American Forests Forestbytes August 2009

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American Forests’ 2010 National Register of Big Trees will have some exciting changes. In the upcoming edition, 57 new tree species will be eligible for nomination in the register, and 22 species currently on the list will be removed. Our goal is to ensure the scientific integrity of the species is in accordance with today’s taxonomy and nomenclature.

These changes have been made to help achieve that goal, while continuing to best reflect the spirit of this program, as well as Dr. Elbert Little Jr.’s 1979 publication of native and naturalized species in the United States, upon which the register is currently based. READ MORE .

2010 Edition of National Register of Big Trees has changes

Trees for "The King"
In Memphis, TN, the second week of August can only mean one thing: Elvis. Elvis Week is the celebration for fans to honor the memory of Elvis Presley, the King of Rock–n–Roll, who died 32 years ago on August 16. The celebration, which will take place August 8 – 16, is a week filled with commemorative events to honor Presley’s life and contribution to the music world. There are concerts, parties, book signings, exhibitions, and even a treasure hunt for the most tenacious of Elvis lovers. READ MORE

Planting Trees for Grizzlies
Few know that the nuts of the whitebark pine tree that grows in the higher elevations of the Rocky Mountains is an important food source for grizzly bears. American Forests has been actively working for over a decade to restore declining whitebark pine forests. Nuts of the whitebark pine are collected and stashed by red squirrels and one species of bird, the Clark’s Nutcracker, and these caches of pine nuts can provide important nourishment to these majestic and endangered bears following hibernation. READ MORE

American Forests Magazine
The summer issue of American Forests magazine is now available in print and online at americanforests.org. This exciting issue features articles on a variety of forestry-related topics.

Read about how communities are learning to live with the reality of wildfire in "Surviving Wildfire" by Rocky Barker. Learn about the growing practicality of biomass energy, and how it will (and won't) affect forests, in "Thermal Biomass: Burning For Acceptance" by Pat Dawson.

Take a trip through the majestic Congaree State Park with our Champion Tree expert Whit Bronaugh in "Congaree: Where The Trees Are Still Tall." These and many other fascinating stories await you.

To receive a copy of American Forests magazine, simply visit americanforests.org and become a member of American Forests. Or, if you prefer an online format, visit our magazine archives on the website at americanforests.org.


	Vote for Submission on the Rachel Carson Contest The U.S. Environmental Protection agency is asking for your help in judging their 3rd annual Rachel Carson Sense of Wonder Contest. The Contest includes poetry, essay, dance, and photography, and a panel of judges have narrowed the submissions down to a group of finalists to be voted for. The works were selected based on originality, creativity, use of an intergenerational team, and ability to capture a sense of wonder. Now, they are asking for the public to vote online for their favorite submissions. READ MORE


	Pakistan Breaks Tree-Planting World Record Pakistan recently set a Guinness World Record by planting over 500,000 trees in a single day. The record-breaking day was July 15, only one month after India had broken the previous record by planting 447,874 trees. The plantings were the latest event in a friendly, environmental rivalry between the two countries. READ MORE

	Logging Plan Reversed in Oregon The Obama administration's Interior Department is reversing plans to increase logging in certain areas of Oregon forests, as called for in a controversial plan set forth in the Bush era. The original program intended to rezone 2.6 million acres of forest, making more of the area eligible for logging. This plan would have tripled logging production, but at the cost of allowing logging in certain old-growth forests, the areas of forest that hold the most carbon. If the original plan had been enacted, it could have potentially released 180 million tons of carbon in to the earth’s atmosphere READ MORE

	Beetles Pose a Challenge to Firefighters The mountain pine beetle (or bark beetle), the small bug currently preying on trees across the nation, may soon be known by a new name: fire bugs. As the summer forest fire season gets under way (July through October), the seven million acres of fuel-laden forest left in the beetles’ wake poses quite a problem for forest officials. Of equal concern is the fact that with today’s climate, drought, and insects, decaying trees are becoming more prevalent; over the next 15 years, 22 million more acres are expected to decay. READ MORE

	Tracking Trees The quest is on to begin recording the lives of some of the oldest and tallest trees in the world. The project arises less from simple interest than from necessity; recent research from Yosemite National Park reports that many of these large trees, such valuable elements of the local ecosystem, are slowly dying out due to climate change. Data analysis spanning 60 years has brought scientists from the University of Washington and Yosemite field station to jointly state that the density of these large – girthed trees has decreased by 24% between the 1930’s and 1990’s. READ MORE


	ACES High The past month has seen significant movement on climate change policy in Congress, with the House of Representatives passing the American Clean Energy and Security (ACES) Act at the tail end of June by a slim 219-212 margin. The passage marks the first time either chamber of Congress has passed legislation to cap greenhouse gas emissions, the primary cause of global climate change. American Forests was actively engaged in the drafting and revision process for the House bill, through both the Forest Climate Working Group and the Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition, as well as our own organizational advocacy. READ MORE

Tree or forest questions? Ask American Forests’ expert.
Email treedoc@amfor.org