The Wisconsin Urban Forestry Insider
An electronic newsletter of breaking news and valuable information for the Urban Forest community in Wisconsin and beyond.
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November 6, 2009
Stevens Point Kid's Climb
Photo by John Wayne Farber
This issue's contents:
In the News
- $900,000 for Urban & Community Forestry Grants -Midwest Agnet
- Asian Longhorn Beetle Threatens New England - Hartford Courant
- Stunning Time-lapse Video of California Forest Fire
Emerald Ash Borer
- What Municipalities Can Expect When EAB Arrives
- EAB University Webinar Series
- Wisconsin Shares - Community Wood Utilization
- New EAB Guide for Homeowners Available
- New EAB Map
- EAB National News Coverage
Specifically Wisconsin
Tools For Your Job
- New Arborist Certification
- Job Opportunity - Regional Urban Forester - Austin, Texas
- EPA Fellowships for Undergrads
- ISA Today
Conferences & Seminars
- WNA Winter Workshop Announced
- Putting the ‘Green’ Back Into Green Jobs - Webcast
- Educator Workshop and Training Events for Wisconsin
$900,000 for Urban & Community Forestry Grants -Midwest Agnet
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the selection of $900,000 in Federal Urban and Community Forestry cost-share grants to ten organizations funded through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service. The funds will be matched by recipient organizations.
Forestry Grants Awarded [Exit DNR]
Asian Longhorn Beetle Threatens New England - Hartford Courant
Money quote: "New Englanders, especially those living in suburbs and cities, tend to think of themselves as removed from a forest environment. But, in fact, residents of the Northeast live in intimate relationship with their trees. The simplest, everyday behavior, like stacking purchased firewood between two trees in the backyard, can have a lasting impact on nearby tree life."
Stunning Time-lapse Video of California Forest Fire
This incredible visual record of the Station Fire in Los Angeles underscores the value and importance of wildfire prevention and safety efforts. The Station Fire, which started on August 26, 2009, was the largest fire in the recorded history of Angeles National Forest (est. 1892) and the 10th largest fire in California since 1933. Angeles National Forest is within 20 to 60 miles of Los Angeles, CA.
For information on the Angeles National Forest visit: www.fs.fed.us/r5/angeles/about [Exit DNR]
What Municipalities Can Expect When EAB Arrives
You’ve just been notified EAB has been found in your community. Now what? Olivia Witthun, DNR Northeast Region Urban Forestry Assistant, shares the perspective of staff from the cities of Green Bay and Franklin, the site of two recent finds.
EAB University Webinar Series
EAB University, a series of educational Webinars regarding EAB and produced by Michigan State, Purdue and Ohio State with support from the US Forest Service kicked-off on November 5 with the next program scheduled for Thursday, November 12 at 10:00 AM central time. The webinars are free but you must register for access. Webinars will be archived for later viewing.
Information & registration [Exit DNR]
Wisconsin Shares - Community Wood Utilization
On October 20, municipal arborists, foresters and managers from 30 municipalities in southeastern WI attended a training session on community wood utilization at Regner Park in West Bend. The event was funded in part by a Forest Service grant, and sponsored by Town & Country RC&D, DATCP, UW-Extension and DNR. Updates on the emerald ash borer population and regulations, harvesting techniques to maximize potential wood value and options for wood marketing and utilization were all on the agenda. Similar to past DNR workshops, the morning session was held indoors and the afternoon was spent in the field learning the various techniques. Certified arborist CEU's were available, and lunch was included in the $15 fee. The WDNR is exploring the possibility of offering this workshop in other areas of the state this spring. If you are interested in attending a workshop like this, please contact your Regional Urban Forestry Coordinator.
DNR Regional Urban Forestry Coordinators
Wisconsin Shares is a new feature of the Wisconsin Urban Forestry Insider which embodies the metaphor "Don't Reinvent the Wheel" by sharing good efforts that Wisconsin communities are engaging to move their urban forestry programs forward. To share your story send a short article, news clipping, press release or whatever is convenient and tells the story to Laura Wyatt at Laura.Wyatt@wisconsin.gov.
New EAB Guide for Homeowners Available
The Wisconsin Emerald Ash Borer Program has recently introduced a new publication, An EAB Guide for Homeowners which is available electronically at the Wisconsin EAB inter-agency Website. The publication provides information for homeowners on ash tree identification, locations of EAB infestations, laws regarding EAB, management options and guidance on disposal of infested ash wood.
EAB Guide for Homeowners [Exit DNR]
New EAB Map
Multi-state EAB distribution map as of November 2, 2009.
EAB National News Coverage
Robin Usborne, Communications Manager with Michigan State University, shares links to recent coverage regarding EAB.
Urban Forestry Council - Jeff Edgar Steps Down-
The Wisconsin Urban Forestry Council (UFC), established to advise the Wisconsin State Forester and Department of Natural Resources on the best ways to preserve, protect, expand and improve Wisconsin's urban and community forest resources, recently welcomed five new members. After more than a decade of service, Jeff Edgar has stepped down from the UFC and Jeff Wolters has been appointed as the representative of the Wisconsin Green Industry Federation.
Climbing to New Heights - The Pointer Online
In October the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point chapter of the Student Society of Arboriculture invited children in the community to experience firsthand, the reason why many students choose to pursue a degree in urban forestry. This past weekend marked the second annual Kids’ Climb hosted by SSA, a specialized program for future urban foresters and those passionate about trees.
Stevens Point Students [Exit DNR]
New Arborist Certification
The International Society of Arboriculture has launched a new certification credential. The Certified Tree Worker/Aerial Lift Specialist credential allows those individuals testing for the Certified Tree Worker to choose either Climber Specialist or Aerial Lift Specialist. Those who already have their Climber Specialist need only to take the skills portion for aerial lift to receive the additional credential.
Job Opportunity - Regional Urban Forester - Austin, Texas
A message from John Giedraitis, Texas Urban Forestry Program Manager:
We are looking for a Regional Urban Forester to head up our Austin, Texas office. Austin is the “Live Music Capitol of the World” and third fastest growing city in America. In 1980, Austin was the 42nd largest city and today it is the 16th. No other city even comes close to that growth.
Here is some economic news about Texas and about the Austin area. I may be a bit biased but as city forester for Austin for 13 years I found it to be one of the best places to live, work and play in the US.
If you are interested, you can apply at http://greatjobs.tamu.edu by selecting Texas Forest Service. The NOV for the Staff Forester II, Regional Urban Forester position is 04554.
Maybe you can help Keep Austin Weird. If not you, then please forward to someone who you think would be interested.
Good Luck! John
Austin Job [Exit DNR] Go to Search Positions and select Austin in the "Location" drop-down box.
EPA Fellowships for Undergrads
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) program, is offering Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) undergraduate fellowships for bachelor level students in environmental fields of study. The deadline for receipt of paper applications is December 10, 2009 at 4:00 PM and December 10, 2009 at 11:59:59 PM ET for submittal of electronic applications to Grants.gov. Subject to availability of funding, the Agency plans to award approximately 30 new fellowships by July 30, 2010. Eligible students will receive support for their junior and senior years of undergraduate study and for an internship at an EPA facility during the summer between their junior and senior years. The fellowship provides up to $19,250 per year of academic support and up to $8,000 of internship support for a three-month summer period.
Anticipated Type of Award: Fellowship
Estimated Number of Awards: Approximately 30 awards
Anticipated Funding Amount: Approximately $1,395,000 for all awards
Potential Funding per Fellowship: Up to a total of $46,500. Fellows will receive support for their junior and senior years of undergraduate study and for an internship at an EPA facility during the summer between their junior and senior years. Cost sharing is not required.
ISA Today
Your source of the latest information and updates from the International Society of Arboriculture
WNA Winter Workshop Announced
Wisconsin Nursery Association’s largest educational event of the year, Winter Workshop has been scheduled for Wednesday, February 24, 2010 at the Country Springs Hotel in Waukesha. Dr. Bert T. Swanson, president of Swanson’s Nursery Consulting, Inc., will be the keynote speaker.
Putting the ‘Green’ Back Into Green Jobs - Webcast
The Alliance for Community Trees (ACT) is planning a webcast Putting the 'Green' Back Into Green Jobs, Part II: Seeding Career Opportunities on Thursday, November 19, 2009 from 12:00 noon to 1:00 PM central time.
The green industry is a $40 billion market and increasing quickly. In many sectors of the green industry, including tree care, there is a job for every trained worker available. Some communities have caught on and are offering workforce training to expose adults and high school graduates to these career opportunities. Particularly, the partnership between urban youth and trees diversifies the green industry's work force and makes green areas more accessible to urban communities. Registration is free and CEU credit is available.
Educator Workshop and Training Events for Wisconsin
Learn about new training opportunities and fall conferences where you can pick-up new natural resource materials for the 2009-2010 school year.
More Conferences & Seminars
For more conferences and seminars check out WDNR's Urban Forest website.
About the Insider
The Wisconsin Urban Forestry Insider is intended as a quick networking tool for all people actively working in the area of urban and community forestry, especially in the state of Wisconsin.
Items that cannot wait for our quarterly print newsletter, Wisconsin Urban & Community Forests, will appear here.
The Insider is produced biweekly by the Urban and Community Forestry program of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, Wisconsin. Past issues will be archived on the UF pages on the WDNR web site.
We are happy to accept your suggestions and contributions. Send them to the editor, at Laura.Wyatt@Wisconsin.gov. Or call her: 608/267-0568.
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