ForestBytes --- January 2002 Volume III, Issue 21 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ http://www.americanforests.org AMERICAN FORESTS People Caring for Trees and Forests Since 1875 To subscribe to ForestBytes: Visit http://www.americanforests.org/ If you find this information valuable, please pass it on to friends and colleagues. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TABLE OF CONTENTS I. What's Happening? * Eddie Bauer Pledges Memorial Groves * Trees Across America * Winter Reading * What Do You Think? * Passing the Baton II. Check It Out! * National Network of Forest Practitioners * Become a Historic Trees' Affiliate * Replace Your Christmas Tree * Reforestation with Spring Water III. GLOBAL RELEAF Spotlight * Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Nevada IV. Environmental News from ENN.com * "Ancient Australians altered rainforests to survive" * "Mexico in danger of losing tropical forests during this century, study finds" The staff and board of directors of AMERICAN FORESTS thank you for your support in 2001 and wish you and yours health, happiness, and peace in the New Year! == What's Happening? ====================================== ------------------------------------------------------------ Eddie Bauer Pledges Memorial Groves ------------------------------------------------------------ Thousands of trees will be planted in New York City, Washington, DC/Virginia, and Pennsylvania to honor the men, women, and children who lost their lives in the September 11 attack on the United States. Specialty retailer Eddie Bauer, through its Memorial Tree Groves program, has pledged $500,000 to help AMERICAN FORESTS plant trees in remembrance of each victim of the assault. Eddie Bauer is currently raising funds for the program by inviting customers and store associates to add $1 or more to their in-store, catalog, or online purchases. Visit www.eddiebauer.com. Eddie Bauer's Memorial Tree Groves program is part of AMERICAN FORESTS' Memorial Trees Campaign, which plans to plant thousands of trees in communities across the country as memorials to the victims of September 11. AMERICAN FORESTS is working with groups like Hudson River Park Trust in New York City and elsewhere to designate sites where trees will be planted. You can donate to AMERICAN FORESTS' Memorial Trees Campaign by visiting http://www.americanforests.org/planttrees/091101.php. Or, call 1-800-545-TREE. ------------------------------------------------------------ Trees Across America ------------------------------------------------------------ AMERICAN FORESTS' Memorial Trees Campaign is also partnering with Earth Day Network to honor America and its citizens, including those who died on September 11. Earth Day Network recently pledged to help AMERICAN FORESTS plant 285,510,788 trees - one tree for every American. Called Trees Across America, the Earth Day Network program will provide environmental education materials to thousands of teachers and encourage them to take positive action for the environment by raising funds to plant memorial tree groves at their schools or neighborhoods. A granite marker customized for each school will identify the grove as a September 11th Memorial project. Additionally, the planting project will allow teachers to tie environmental education to American history. The memorial grove trees will be grown by AMERICAN FORESTS' Historic Tree Nursery, which grows direct-offspring of trees that have connections to famous people and historic events. The nonprofit Earth Day Network coordinates Earth Day activities worldwide to promote a healthy environment and a peaceful, just, and sustainable world. It spreads environmental awareness through educational materials and publications and by organizing events, activities, and annual campaigns. Visit http://www.earthday.net/. ------------------------------------------------------------ Winter Reading ------------------------------------------------------------ Winter has officially arrived. So make sure you have the latest issue of American Forests magazine to keep you company on those chilly nights. AMERICAN FORESTS' members will see an array of interesting stories in the Winter issue of the magazine including articles on wildfire and community-based forestry as well as profiles of three Global ReLeaf projects. There's also a "sweet" story about a mom and pop maple sugaring operation in Vermont, a first-hand account of what it's like to meet Academy award-winning actress Meryl Streep, and much more. Martha Stewart, domestic engineering expert, is on the front cover holding a Mount Vernon Tulip Poplar seedling, one of many trees propagated by AMERICAN FORESTS' Historic Tree Nursery. Receive a copy of the magazine with your membership to AMERICAN FORESTS. Click to https://www.americanforests.org/acorn/test_acorn/membership/memberself/memberself.jsp?uid=1008175532343&verb=init&searchType=i&tx_type=nc&product=trees. ------------------------------------------------------------ What Do You Think? ------------------------------------------------------------ Want to know more about the role of wildfire in forest ecosystems and the benefits of planting trees for environmental restoration? Check out www.wildfirereleaf.org. A subsection of www.americanforests.org, the new www.wildfirereleaf.org serves as an information clearinghouse on wildfire issues. AMERICAN FORESTS will soon add a news section and other related pages. Are the pages informative and interesting? We would love to know what you think of www.wildfirereleaf.org. Send your comments to Stevin Westcott, AMERICAN FORESTS' director of communications, at swestcott@amfor.org. Your comments may be used in a future issue of ForestBytes. If you like what you see at www.wildfirereleaf.org, send the link to a friend. NOTE: A Wildfire ReLeaf ecosystem restoration project is featured in GLOBAL RELEAF Spotlight. The USDA Forest Service is a partner in Wildfire ReLeaf and is matching every tree planted, tree-for-tree. The Autumn issue of American Forests magazine has an interesting wildfire-related story titled Bringing Back The Forests. Click to http://www.americanforests.org/productsandpubs/magazine/archives/2001autumn/bringing_back.php. ------------------------------------------------------------ Passing the Baton ------------------------------------------------------------ "AMERICAN FORESTS has handed the baton -- or in this case computer software and satellite imagery -- to local decision makers, which gives them the power to calculate the environmental and economic benefits provided by trees or model the effect that development has on their communities. And hopefully we can win the race to reduce our nation's tree deficit." That was the message from Gary Moll, vice president of AMERICAN FORESTS, as the organization unveiled its latest study: the tree canopy of the nation's capital. At a December 7 meeting of the National Capital Planning Commission in Washington, DC, Moll and AMERICAN FORESTS' GIS experts demonstrated new technology that makes it easier for local leaders and city planners to include trees in the decision-making and development process. The process combines high-resolution satellite imagery with AMERICAN FORESTS' CITYgreen software, allowing users to calculate the benefits trees provide in terms of slowing stormwater runoff and removing pollutants. The National Capital Planning Commission, USDA Forest Service, and Casey Trees Endowment Fund sponsored the study. Learn more by visiting http://www.americanforests.org/news/display.php?id=37. The nation's tree deficit is the focus of a story in the Autumn issue of American Forests magazine. The story Digging Out of a Tree Deficit can be found at http://www.americanforests.org/productsandpubs/magazine/archives/2001autumn/digging_out.php == Check It Out! =========================================== * Like AMERICAN FORESTS, the National Network of Forest Practitioners is working to promote community-based forestry. The National Network of Forest Practitioners represents the interests of forestry workers by sharing ideas, acquiring and providing technical assistance, and gathering momentum as a force for rural change. The nonprofit organization works to strengthen the capacity of members, support a new generation of rural leaders, and build a coalition that supports rural committees and promotes the health of their local lands. The Network was founded a decade ago by rural workers who noticed that shifting economies and various policy moves were dramatically changing their livelihoods. Learn more about the National Network of Forest Practitioners at http://www.nnfp.org/. * Help plant trees and earn money as an AMERICAN FORESTS' Historic Tree Nursery Affiliate! Register your website with this program and make 20% from any sales of Historic Trees that result. What a great opportunity to get the word out and increase your revenue at the same time! You'll find all the details of this great new program at www.historictrees.org. While you're there, register for a FREE Trip to Mount Vernon! This all-expense paid trip for 2 includes transportation, lodging & meals, PLUS a tour of George Washington's Virginia home. * Now that the holidays are coming to a close, it's time to remove the ornaments from the Christmas tree and think about the good things you'd like to pursue in 2002. How about planting a tree (or two) in the New Year? If you used a cut tree during the holidays, it is especially appropriate to replace the tree that you enjoyed. Plant a tree in your yard. Or, organize a tree-planting project in your neighborhood and encourage neighbors to participate. Your kids will love the experience and you'll feel good knowing that you helped to improve the health of the planet. Year after year, you'll watch the tree grow and you'll marvel at the songbirds and other wildlife that benefit from your kind act. You may think to yourself, "But I don't have time to plant a tree." Don't worry...AMERICAN FORESTS can plant it for you. Trees planted in AMERICAN FORESTS' ecosystem restoration projects benefit all kinds of animals, including threatened and endangered species. Visit http://www.americanforests.org/planttrees/. * Bet you didn't know trees get an extra boost from spring water. It's true: CRYSTAL GEYSER NATURAL alpine spring water recently committed to planting tens of thousands of trees with AMERICAN FORESTS. Over the next 5 years, CRYSTAL GEYSER will help AMERICAN FORESTS plant a total of 250,000 trees! CRYSTAL GEYSER will also donate thousands of bottles of its refreshing alpine spring water to keep AMERICAN FORESTS' volunteers hydrated during tree planting projects and special events. Venture to http://www.crystalgeyserasw.com/. ******************* ARE YOU A MEMBER??********************* Our mission is to "help people improve the environment with trees and forests." You can help today by joining AMERICAN FORESTS. For your $25 membership, you'll get 25 trees planted for you in a damaged ecosystem or forest restoration project. You'll also receive: - A free subscription to our quarterly magazine - A free Big Trees calendar - A window decal Join Today! Visit http://www.americanforests.org/ ************************************************************ == GLOBAL RELEAF Spotlight ==================== Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Nevada After a fire, ecosystem restoration can take many forms. For some sites, the loss of trees means there's nothing to keep soil from washing away in a flood. That's the case at Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest in Nevada, where a 1996 wildfire robbed a portion of the forest of its ability to control mountainside flooding. Ecologically, the western mountainsides of the Carson Valley are a significant water source for the Valley's floodplain and the west branch of the Carson River. With your support, AMERICAN FORESTS is planting 2,500 trees on approximately 10 acres there to help with erosion control and restore the beauty of those mountainsides. == ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS AND FEATURES FROM ENN.COM ============ * "Ancient Australians altered rainforests to survive" http://www.enn.com/news/enn-stories/2001/12/12112001/rainforests_45838.asp * "Mexico in danger of losing tropical forests during this century, study finds" http://www.enn.com/news/wire-stories/2001/12/12072001/ap_45802.asp ____________________________ ForestBytes __________________ Thanks for your support of ForestBytes, AMERICAN FORESTS' monthly email newsletter. Don't forget to forward this information to friends or colleagues. FEEDBACK OR OTHER ASSISTANCE: mailto:forestbytes@amfor.org PLANT TREES WITH AMERICAN FORESTS: http://www.americanforests.org/global_releaf/ BECOME A MEMBER OF AMERICAN FORESTS: https://www.americanforests.org/acorn/test_acorn/membership/memberself/memberself.jsp?uid=1004627612312&verb=init&searchType=i&tx_type=nc&product=trees - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - http://www.americanforests.org AMERICAN FORESTS People Caring for Trees and Forests since 1875. ______________________________________________________________