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Table of Contents I. Announcements II. What's Happening? |
Virginia White Oak Gets Top Nod The Maryland Wye Oak's 62-year reign as America's foremost white oak has officially come to an end. That spectacular tree, 96 feet tall and 32 feet in circumference, was succeeded by a slightly smaller oak from Lawrenceville, Virginia, measuring 86 feet tall and 26 feet in circumference. With 427 total points in American Forests' National Register of Big Trees 2004-2005, the newcomer is no pigmy, though it might take a couple of years to gain the popularity of its charismatic forerunner, which had been Maryland's state tree. [Back to Top]New Champion Ohio Buckeye In a fitting turn of events, Ohio has reclaimed the title of champion for its own state tree, the Ohio buckeye. Brian Riley, interning for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry, discovered the unsung hero with a height of 77 feet and a waistline of 140 inches while on a drive off his usual route. As soon as he spotted the tree, he says he knew it was champion material. Just in case the new champ needed a confidence booster, Riley announced yet another discovery: the former champion Ohio buckeye was not an Ohio buckeye at all! The now-dethroned champ from Kentucky has been positively ID'd as a Yellow buckeye, but falls short of dethroning the reigning champ for its species, which resides in Tennessee. [Back to Top]A Century of Struggle for the American Chestnut In Washougal, Washington, a new champion chestnut reigns, the resilient leader of a species that refuses to give up. Standing a proud 77 feet, the new champion has a matching crown spread of 77 feet and a circumference of 242 inches, boosting its total point value to 338 on the National Register of Big Trees. Many years ago, trees such as this one grew across the country. But that was before the deadly fungus, which decimated the chestnut population. Now the tree could be on the upswing, thanks to breeding and genetic solutions, scientists tell AP. Concerned tree lovers everywhere know the tragic story of the American chestnut, the so-called King of the Forest and "redwood of the East" (even though the biggest one isn't even on the East coast anymore). The tree's Eastern range was extensive, traversing the Eastern landscape from Maine to Florida and west to Mississippi. Loggers depended upon its fine wood for their livelihood, and street vendors sold roasted chestnuts along street corners in New York and Philadelphia.. These activities ground to a halt when the chestnuts started to die, following an outbreak of the killer blight (Cryphorectria parasitica) in 1904. AP says that "by 1950, about 3.5 billion trees-about 90 percent of the species-were dead, with only a few mostly shrublike survivors hanging on." Wildlife also suffered with the near-elimination of a food-source and the disappearance of a forest mainstay.. Scientists are currently interbreeding chestnuts to produce disease-resistant varieties. In some cases they graft the resistant DNA onto chestnut DNA, in others they combine American trees with inherently tougher Chinese ones. Some are even trying to bombard chestnut DNA with a helpful virus, in an attempt to positively alter the genetic makeup. Scientists hope that these many approaches will defeat the fungus and save the tree. The American Chestnut Foundation optimistically states that "a blight-resistant American Chestnut tree is expected to be ready for planting within the next decade.". Gary Moll's article Trees, Environment, and Genes (American Forests, Summer 2003) presents an informative look at tree's genetics and the American Chestnut's place in this broader discussion. It is available in the archives at www.americanforests.org. [Back to Top]As of June the West was bracing for another potentially serious fire season. As fires burned and were contained up and down the West Coast, crews were calling an 80-acre blaze near Edgewood, California, "mostly under control," according to the Siskiyou Daily News. The fire, in the northern part of the state, was California's first big fire of the season. American Forests is continuing to collect money for its California Wildfire ReLeaf campaign. Started last year after devastating wildfires killed 20 people, displaced more than 2,000 and decimated the area's forests, the campaign plants two trees for every dollar donated, thanks to a tree-for-tree match by the U.S. Forest Service. A sterling silver cubic zirconia butterfly necklace, first offered by Marie Claire magazine as a way to help the effort, is still available for purchase. Each $29.95 necklace sold plants more than 15 trees. The necklace is of $150 dollar value, so this is clearly a good deal all around! To donate directly to American Forests' California Wildfire ReLeaf effort, visit www.americanforests.org. To purchase a necklace, visit www.netaya.com or call 800-636-6884 (cite style #NP2SJN51ZMC). Other Fire News In the Sunshine state, Florida Gulf Coast University professor Win Everham believes that sometimes very hot fires help the environment. "Maybe it's some nutrient that's released only in high intensity fire," he told News-Press of Southwest Florida. While surveying the scorched grounds of a recent fire just south of the university, he points out the speedy return of sabal palms and saw palmettos. Everham also credits fire with killing invasive species that have no place in the forest ecosystem to begin with. [Back to Top]Take a sip of Café Canopy coffee and you probably won't think about birds or trees, yet both will benefit. Six years ago when Café Canopy got its start, the founders decided to pursue a less intrusive, environmentally savvy method of farming-- planting coffee trees under the canopy of existing trees. Beneficiaries of the so-called shade-tree method include migratory songbirds, which are able to continue undisturbed in their native habitat. Café Canopy then partnered with American Forests to create a Global ReLeaf Blend. Each bag of the medium-roast coffee sold plants a tree in one of American Forests' Global ReLeaf ecosystem restoration sites. The forest restoration projects help clean the air and provide habitat for wildlife, including migratory songbirds. [Back to Top]eBay auctions are no longer just a place to find a marble egg paperweight or a 1945 art deco vase. Now when you bid to win an item, you could be making a difference for a nonprofit like American Forests. American Forests has joined eBay's Giving Works program, in which a portion of the money bidders spend benefits a worthy nonprofit. Marked with a special ribbon icon, each Giving Works listing promises that a nonprofit will receive all or a portion of the proceeds from the sale of everything from silver chandelier earrings to blue tricycles. Bidding on eBay Giving Works items is no different than bidding on any other eBay item. Just pick your item, sign in with your eBay account, and place a bid. You can even search specifically for eBay Giving Works items. Each item lists the nonprofit that will benefit. Visit www.ebay.com for more information about American Forests' listings. The win-win situation comes via MissionFish, a service of the Points of Light Foundation. The Points of Light Foundation helps nonprofits turn in-kind donations into unrestricted funding. [Back to Top]Take a Cruise with American Forests American Forests and the Queen Mary 2 cordially invite you to reserve your spot on a 12 day/11 night trans-Atlantic cruise and tour of Britain's gardens from May 28 to June 8, 2005. Your time aboard the world's largest ship will be complimented by guest lectures from American Forests' very own Executive Director, Deborah Gangloff, and Jeff Meyer, Project Director at American Forests' Historic Tree Nursery as well as host of the environmental show "Leaving a Legacy" on PBS. Special seminars will be available throughout the trip, to hone your gardening skills or learn more about American Forests' latest projects. When you arrive in England, you will explore the most splendid and stately gardens, palaces and castles of the land. For more information, please visit the following website: www.cruisevanguard.com/Garden. [Back to Top]
The lack of trees on Haiti's hilltops and valleys contributed greatly to destruction caused by late-May floods, according to the Associated Press. AP estimates more than 90 percent of Haiti is deforested; David Adams, director of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in Haiti, told AP "an estimated 10 to 20 million [trees] are cut down each year." Haitians are members of the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and have long used wood supplies to fuel their homes. But trees help control water runoff by soaking water in through their roots and providing sturdy support against erosion. Without trees to slow their progress, the May floodwaters ripped through villages like Mapou and Fond Verettes, causing incalculable damage and claiming the lives of more than 2,600 Haitians and Dominicans who share the tiny island. For Haiti's poorest communities, the issue surrounding trees has never been one of environmental protection, but rather one of basic survival. Even trees sacred to the Voodoo religion, practiced in some parts of Haiti, have not escaped the ravages of the ax. AP reports that the Haitian government is now considering the importation of either propane or wood in a move to hold off further environmental destruction. Haiti's undersecretary of the environment Yves Andre Wainright admits the only way to halt deforestation is through education and "incentives" for the underclass. "There is a lot to be done and we only have so much funding," says Adams of USAID, which has planted 60 million trees in Haiti over 20 years. "We hope that with the new attention to Haiti, there will be more of a focus on the environment and reforestation." A UN peacekeeping force was scheduled to arrive on the island in June and begin patrolling the forests to help stop logging. [Back to Top]2004 Stihl National Forestry Hero Stihl Incorporated has awarded Mark S. Warnick, retired Missouri firefighter and founder of the nonprofit group Helping Our Own, with its prestigious 2004 Stihl National Forestry Heroism Award. Helping Our Own is dedicated to provisioning undersupplied fire departments with supplies from other departments. Warnick's journey started modestly when he agreed to muster supplies for the fire department of Brixey and Rockbridge, Missouri. The equipment shortage in the state opened his eyes to the need for a permanent organization to help firefighters. After successfully equipping 15 additional Missouri fire departments, Warnick branched out to other states. Part of the success of his organization comes from its efficient use of "junk" equipment. Helping Our Own breathes new life into used equipment, which surely will be discarded by other fire departments. They match donations to thousands of firefighting units with drastically low budgets, creating a safer firefighting environment nationwide. In four years, Helping Our Own "has donated approximately $28.3 million of used equipment to more than 610 fire departments across the country," says a press release from Stihl. On hand to give the award were Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman and Ken Waldron, national marketing manager of Stihl Inc. Waldron, in turn, presented a plaque and a monetary gift to benefit both Helping Our Own and the forestry department at Michigan State, the state where Mark Warnick now resides. Also present at the ceremony was Rolling Stones keyboardist and environmentalist Chuck Leavell. "Mark Warnick is a hero of a different kind-- a true champion of fire departments in short supply of the fire equipment and gear necessary to save lives and property," Waldron said at the award ceremony. "He is a wonderful example of one who has fulfilled his passion to serve others, and we at Stihl are proud to have him hold this most deserved honor." [Back to Top]Hemlock wooly adelgid, which has ravaged East Coast forests including Shenandoah National Park, has taken aim at Vermont. The fuzzy white invasive can literally suck the life out of a full-grown hemlock in as little as one to four years. Although the insect first arrived on U.S. shores in 1920, in the Pacific Northwest, it has never threatened Vermont until cottony traces were discovered on a load of hemlocks from a White River Junction nursery. Vermont forest inspectors have located the majority of the stricken trees, but are still looking for up to 113 possibly infested trees. If you think you've spotted an infestation, call the Forest Biology Lab at 802-241-3606. [Back to Top]The continued destruction of the Amazon rainforest has prompted some environmentalists to question Brazilian environment minister Marina Silva's agenda for 2004. Ms. Silva vowed to establish 33 million acres of "environmental reserves" this year, but so far the Brazilian government has only marked off 1.58 million acres. David Cleary of the Nature Conservancy in Brazil, told Reuters that he sees little use in establishing new areas if the government can't keep watch over the existing ones. Despite an estimated loss of 15 percent of the jungle, Silva and other government officials expressed the need to tread slowly through negotiations with "local people and governments" to try and salvage jobs as well as jungle. [Back to Top]New York has stepped up its greening efforts with a new Urban Forestry Initiative. The Initiative, which will replant trees in five upstate New York cities-Syracuse, Binghamton, Buffalo, Rochester and Poughkeepsie-receives the backing of several corporate sponsors, and the blessing of Senator, Hillary Rodham Clinton. In late-May, Senator Clinton met with Deborah Gangloff, Executive Director of American Forests, Syracuse Mayor Matthew J. Driscoll, and representatives from SUNY-ESF and Cornell University, to celebrate the beginning of this ambitious and vital project. "Ozone pollution is a serious health problem in New York, and trees are the perfect remedy," Clinton said. "We need to do everything we can to help our cities become cleaner and greener and I believe this initiative is a fantastic start." Part of the drive behind the Initiative came from a new report, issued simultaneously, which details the cost-benefits of expanded tree-cover in urban areas. The report, "Greening New York's Cities: A Guide to How Trees Can Clean Our Water, Improve Our Air, and Save Our Money," also provides target goals, a "guide to city greening," and "a list of useful resources for all cities interested in urban forestry." Trees New York, International Paper, HSBC, Starbucks, Niagara-Mohawk, a National Grid Company and Eddie Bauer donated over 500 trees to kick-start the replanting. To help, contact Deborah at American Forests (1-800-368-5748 ext. 232). [Back to Top]The fire burning in the Piney Grove Preserve in Sussex County, Virginia, in early June was not accidental. Set by a group of dedicated conservationists, the fire is intended to protect the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker by reestablishing the bird's native habitat. One of the Preserve's smallest winged inhabitants with a 7-inch body and a 15-inch wingspan, the bird derives its name from red bands along the sides of the male's heads. The birds rank among the littlest victims of last fall's Hurricane Isabel. Although none of the 30 birds remaining in Virginia died, many lost nest sites in the storm. The birds prefer old, live pines rather than dead trees. Isabel also thwarted Virginia officials' earlier efforts at prescribed burns that would create open pine savanna forests as nesting sites. Urban expansion, farming, and the timber industry have all contributed to the disappearance of pine savannas from the southeast United States. Fires, at one time so crucial to the maintenance of this thriving ecosystem, were systematically extinguished, allowing thicker, woodsier forests to grow. Now, environmental ecologists want to resurrect the old savanna forests and treat them as natural treasures that will help protect the endangered birds. [Back to Top]You've heard of recycling, how about tree-cycling? The concept has received much publicity in Michigan, where the emerald ash borer has wreaked havoc on the local ash population. While most tree-harvesters simply dispensed with infected trees, lamenting the loss of timber, Chris Last of the Royal Oak's Parks & Forestry Division decided to redeem the pest's handiwork--for profit. For two years, he has saved infected trees from the chipper and processed the wood for lumber under the banner of his own company Last-Chance Logs, founded for this purpose. Last told the Detroit Free Press that he witnessed the destruction of perfectly fine wood until he felt compelled to act. Now, his company furnishes lumber all about town, as well as for area high school woodshop classes. "What a great learning experience for kids, if they can build something with wood they knew was going to be destroyed," Last said. The Michigan Senate awarded him with the White Pine Award for Environmental Excellence in May. [Back to Top]Aussie Daniel Jones, hero to many and to one special tree in particular, broke an arm and a leg when he fell out of a tree he was inhabiting in a nonviolent protest against the destruction of trees for a Woolworth's in Maleny, Australia. Almost like a koala, Jones had made a bunya pine his home for several weeks, building a small shelter to protect himself from the elements, getting along well with neighboring opossums, and providing inspiration for those on the ground. The arboreal protest ended June 14 when Jones, unfortunately not possessed of a koala's gripping abilities, lost his balance while talking with the police and fell. Although his stand generated much publicity, the fate of the bunya pine and other trees remains uncertain, with last-minute negotiations coming to a close between the city council and Woolworth's. [Back to Top]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:
Join Today! Visit http://www.americanforests.org/ Forest Bytes Don't forget to forward this information to friends or colleagues. |
