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April 2011 Urban ForestryArbor Week: April 3 - 9 Celebrate trees in our lives National Arbor Day is an annual observance on the last Friday of April to celebrate the role of trees in our lives and to promote tree planting and care. Oregon Arbor Week is celebrated throughout the first full week of April. Learn more at www.arborday.org/ arborday/oregon/. Regardless of what you call it, people around the world have set aside a day or days of observance to plant, care for, and celebrate the value of trees. See if you can match the country with its Arbor Day festival. 1. Korea 2. Iceland 3. Yugoslavia 4. Israel 5. Australia 6. India A. National Festival of Tree Planting B. Tree-Loving Week C. Student’s Afforestation Day D. Arbor Day E. Afforestation Day F. New Year’s Day of Trees Arbor DAy, A.k.A.Answers: 1-B; 2-C; 3-E; 4-F; 5-D;6-AArbor Week Events & Activities “…If your Arbor Day exercises help you to realize what benefits each one of you receives from the forests, and how by your assistance these benefits may continue, they will serve a good end.” ~ Theodore Roosevelt, April 15, 1907 Day 1: Free-A-Tree Sunday, April 3, 1-3 p.m., Iron Mountain Trail, end of Brookside Road off of Twin Fir Road. Join the Friends of Brookside to pull ivy and plant trees at the Iron Mountain Natural Area in Lake Grove. Parks Maintenance staff will demonstrate proper techniques for removing ivy and planting trees. Drinks and treats will be provided. Please dress properly. Visit www.ivyout.org, for information about ivy and how to remove it for tree health and safety. Day 2: Attend Heritage Tree Ceremony & Tree City USA Award Presentation Monday, April 4, 12-1:30 p.m., George Rogers Park, 611 State Street Visit George Rogers Park on your lunch break and help celebrate Arbor Week beneath the crown of the community’s newest Heritage Tree. A Douglas-fir will be dedicated as a Heritage Tree during a brief ceremony, a representative from the Oregon Department of Forestry will award the City Tree City USA 2010, and Parks staff will be on-hand to help answer questions about the Park. Treats will be provided! UrbAn & CommUnity Forestry Chuck’s Place and Play Boutique are sponsoring a city-wide coloring contest. Starting April 1, tree-themed coloring sheets will be available at Chuck’s Place (148 B Avenue), Play Boutique (464 First Street), City Hall (380 A Avenue), the West End Building (4101 Kruse Way) and online at www.ci.oswego.or.us/plan. Drop-off your colorful contest entry on or before Thursday, April 28 at Chuck’s Place or at Play Boutique. Entries will be on display at Chuck’s Place throughout April and winners will be announced on National Arbor Day, April 29. kiD’s Coloring Contest 7 DAys & 7 WAys to Celebrate trees INSIDE Page 2 7 Days & 7 Ways, continued Update: Invasive Trees Page 3 Stewardship Spotlight Heritage Tree Bike Ride Page 4 Community Forestry Workshop Seriesinside ... continued on page 2 The City Council held a study session on November 9, 2010, to discuss exempting invasive tree species from the City’s tree removal regulations. The Council asked staff to work with the Natural Resources Advisory Board to develop a proposal that would exempt invasive trees and encourage the removal of undesirable vegetation. Details of the proposed process are still being developed. While meeting dates have not yet been scheduled, the City Council will hold a study session and public hearing prior to making any decisions to implement the proposed changes. Invasive species are broadly defined as species that were introduced by humans to locations outside of their native range that spread and persist over large areas, outcompeting native species. Invasive species negatively impact natural ecosystems by displacing native species, reducing biological diversity, interfering with natural succession, and more. Staff identified the following 12 tree species that are extremely invasive and should be exempted from the City’s ordinary tree removal process: 1. Norway maple (Acer platanoides) 2. sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) 3. tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima) 4. European white birch (Betula pendula) 5. English hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) 6. English holly (Ilex aquifolium) 7. princess tree (Paulownia tomentosa) 8. white poplar (Populus alba) 9. sweet cherry (Prunus avium) 10. black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) 11. European mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia) 12. Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila) Day 3: Proclaim Arbor Week Tuesday, April 5, 6 p.m., Lake Oswego City Hall, Council Chambers, 380 A Avenue Mayor Hoffman will officially proclaim April 3 – 9, Arbor Week in Lake Oswego. Read the City’s Arbor Week Proclamation aloud. Visit www.ci.oswego.or.us/plan, for a copy. Day 4: Nominate a Heritage Tree Wednesday, April 6 Anyone can nominate a tree or group of trees for heritage designation with permission of the property owner. The Lake Oswego City Council established the Heritage Tree Program in November 1997 in recognizing that trees connect us to our human and natural history. Do you have a favorite tree? Submit a Heritage Tree Nomination today in honor of Arbor Week. Learn more about the City’s Heritage Tree Program and download a nomination form, at www.ci.oswego.or.us/plan. Day 5: Plant a Tree Thursday, April 7, 3:30 p.m., Springbrook Park Trailhead on Wembley Park Road near Crest Drive Planting a tree is an act of optimism, a labor of love, and a commitment to the future. Plant a tree in a suitable location in your neighborhood, or join the Friends of Springbrook Park for a tree planting event in celebration of Arbor Week. All residents, neighbors and children welcome. Visit Dennis’ 7 Dees and receive 20% off the purchase of one native tree anytime during the month of April with the coupon below. Day 6: Visit the Library Friday, April 8, Lake Oswego Public Library, 706 4th Street Look for tree-themed book displays for adults and children all week at the Lake Oswego Library. Check out a tree-themed book this week and ask for a free Arbor Day Oregon sticker! Day 7: Attend a Pruning Workshop Saturday, April 9, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m., 4101 Kruse Way, West End Building Learn to prune properly! See the Community Forestry Workshop Series schedule on Page 4 for a complete description and free registration information. 7 DAys & 7 WAys ... Continued UpDAte invasive trees Tour Lake Oswego’s Heritage Trees by bicycle! Riders will depart from Lower Millennium Park on May 14, at 10 a.m. sharp, so be there early. More information will be available on the City’s web- site in mid-April and in the May 2011 edition of HelloLO. In the 1970s, volunteers worked with the City to acquire the land that is now Springbrook Park. The property was dedicated as a natural area in the City Charter in 1978. City residents had the foresight to protect the 52 acres of remnant forest for future generations to enjoy. But the forest of Springbrook Park has not always looked the way it does today. Historically, Douglas-fir dominated the site. It was last harvested in the 1950s, when the site was cleared, with stumps and slash left behind and bare soil exposed. Bare soil is favorable to windblown seeds from species like red alder and black cottonwood. These fast-growing species are quick to establish and outcompete the slower growing, shade intolerant Douglas-firs. Over the last 60-years, the hardwood trees have grown to dominate the site. Without proactive management, the remnant forest in the urban setting was invaded by non- native, invasive species like English ivy, Himalayan blackberry, and English holly. These species spread rapidly and overtake the native vegetation. The Friends of Springbrook Park recognized the threat from invasive plants and came together in 2003 to develop a Natural Resources Management Plan. After seven years, volunteer efforts to remove invasive, non-native vegetation and restore the health and function of the native ecosystem are visible throughout the park. Generous memberships, donations and gifts make it possible for the Friends of Springbrook Park to conduct annual restoration projects and perform trail maintenance work. When asked about what inspires the Friends of Springbrook Park, current President Jim Evans said, “Our partnerships, especially the friends and neighbors who have valued and supported this nature area for over 40 years, the City's Parks Maintenance Crew, students from Uplands Elementary, Lake Oswego Junior High and Lake Oswego High School, and Boy Scouts from Cubs to Eagle Scouts. Springbrook Park is an outdoor classroom for all ages where residents and students participate in restoration projects, bird studies, nature tours and special events like Arbor Day." The Friends of Springbrook Park are working to preserve Springbrook Park for this and future generations to enjoy. Learn more at www.springbrookpark.org. Springbrook Park isn’t the only Lake Oswego park with “friends.” The Friends of Brookside are citizen volunteers who work to preserve and promote the natural growth and beauty of the Iron Mountain Park natural areas near Brookside Road. And they can also use your help! Join the Friends of Brookside on Sunday, April 3, from 1-3 p.m. to help restore the urban forest at Iron Mountain Park. For more information, visit www.LGNA.info or call Friends of Brookside Board Chair Mike Buck at 503-914-8607. steWArDship spotlight: FrienDs oF springbrook pArk heritAge tree toUr bike riDe Mark Your Calendars! Participating in restorations projects can be fun and rewarding for the whole family! The City is pleased to offer a series of free Urban and Community Forestry Workshops for the fifth consecutive year. All workshops are free and open to the public with preregistration, and held at the West End Building, 4101 Kruse Way, in the Santiam Room (the August 20 Plant Health Care workshop will be in the Yamhill Room). OREGON UrbAn & CommUnity Forestry Workshop series Tree Pruning April 9, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Call 503-635-0290, for free registration. This workshop will help participants understand why, what and how to prune to develop healthy, strong and attractive trees and shrubs. Participants will explore pruning types, proper cutting tools and techniques, and tree responses to pruning. This will be a hands-on program, so bring your favorite pruning tools and wear appropriate clothing for working outside. This workshop will be led by ISA Certified Arborist Damon Schrosk, owner of Treecology. Tree Risk Management May 5, 7 to 8 p.m. Call 503-635-0290, for free registration. Trees contribute to quality of life in urban environments. But when they fail, trees can injure people or damage property. Putting a tree risk management plan into practice can help to reduce the risks associated with tree failure. This workshop will explore the standard practice of tree risk assessment. Understanding the degree of risk involved, the options available, and the liability associated with failure potential, will help property owners make responsible decisions that can protect people and property. This workshop will be led by ISA Certified Arborist and Tree Risk Assessor Morgan Holen, owner of Morgan Holen & Associates, LLC, Consulting Arborists and Urban Forest Management. Landscaping for Conservation May 21, 9 to 11 a.m. Visit www.tryonfriends.org or call 503-636- 4398, for free registration. This workshop explores how your garden can function more like the natural system surrounding us. Participants will learn about their garden from the ground up - starting with the soil and its complex role supporting plants - and about gardening with native plants which use less water and don’t require expensive fertilizers and pesticides. Everyone who attends will receive a free plant and the opportunity to receive a garden consultation. This workshop will be led by Stephanie Wagner, Education Director of Friends of Tryon Creek State Park. Tree Code Decoded June 25, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Call 503-635-0290, for free registration. This workshop will cover the history, purpose, and application of Lake Oswego’s tree code. Participants will learn about the different types of tree removal permit applications, why they are approved or denied, how to complete an application, and how to find out about tree removal applications in your neighborhood. The workshop will also explore the basics of tree protection, including when trees must be protected during construction and general measures of providing tree protection. The discussion will be pertinent to arborists, landscapers, commercial landowners, neighborhood and homeowners associations, as well as individual homeowners. Bring your questions, (but please no formal complaints, confessions, or applications). This workshop will be led by Bill Youngblood, Lake Oswego Code Enforcement Specialist, and Andy Gulizia, Lake Oswego Associate Planner. Invasive Plant Control July 16, 9 to 11 a.m. For free registration, visit www. tryonfriends.org or call 503-636-4398. Join Stephanie Wagner from Friends of Tryon Creek State Park to learn about the importance of controlling non-native invasive plants and their effects on natural areas throughout our area. Learn to identify plants that pose a threat and discover recognized methods for eradication. Participants will also find out about the importance of native plants in promoting healthy habitats for a variety of animal species. Plant Health Care August 20, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Call 503-635-0290, for free registration. For this workshop, Damon Schrosk, ISA Certified Arborist (PN- 5474A) and owner of Treecology, will help participants understand what trees and plants need to grow well, and what happens when they don't get what they need. Discover holistic solutions that increase plant health, and not which chemicals to spray to treat a symptom.