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American Express will donate up to $5 million to the top vote-getter in its Member Project. Our project--Plant a Million Trees-Global Reforestation--made the first cut. Now help us survive Round 2; vote for "Plant a Million Trees-Global Reforestation" before July 17. The winner will be announced August 7. Click here and vote to help American Forests grow a healthier world with trees.

Look Out for Emerald Ash Borer

The emerald ash borer, a small green beetle that has killed more than 25 million trees in five states over five years, was found in Cranberry, Pennsylvania, in June. The beetle first appeared in Michigan in 2002, where officials believe it was brought to the U.S. on cargo ships. The beetle hitched a ride on firewood and nursery stock, allowing it to spread to Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland and now Pennsylvania, according to Melissa Brewer, of the Ohio Department of Agriculture¹s emerald ash borer program.
The long-term ramifications of the beetle¹s presence in Pennsylvania are grave. Ash is a popular species in Pennsylvania, and the native white ash is common to state forests. Compounding the problem, the hardwood from these trees is the wood of choice for Louisville Slugger, the official bat supplier of Major League Baseball, which uses it to make 80% of the 1.6 million bats it has produced annually. This wood comes from forests along the Pennsylvania-New York border.
Officials in Ohio recently found emerald ash borer near Youngstown, which is close to the Pennsylvania border. Quarantines have been put in place, prohibiting transportation of ash trees and firewood in 29 Ohio counties, with violators facing a $4,000 fine.
 
Read More at: http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/mostread/s_514585.html
 
for more on emerald ash borer: www.emeraldashborer.info

Sing with Trees in Mind

Sing with Trees in Mind Kick off this summer concert season with a worldwide phenomenon: Live Earth. This concert brings forth more than 150 top musicians for 24 hours of music in 9 concerts across all 7 continents. The overall theme The Concerts for a Climate in Crisis exhibits an overwhelming commitment to generate awareness about climate change, according to www.liveearth.org . And that isnıt the only green concert this summer. Linkin Parkıs Project Revolution tour in conjunction with Music for Relief is donating $1 from every concert ticket to plant a native tree through American Forestsı Global ReLeaf ecosystem-restoration campaign. So when you think about concerts this summer, make sure theyıre green ones.

Search for Really Big Trees
Strap on those sneakers and hiking shoes and start walking<anyplace where big trees abound. August 1 is the deadline for nominating trees for American Forests¹ National Register of Big Trees, a biennial listing of the largest of 826 species of trees in the U.S. A new rule requires trees to be measured at least every 10 years; those that haven¹t been are in danger of losing their crown.
 
Check American Forests¹ website for a listing of trees and some photos; all the species without champs, and easy measurement guidelines. Trees don¹t need to be gargantuan to quality for a spot on the Register. While the biggest of the big is the General Sherman giant sequoia (circumference: 1020 inches; height: 274 feet; crown spread: 107 feet; total points: 1321) in California, the last Register¹s newest little champ was the pinckneya in Nahunta, Georgia (circumference: 10 inches; height: 18 feet; crown spread: 8 feet; total points: 30). Look for the complete list of national champion trees in the Spring 2008 issue of American Forests. www.americanforests.org/resources/bigtrees
 

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Tree questions? Ask American Forests' experts. E-mail treedoc@amfor.org or treedoctor@amfor.org

Costa Rica: One Step Ahead

Costa Rica plans to be the first country to reach carbon-neutral status. Target date: 2030. Method: Encouraging tree planting while cutting emissions from transportation, farming, and industry, according to a recent report on ENN. Costa Rica has a step up on more developed nations because of its flourishing forests and ample water sources; 78% of the country¹s energy comes from hydroelectric power, ENN says. Costa Rica is not the only country with this goal in mind, however. Norway has announced plans to reach carbon-neutral status by 2050. Others, such as the European Union (EU) and the state of California plan large cutbacks in emissions as well.
Click here to read more.

Utah Goes Green
Schwarzenegger scores again. The California governor recently managed to get Utah governor John Huntsman to join the Western Regional Climate Action Initiative, which works to reduce emissions in an attempt to stop climate change, according to Reuters. The group also includes Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, and the Canadian province of British Colombia, all concerned about the effect increased temperatures will have on local economies, from skiing and other winter activities. The group says the federal government is not doing enough to counter emissions problems, prompting it to take additional steps on its own, Reuters says. Schwarzenegger,Utah Governor Join on Emissions Cuts

Greener Canada

Canadians got a look at their first TV documentary on trees during that countryıs environment week in June. The one-hour "Places of Green" showcases Canada's ³urban forests, parks and wilderness, and the people, flora, and fauna that share these landscapes, according to a release from Tree Canada, which will benefit from sales of the DVD. For each DVD sold Tree Canada will plant and care for a native species in one of its regional tree-planting projects. For more on the documentary or to order a copy at www.treecanada.ca

Ancient Oaks in Oklahoma

Officials clearing for a hiking trail at a lakeside development in Skiatook say theyıve found more there than they bargained for. Now Cross Timbers is taking steps to preserve the ancient post-oaks that populate the forest. Greg Berche with the Corps of Engineers IDıd the trees, which have a slow growth rate and so are not readily apparent as several hundred years old. The oldest post-oak found so far is thought to date to the mid-16th century, reports KOTV in Tulsa. The trees will be a star attraction on the 4.5-mile hiking trail beside the development. Developers hope the discovery will both bring in nature lovers and offer a history lesson, KOTV says. Read more.

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