American Forests Forestbytes July 2009

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For those who are old enough to remember (and those young enough to experience it through YouTube), it has been exactly 40 years since Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first people to set foot on the moon. This historic event coined the phrase “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

The anniversary of this groundbreaking event is being celebrated with a gala at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC on July 20, 2009, 40 years to the day that the moon landing took place. Those who attend will receive a commemorative Moon Sycamore seed kit from American Forests to plant this piece of history in their own backyards. READ MORE .

American Forests And NASA Celebrate Apollo Anniversary

A "RAZAR" - Sharp Partnership
American Forests recently gained a partnership with RAZAR Technologies, a leading provider of customer communication and cost reduction technology. RAZAR enables companies to implement sustainable IT solutions that reduce energy use, paper use, and toner/ink production. As a company dedicated to green-tech only solutions, RAZAR shares American Forests’ commitment to a greener, healthier future for our planet. READ MORE

Trees in Albuquerque
"We are ready to design the future of trees in the City of Albuquerque." - Mayor Martin J. Chávez The City of Albuquerque, New Mexico’s sustainability plan, spearheaded by Mayor Chávez, provides the community with the vision and tools for energy conservation, clean energy production and use, and conservation technologies. READ MORE

Maryland Dedicates Liberty Tree
On June 27,Maryland’s Liberty Tree, in Oldtown, MD was offically dedicated. As one of the 13 original colonies, Maryland planted one of the historic Liberty Trees, grown from seeds of the last original Liberty Tree. READ MORE

America's Historic Tree Register
July 4, 2009 marked the opening of nominations for America’s Historic Tree Register, the newest project by American Forests, which will keep a record of all the oldest, most famous, most unique trees in the nation. READ MORE


	Locals Defend WWI Vet Residents of the Eagle Point Community, a small town in Gippsland, Australia, are not letting go of their oak tree without a fight. The 100-year-old oak tree, which dates back to WWI, has become the unofficial landmark of a local Gippsland elementary school is to be cut down in the coming weeks to make way for new building developments in the area. READ MORE


	Australian Forest Important for Holding Carbon In a study that included research from 132 forests across the world, scientists have found that Towering Mountain Ash forests in Australia contain the most carbon, and therefore contribute the most to the fight against global climate change. READ MORE

	New Eco-Hybrid: American Chestnut Trees A recent Purdue University study has found that a new hybrid American chestnut tree could serve a dual purpose: reviving the chestnut population in America as well as significantly reducing carbon in the atmosphere. The study found that chestnut trees tend to grow faster and larger than other hardwood trees, a process that allows them to sequester more carbon. READ MORE

	Town of Cookeville, TN Struggles to Save Old Tree In the town of Cookeville lies a tree older than the town itself; even older than the county. Currently residing next to an old downtown building, this Southern Oak has seen a town rise around it and has survived two lightning strikes. Despite the tree’s apparent will to carry on, its fate is now in the hands of Cookeville residents.READ MORE


	Tom Tidwell to Lead U.S. Forest Service Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced this month that Tom Tidwell will assume the position of Chief for the U.S. Forest Service. Mr. Tidwell is a veteran of the Forest Service, both in the field and at the agency’s headquarters in Washington, DC, most recently supervising National Forests in the Western U.S. He will replace outgoing Chief Gail Kimbell who served for two years as the agency’s first female Chief. American Forests continues to work closely with partners in the Forest Service and is looking forward to welcoming Tom Tidwell to DC in his new capacity as Chief.

	The ACES Act Lawmakers in the House of Representatives have been pushing forward with comprehensive energy and climate legislation over the last month. The American Clean Energy and Security (ACES) Act, the current legislative vehicle for addressing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and the effects of climate change on human and natural systems, was first approved by the Energy and Commerce Committee after more than a month of negotiations and markups. The bill was then referred to eight other committees in the House with jurisdiction over a portion of the bill. After a series of negotiations and modifications, the bill was brought to the House floor for a vote on June 26th, where it passed by 219-212. READ MORE

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