source.

The annual 5th Grade Arbor Day Poster contest is announced in September and runs through December. New York State teachers, schools, and clubs that wish to participate in the next contest round should visit DEC’s website for more information.