ForestBytes --- August 2002 Volume III, Issue 28 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. Announcements ¤ Wildfire Season Burns On, Threatening the Nation's Largest Trees ¤ First Memorial Tree to Be Planted at Monument Park ¤ EcoISP and AMERICAN FORESTS II What's Happening ¤ IGA Customers Plant Patriot Trees for America ¤ October Hill Foundation Lends Generous Support to Tigers ¤ New California Law Aids Trees by Limiting CO2 Emissions ¤ Reward!! Seed Collectors Wanted! III. Global ReLeaf ¤ Monks Plant Trees for Global ReLeaf! IV. Environmental News from ENN.com ¤ "Environmental Group Buys Timber Rights on Ranch" ¤ "Environmentalists Campaign Against Development in Icelandic Wilderness" == ANNOUNCEMENTS ================================================ ---------------------------------------------------------------- Wildfire Season Burns On, Threatening the Nation's Largest Trees ---------------------------------------------------------------- With forests turned into tinderboxes by drought and decades of fire suppression, the 2002 fire season is turning out to be one of the worst ever. Through the last week of July, over 4 million acres had burned nationwide, more than double the last decade’s average. The total acres burned so far is more than the 3.3 million acres that had burned by the end of July in the summer of 2000-- the worst wildfire season to date. Currently, 31 large fires are burning in 10 western states- 14 fires in fire-charred Oregon alone. As of August 2, residents of Southern Oregon’s Illinois Valley were praying that a last-ditch effort to contain the 141,000 acre Florence fire would succeed. The fire, in combination with a 33,000-acre fire just 4 miles away, have together formed a 30-mile front of flames. As many as 17,000 residents were on 30-minute evacuation notice, and fire officials were in awe of the massive and unpredictable fire. In a desperate attempt to stop the fire, officials planned to start a huge 34,00-acre plus backfire. Meanwhile, Northern California’s 80,000 acre McNalley fire near Kearn River is 35 percent contained, dimming earlier fears about the threat to eleven 11 groves of giant sequoias in the Sequoia National Monument. Still, The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the only pure strain of golden trout, California’s state fish, are threatened by the fire in the area surrounding the Kern River. The McNalley fire, which appears to have started by a camper cooking hot dogs by campfire without a permit, was threatening 200 residences and 10 commercial properties. Fortunately, none of the area's giant sequoias were burned, but flames reached within a mile of the Packsaddle Grove, a stand of ancient, towering trees including the Packsaddle Giant, which has the fourth-largest circumference of any sequoia. The fire also came within two miles of the Trail of 100 Giants, a grove of trees that are among the Earth's largest and oldest. As a result of the fire, three-quarters of the Sequoia National Forest is closed to the public, as are all roads leading into the area. Individual sequoias can live more than 3,200 years, and their thick trunks endure countless fires as part of natural cycles. But fires can kill Sequoias when flames reach the crowns of smaller trees and leap from there to the limbs of the giant trees, high above the ground. Elsewhere, the 86,000 acre Tool Box fire in Oregon’s Fremont National Forest was 65 percent contained, and Utah’s 95,000 acre Rattle Complex was 95 percent contained. For further fire updates, information, and ways you can help, visit www.wildfirereleaf.org. Tell a friend! Send them a Wildfire ReLeaf postcard at http://www.americanforests.org/postcards/ ***DID YOU KNOW?*** The General Sherman giant sequoia, while neither the tallest nor the widest tree, is considered the largest living tree in the world because of its volume. It weighs approximately 2.7 million pounds, and it is believed to be around 2,100 years old. Its height is 274.9 feet, and its circumference at ground level is 102.6 feet. The diameter of its largest branch is 6.8 feet. Although the General Sherman is located in Sequoia National Park, the blaze was not considered a threat. ----------------------------------------------------------------- First Memorial Tree to Be Planted at Monument Park ----------------------------------------------------------------- As the anniversary of September 11 quickly approaches, people are making plans to remember the friends and neighbors we lost nearly a year ago. AMERICAN FORESTS too, is planning to remember the victims in a unique way. On September 8, we will kick off the planting of thousands of trees in New York City. The New York Yankees will host AMERICAN FORESTS and sponsor Eddie Bauer during a home plate event to announce the plantings and to plant the first Memorial Tree of New York at Yankees' Monument Park. The tree will be the first ever planted in the park, a place to remember the Yankees' unforgettable players such as Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle. "It will be an honored addition to our Monument Park," says Yankees Vice President of Marketing Debbie Tymon. "It's a symbol of new life and hope for the future." On September 11, the Yankees will plant the tree to remember the brave New Yorkers who died tragically that day, one year earlier. The event during the September 8th game will launch the plantings of 2,800 trees in New York and surrounding areas. 284 trees will be planted in Arlington, Virginia, for Pentagon victims; and 40 trees in Pennsylvania for the Somerset County victims. Washington , D.C. WASHINGTON, DC, will plant at least 184 trees on Kingman Island, near the Pentagon crash site, to reflect the national scope of the tragedy. For more information about Memorial Tree Groves, visit us online at http://www.americanforests.org/campaigns/memorial_trees/groves/ Or, you can tell a friend about it by sending a postcard at http://www.americanforests.org/postcards/createcard.php?postcard_id=16 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Important News! ANNOUNCING A NEW PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN EcoISP and AMERICAN FORESTS ! ----------------------------------------------------------------- Now you can support AMERICAN FORESTS and help plant new trees to keep America's most precious forest ecosystems thriving. By subscribing to EcoISP, you can get great internet service and help AMERICAN FORESTS’ mission! Click here: http://www.ecoisp.com/amfor/amfor.asp Simply by using EcoISP as your email and Internet Service Provider, you can show your commitment to AMERICAN FORESTS mission, save money, and stay connected to an online community with the shared concern about conservation of our tree and forest resources. EcoISP will provide 50 percent of the profits on your subscription to American Forests! You’ll save money on your ISP fees and plant 33 trees each year through Wildfire ReLeaf to restore ecosystems damaged by wildfire. Watch for more important details via email in a couple of days! == WHAT'S HAPPENING =================================================== * IGA Customers Plant Patriot Trees for America In the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, our nation has found a variety of ways to mourn for the friends and neighbors we have lost. This spring, even a simple trip to the grocery store became an opportunity for remembrance. From April 27 to May 10, citizens across the nation visited their local IGA grocery store to donate dollars to American Forests’ Patriot Trees for America campaign. Patriot Trees for America became part of IGA’s Hometown Green program, which focused on ways communities could give back to the environment. “Our main office was behind the campaign from the start, “ says Mike Cormier, Store Manager of Adam’s Super Food IGA in West Hartford, Connecticut. “They though it was a great program and encouraged the [IGA] stores to get involved.” Adam's Super Food IGA, in West Harford, Connecticut, raised over $6,000 for the campaign. "Customers felt very positive about Patriot trees, “says Cormier, “They were very behind it from the beginning." During the two-week campaign, IGA cashiers asked customers to add a dollar to their total. With the funds raised, American Forests' Historic Tree groves will be planted in the communities surrounding IGA stores in remembrance of those who lost their lives on September 11. Anheuser-Busch Inc., including Budweiser and O'Doul's, is a proud sponsor of American Forests’ Patriot Trees for America campaign. To find out more about American Forests’ Patriot Trees for America, go to http://www.americanforests.org/campaigns/memorial_trees/. * October Hill Foundation Lends Generous Support to Tigers American Forests’ Trees for Tigers campaign recently received a $10,000 donation from the October Hill Foundation in Connecticut. American Forests will use the money to plant Korean pine, a native species that produces nuts eaten by tiger prey and by local villagers in the Russian Far East. October Hill chairman Gretchen Bauta said the small family foundation focuses on projects outside the borders of the United States, often targeting environmental causes such as endangered species protection and tree-planting. Trees for Tigers, a partnership between American Forests and Russian scientists and citizens to expand habitat for the world’s last remaining Siberian tigers, was a natural fit. This was the second grant from the October Hill Foundation for Trees for Tigers. We thank them! To find out more about Trees for Tigers, click to http://www.treesfortigers.org Or, send a postcard to a friend by clicking to * New California Law Aids Trees by Limiting CO2 Emissions Did you know that the average family travels 20,000 miles a year by car? What you may not know is the same family can be carbon neutral by planting 20 trees to offset emissions produced from driving. Air pollution in our cities, and even our suburbs, is a serious concern as we enter the 21st century. The burning of fossil fuels has introduced a steady flow of deadly pollutants into our atmosphere, yet very few urban areas can meet national clean air standards. Luckily, we are surrounded by efficient air cleaning machines-- trees. Trees sequester many pollutants from the atmosphere, including nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter of ten 10 microns or less (PM10). More good news! To help combat the effects of CO2 emissions, California is taking action by becoming the first in the nation to regulate emissions of CO2 from motor vehicles. Governor Gray Davis signed legislation ordering the state's air quality board to develop statewide standards for tailpipe emissions of CO2, beginning in model year 2009. The new law is aimed at reducing the global warming impacts of carbon emissions from cars, light trucks and sport utility vehicles, and could prompt similar legislation in other states across the nation. California ranks second in the nation - behind Texas - in overall emissions of CO2, the most common greenhouse gas. Most of California's emissions of CO2 come from transportation and almost 40 percent is from passenger vehicles. To find out more about CO2 emissions, visit our Climate Change Calculator at http://www.americanforests.org/resources/ccc/ By answering a few simple questions, you can gauge the number of trees you could help us plant. * Reward!! Seed Collectors Wanted! AMERICAN FORESTS' Historic Tree Nursery is entering the fall seed collecting season with more historic trees than ever before! This means we need LOTS of dedicated volunteers to help us collect seeds from our country's famous and historic trees. Your reward as a seed collector will be a 15% discount off any tree in our inventory through December 31st PLUS you'll have NO shipping or handling costs on any order over $50. You can be in charge of the seed collecting of your area, and get an honorable mention on our website Seed Collecting Hall of Fame, by contacting Susan Corbett or Bill Shad at 1.800.320.8733 (TREE), or email scorbett@historictrees.org or bshad@historictrees.org. ********************* ARE YOU A MEMBER??************************ You can do your part to help the environment today by joining AMERICAN FORESTS. Not only are 25 trees planted for you in a damaged ecosystem or forest restoration project, but you will 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 ========================= Monks Plant Trees for Global ReLeaf! As Cambodia rebuilds after decades of devastating warfare, a key task will be environmental restoration. In one small part of that effort, American Forests is pitching in to help with a tree-planting project that counts schoolchildren and Buddhist monks among its dedicated volunteers. Mlup Baitong, a local nongovernmental organization, has coordinated the planting of thousands of seedlings the last two years with the assistance of a Global ReLeaf grant. Thirteen Buddhist pagodas, 17 schools, and several villages are currently planting trees in an attempt to restore a severely deforested area. Amanda Bradley of Mlup Baitong said the monks have been very enthusiastic about the project. Trees provide an attractive area for meditation and give the monks practical benefits like fruit and shade. Tree planting also draws on traditional beliefs. "Buddhist monks are very interested in this activity because it fits with Buddhist teachings," Bradley said. "The Buddha was born in the forest, found enlightenment in the forest, and died in the forest under a Banyan tree." School children have also played a major part in the project, which evolved from Mlup Baitong’s environmental education programs. Students are able to plant and care for seedlings while also learning about the dangers of deforestation, habitat loss, and pesticide use. Karen Fedor, VP of the Global ReLeaf Center, said she was thrilled about the program and impressed with its results. "American Forests’ Global ReLeaf has always supported environmental restoration, education, and community building," Fedor said. "The Mlup Baitong project is an ambitious endeavor that provides all three." While Mlup Baitong has experienced a few difficulties ensuring adequate water supplies and long-term care for the seedlings, the project is successfully continuing. This year, monks are giving more seedlings directly to villagers, who then plant and care for the trees. "It is hoped that the villagers will take good care of the seedlings since they are received from the monks," Bradley said. "Villagers are very appreciative of the seedlings, particularly fruit tree seedlings which contribute to nutrition and food security." To find out more about Global ReLeaf projects like the one in Cambodia, visit us at: == ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS AND FEATURES FROM ENN.COM ================= * "Environmental Group Buys Timber Rights on Ranch " http://www.enn.com/news/wire-stories/2002/07/07252002/s_47946.asp * "Environmentalists Campaign Against Development in Icelandic Wilderness" http://www.enn.com/news/wire-stories/2002/07/07172002/ap_47873.asp ______________________________________ ForestBytes ______________ 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: http://www.americanforests.org/membership/ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - http://www.americanforests.org AMERICAN FORESTS People Caring for Trees and Forests since 1875. _________________________________________________________________