s 634.9 N7CF WIN/SPR 2000 1 A Newsletter from the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation WTR/SPR2000 Montana Community Forestry Program Promotes National Arbor Day Poster Contest Each year, the Montana Community Forestry Program work with the National Arbor Day Foundation to promote Arbor Day both nationally and here in Montana. In an effort to increase the number of schools that participate each year, we have changed our process for distributing the packets. In January, we mailed a postcard to every fifth grade teacher in public schools across the state. The postcard directed teachers to contact DNRC for their free Arbor Day Curriculum Kit and details for the National Arbor Day Poster Contest. The response has been great, and we are looking forward to lots of entries for the contest. The winning poster from Montana will be entered in the national competition, for an opportunity to win great prizes, including a trip to the National Arbor Day Foundation in Nebraska City, Nebraska! There’s still time to get a packet and get started. The contest is open to all fifth grade y/ students. Contact Paula Rosenthal, DNRC Community Forestry Program, at (406) 542-4284 for details, or check out our website at http://www.state.mt.us for more information! BOHGRBfSI MONTANA'S TRCt CITY USA'S!! This year, 19 Montana communities were recognized as Tree City USA’s by the National Arbor Day Foundation. The Tree City program recognizes communities across the nation who are working to manage their green areas, boulevard trees, and parks. Communities earn recognition by meeting four key criteria: having a local tree board, drafting a tree ordinance, proclaiming Arbor Day and holding observance activities, and an expenditure of $2/capita (in-kind or cash) annually on forestry-related activities. In addition to Tree City USA designation, five Montana communities also received a Growth Award to extra work above their Tree City USA requirements. Congratulations to Missoula, Kalispell, Anaconda, Helena and Billings. Is YOUR town a Tree City? Find out more about this program by contacting the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation at (406) 542-4300. You can also learn more about Tree City USA and the National Arbor Day Foundation online by visiting their website at http://www.arborday.org. >1 Anaconda Fort Benton Kalispell Poison Billings Great Falls Libby Roundup Bozeman Hardin Malmstrom AFB Whitefish Broadus Havre Manhattan Whitehall Butte-Silver Bow Helena Missoula The Arbor Day Poster Contest is open to 5th Grade students! For more information, call theDNRC Community Forestry Program at (406) 542-4284 Montana Tree Climbing Championship Coming in May... Plans are underway for the 3rd Annual Montana Tree Climbing Championship. The 2-day event will be held in Missoula, with a technical workshop and training session on May 5th, and the competition on Saturday, May 6th. If you have participated in this event in the past, a brochure and registration materials will be sent to you. If you have not participated before, but would like more information, we will post it on our website at http://www.dnrc.state.mt.us or you can request information by contacting Paula Rosenthal, DNRC Community Forestry Program, at (406) 652-4284. This has become Montana’s premier technical workshop and climbing competition, and it’s a great way to earn some of those CEU’s for certified arborists. Speaking of which, we will again offer an ISA Arborist Certification Exam in conjunction with the Tree Climbing Championship. Contact Mark Lennon at (406) 542-4215 to sign up for the test. The Montana Tree Climbing Championship is sanctioned by the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the Internationa! Society of Arboriculture, and is cosponsored by the City _ of Missoula and the Montana Community Forestry Program. Forest Service Grant Program Announced The Rural Community Assistance Program (RCA) is a Forest Service effort to assist rural communities dependent on natural resources to develop strategies and implement projects which result in community capacity building and long- term social, environmental, and economic sustainability. In simpler terms, if your community is within 100 miles of a National Forest or Grassland, you are eligible to apply for funding through this program. Past recipients have funded tree inventories, community plans, and more. In particular, if your community is planning a special project as part of the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial, you are encouraged to apply. Applicants should work with their respective Forest Service officials, and submit a proposal before the March 31st deadline. For more information, contact Dean Graham at the Regional Office, USDA Forest Service, at 329-3230. REGIONAL ROUND-UP Hereby what* y Ko^petvCn^p £tv c^tn^ti^n^XXe^ arowul/ the/ ytcCte/i Congratulations New Certified Arborists! Throughout the year, DNRC Community Foresters proctor the Arborist Certification Exam through the International Society of Arboriculture. Boh Albright, Michael Babbitt, Mark Baumberger, Lonnie Dalke, Mark Duntemann, Laura Jones, Larry Maginnis, Rebecca McFarlan, Steve Quigley, Jennifer Roth, and Heather Vincent are all ISA Certified Arborists. Two more testing opportunities are coming up. There will be an exam in Billings on April 4th and one in Missoula on May 5th in conjunction with the Montana Tree Climbing Championship and Workshop. For information about the test in Billings, contact Jeff Roe at (406) 232-2034, and for the one in Missoula, contact Mark Lennon at (406) 542-4215. i / TREE INVENTORY PROGRAMS AVAILABLE... Mark Lennon, Western Community Forester, has developed two tree inventory programs for use with Microsoft Access software. One program is useful for basic tree assessment, size, condition, and value. The other is more detailed, with features for tracking work and maintenance history and trees by street address. For information about these programs, contact Mark Lennon at DNRC, (406) 542-4215. r Havre, Hamilton and Libby Complete Tree Inventories A tree inventory is a valuable component of an urban forestry program. Tree inventories tell you what resources currently exist in your community, which will assist with maintenance planning, new tree plantings, and getting a variety of different trees around town. Tree City USA’s can earn Growth Awards for conducting tree inventories. With the help of the Montana Conservation Corps and the Montana DNRC, Hamilton, Havre, and Libby have completed their inventories. flew- *lne&i ^ Jinionic The Northern Rockies Heritage Center has begun a ten-year tree replacement project on its historic Fort Missoula Parade Grounds. Roger Bergmeier at the Center, completed an inventory and a long-term plan this spring. The plan noted the declining condition of the Siberian elms that have served the Fort for so many years. The elms have become a safety threat to historic buildings and to people who recreate on the grounds. This year, three elms were removed and the first phase of the new tree plantings occurred. 3 1 new trees — American linden and red oak — were planted as memorial trees, each with a plaque noting for whom the new tree is dedicated. * MONTANA POWER FUNDS TREE PLANTINGS IN SOUTHWEST MONTANA COMMUNITIES Headwaters RC&D and Montana DNRC will administer grant program... This spring, several communities in southwest Montana will be planting trees through a new program funded by the Montana Power Company. The project, developed over the past 2 years with Montana Power Company, the Headwaters RC&D, and DNRC is designed to calculate the benefits of carbon sequestration by newly planted trees. Carbon sequestration is a scientific term for the process of utilization of carbon (by trees) in photosynthesis, storage, and growth. Of particular interest is the amount of carbon that becomes fixed, or stored in wood. As increased levels of C02 in the atmosphere are attributed to increased surface temperatures of the earth (global warming), there is intense interest in tree planting -- in cities as well as wildlands -- as a means to reduce the effects of global climate change. Montana Power is taking a leadership role in the discovery of these effects by funding tree planting projects in Butte, Anaconda, Deer Lodge, Drummond, Dillon, Ennis, Sheridan, Twin Bridges, and Whitehall. Stay tuned for results! >'■ ■■ ■ - J Bring A Tree Care Workshop to YOUR Community DRNC Community Foresters are available to present tree care workshops in your community. Local presentations on tree planting, pruning, and general maintenance provide a valuable service for community members, and an increased awareness about urban forestry issues. Conrad, Shelby, and Anaconda, have recently hosted workshops. If you'd like to host one in your community, contact your ^rea community forester — Jeff Roe in Miles City at (406) 232-2034 or Mark Lennon in Missoula at (406) 542-4215. MONTANA DNRC COMMUNITY FORESTRY PROGRAM 2705 SPURGIN ROAD MISSOULA, MONTANA 59804 VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT www.dnrc.state.mLus click on forestry \ then ‘service forestry', ...then * community forestry * BULK MAIL PERMIT #345 CELEBRATE ARBOR DAY IN MONTANA APRIL 28, 2000!