Congratulations, Tree Trust!

MnSTAC and tree advo-cates everywhere heartily congratulate Tree Trust onbeing selected for a USDAForest Service ConservationEducation OutstandingAchievement Award. Theaward was granted for TreeTrust’s work on the SchoolEnvironment Program. GailSteinman Nozal and JanetteMonear were specifically com-mended for their work.

Inside This Issue4 Using Downed Wood

5 Tree Guarantees

7 Buried Root Systems

9 St. Paul Greening

10 MnSTAC Info

11 Tree Potpourri

12 STAC Award Info

VOL. 3, NO. 4 • AUTUMN 2000

1MnSTAC has a NEW WEB ADDRESS! Visit us there at http://www.mnstac.org

Autumn

2000◆

The Minnesota Shade TreeAdvisory Committee’s mission is to advance

Minnesota’s commitment to the

health, care and future of all

community forests.

Please turn to p. 2.

fter thedeafen-

ing, black, stormclouds hadpassed over,Walt Evers slow-ly made his wayout of his daugh-ter’s basement to assess the damage. The kitchen lookedto be in tatters; yet, the cupboards and oven were closedtight. Curiously, Walt opened the cupboards to find thedishes neatly stacked—with a perfect, thin coating ofmud between each plate. Insulation from the wallstightly packed the interior of the closed oven. Two-by-fours from other Comfrey properties had easily penetrat-ed the walls, as if his daughter’s home was a giant dart-board. Outside, Walt’s truck was parked just where heleft it, but now the truck’s tires were pinning down aneighbor’s garage door.

Two years after the terrible tornado of 1998, the res-idents of Comfrey can still share many, many stories ofdevastation and wonder, as if the storm pushed throughthe town yesterday. The storm forever changed thesmall, agricultural community and its residents. In amatter of minutes, one half of the town was nearly lev-eled; the other had no siding or shingles. DowntownComfrey—the heart of the community—was completelydestroyed. The tornado mercilessly took their city officesand facilities, fire department, community center,library, public school and post office.

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COMMUNITY FOREST PROFILE

Replanting in Comfrey by Jeff Borst

COURTESY TREE TRUST

A Comfrey volunteer fireman and student helpwater new treesplanted after the tornado.◆ ◆ ◆

Autumn 2000 • ADVOCATE2

Of the many difficult psychological and emo-tional impacts left by the storm, the loss of thetown’s great mature trees was particularly hard.For many decades the Brown County trees hadweathered hundreds of storms. The tornado of1998 was too much to bear.

The loss of the town’s dependable greenancestors contributed significantly to residents’immediate feelings of devastation and despair.But hope survived within the seeds of kindness ofstrangers to help in time of need, and in theincredible will of the Comfrey residents to rebuildand live on. Those seeds gave new life to a townthat, two years after the devastation, is young inappearance but wise from experience.

Re-establishing Comfrey’s green infrastruc-ture—their community forest— is an importantpiece in the on-going reconstruction. In the fall of1999, the City of Comfrey embarked on a MNReLeaf project in partnership with theDepartment of Natural Resources, Trees Foreverand Tree Trust. The project began in the halls ofthe state capitol, with the Legislature earmarking$50,000 for Comfrey through the DNR MNReLeaf grant program. To receive this funding,Comfrey must submit a grant proposal.

Comfrey’s population is less than 500 people.There is one city clerk and one public works person—Linda Friesen and Steve Berberich,respectively. When the MN ReLeaf funding oppor-tunity was brought to the community, the mayor,council and city staff concurred that unless out-side help was provided, the ReLeaf funds couldnot be utilized. The community needed a projectcoordinator as well as administrative, organiza-tional and technical support. Hence, a synergistic,public-private partnership was created betweenthe DNR and Tree Trust, a Minnesota non-profitorganization, to address the community’s needsfor the duration of the MN ReLeaf biennium

Greg Johnson, a Minnesota DNR New UlmArea Forester, committed to oversee the grantapplication procedures, assess the available plant-ing space in the city, develop a list of desirabletree species, design the tree plantings and wind-breaks and lend assistance at educational andtree planting functions. Jeff Borst, CommunityForestry Coordinator, committed Tree Trust aslead coordinator in the “Comfrey CommunityReforestation” project. Tree Trust’s goal as coordi-nator was to fill the “gap” that existed betweenComfrey’s community forestry needs and the ser-vices and resources available through the DNRand others.

Over the course of the project many organiza-tions, individuals and businesses lent a hand.

Alliant Energy of Iowa, for example, the majorutility company serving Comfrey, brought inIowa Trees Forever, a sister organization to TreeTrust. Michele Grinnell, Trees Forever FieldForester, coordinated Alliant in-kind services andthe support of Trees Forever staff at educationalworkshops and community plantings. Other sup-port came from such different groups as a hairstyling salon, a tree care advisor, a student envi-ronmental group and the local fire department.

The first task for Tree Trust was to write thegrant proposal on behalf of the City. GregJohnson, Linda Friesen and Jeff Borst workedtogether to plan a two-year community plantingschedule. For Spring, 2000, two major plantingprojects were identified: city-wide homeownertree plantings; and tree and windbreak plantingsat the Comfrey Public School.

“Trees for Comfrey” CommunityForestry Homeowner Workshop

A winter educational workshop for the resi-dents of Comfrey was created to provide educa-tion and technical support, and to encouragehomeowners to select and order trees for Spring,2000. Residents received a diverse list of treespecies from which to order their trees. Toreceive a tree or trees in the spring, a homeown-er had to meet three requirements: pay a cashmatch of $10/tree; sign a pledge to water andcare for their tree(s); and receive approval on thelocation of the tree(s) from one of the foresters atthe workshop. Based on the workshop responses,Tree Trust ordered 96 containerized trees for cityhomeowners.

Environmental Education in Your Outdoor Learning Area: Teacher Training Workshop

To help prepare the Comfrey Public Schoolfor Arbor Month plantings, Tree Trust workedclosely with school staff to develop a teachertraining workshop for the late winter/earlyspring of 2000. Primary contacts at the ComfreyPublic School included Bob Meyer, superinten-dent; Karen Poortvliet, biology teacher and envi-ronmental contact; and Walt Evers, school main-tenance supervisor. The workshop was designedto review planting plans and activities, offertechnical assistance and assemble a “GreenTeam” of teachers, students and parents whowould plan ahead for Arbor Month plantings aswell as long-term care.

Comfrey, from p. 1.

ADVOCATE • Autumn 2000 3

Comfrey Public School Arbor MonthCelebration: May 1-2, 2000

Teachers, parents and students planted,mulched and watered 265 bare root shrubs thefirst day of their Arbor Month celebration.Students worked in teams of two; older studentswere paired younger students. The strategy wastremendously efficient. A windbreak was plantedwithin hours and the students had fun. (Theywere not in class!)

The second day of the celebration found stu-dents planting, mulching and watering 73 con-tainerized trees. In preparation for the planting,Alliant Energy had augered 73 holes the previ-ous day as an in-kind service for the community.With holes already prepared, students were ableto spend more time properly planting the trees.The day’s work created one large shade treegrove and two large ornamental groves.

Both school planting days required a greatdeal of cooperative effort from every corner of thecommunity. Walt Evers oversaw the site prepara-tion activities, woodchip distribution and water-ing activities. The Comfrey Fire Department pro-vided additional watering assistance. As men-tioned, Alliant Energy provided augering service.Parents provided direction for the students andcontributed miscellaneous equipment such aspickup trucks. Gordon Herbst, an Extension TreeCare Advisor from Mankato, provided guidanceto the students. When all was said and done, thecommunity and their helpmates had planted,mulched and watered 338 trees and shrubs inless than two days!

Arbor Month Planting: May 13, 2000 The morning light brought with it bitter

cold, strong winds and misting rain. Despite thesurprising spring weather, approximately twen-ty-five volunteers from the Twin Cities and St.Peter worked their chills away for the sake of theComfrey homeowners.

Comfrey residents had been asked duringthe winter workshop if they would need help toplant their trees. Out of the 96 trees ordered, atleast 60 trees needed help from volunteers if theywere to make it into the ground. The first groupof volunteers (recruited by Tree Trust) came froma Twin Cities business called “Quiet WatersSalon,” an Aveda Concepts Salon. Because Avedacompanies support environmental projects, fami-lies and friends of the salon were eager to makethe 5-hour round trip road trek to help Comfreyresidents. The second group of volunteers was

from “Gustavus Greens,” a student environmentalorganization based in St. Peter at GustavusAdolphus College. Responding to the unexpectedbitter cold, Linda Friesen, Steve Berberich andMayor Linda Wallin quickly organized efforts tofind the volunteers hats, gloves, sweatshirts andjackets. Comfrey residents dug into their ownclosets to collect more than enough warm clothingfor the strangers who had come to help. TreeTrust provided tools, planting demonstrations andtechnical assistance. Steve Berberich deliveredchips to the homeowners’ properties. By late after-noon, every Comfrey resident who had requestedhelp was visited by the volunteers!

Community Reforestation: Year One The Comfrey Community Reforestation pro-

ject was tremendously successful in 2000, and willenjoy continued success in 2001. The project is awonderful illustration of the strength and syner-gism that partnerships bring to a communityforestry endeavor. Over 400 trees and shrubswere planted by volunteers in less than threedays because the partners—City of Comfrey,Comfrey Public School, Department of NaturalResources, Trees Forever and Tree Trust—com-municated, understood and respected their rolesand responsibilities. Early on, the partners recog-nized each other’s strengths and limitations andplanned accordingly. The result is truly greaterthan any individual partner could have achievedon their own.

Special Mention: Gordon Herbst Community volunteer plantings, like those

achieved in Comfrey, are not possible withoutsound, arboricultural technical assistance.Without proper guidance present at the time ofplanting, the future of trees and shrubs is serious-ly in question due to roots drying out, uncutencircling roots, air pockets, excess soil over roots,etc. Gordon Herbst is a special Tree Care Advisorwho is very active in his home community ofMankato and in the Twin Cities. Gordon assistedTree Trust at every planting in Comfrey on May1, 2 and 13. He provided exceptional leadership tothe volunteers, and in particular, the students.The University of Minnesota Extension Service’sTree Care Advisor program is a wonderfulresource for community foresters because of thekind and generous efforts of individuals likeGordon Herbst. Thank you, Gordon!

Jeff Borst is a Community Forestry Coordinator withTree Trust, based in St. Louis Park, MN.

Autumn 2000 • ADVOCATE4

troll the many trails of the MinnesotaLandscape Arboretum today and you’llsee extensive use of wood shreds as

mulch and trail bedding. In this popularplanting center, use of wood debris is some-what related to “supply and demand.” Sincedecomposed wood chips/shreds can becomenice loamy soil amendment material, theyare sometimes hard to come by for walkingtrails. But in the past few years, and espe-cially after the summer winds of 1998, stormthrow, road projects and tree trimming creat-

ed an abundant sup-ply of downed wood inthe area.

“While grindingup the excess wood istime consuming, get-ting rid of wood debrishas been a big chal-lenge,” commentsMike Zins, UniversityExtension Horticul-turist. After amassinga gigantic wood chippile 20 feet deepbrought in by treetrimmers followingthe Big Storms, the

Arboretum used as much as it could and thenlet the public take wood chips from selectedsites. As has been true in Minneapolis andmany other communities, Arboretum stafffinds the public to be enthusiastic and thankful.

Zins observes, “Recently, we are seeingless chips and more shreds. Shreds breakdown more easily and are better for stabiliz-ing.” Some citizens use shreds for landscap-ing, although it is not as finished looking asother materials. John Ecklund,in the Watertown area ofCarver County, has created aunique look for chip/shred land-scaping. He separates logs and

Using Downed Wood forPublic Good

pieces that can be used for firewood from thedebris, then grinds everything else for mulch.Ecklund adds a splash of color . . . and sells col-ored mulch to customers looking for a specialimage.

Zins expresses frustration about the incredi-ble amounts of wood wasted in the US. “It’ssomething people generally don’t think about.We’re getting better at some practices. Years ago,a lot of wood was wasted because brush waspiled up and burned. Today, more people see it asa resource, but we still have a long way to go.”

“Recycling works if it is convenient. As thecost of energy goes up, more demand for wood iscreated. Generally, we need more secure, accessi-ble sites off the beaten paths. Some communitiesand individual citizens consider wood give-awaystations unsightly, or they are fearful of the heatgenerated by decomposing wood. In some cases,wood and chip piles attract other types of dump-ing,” says Zins.

Zins would like to see easier, efficient waysof making downed wood available for sale tosmall scale markets such as carvers, artists andcraftspeople. Cost effective access could alsoencourage wood-related small personal business-es such as custom sawing, firewood lots and spe-cialized manufacturing. Current niche uses ofwood debris include sawdust and shavings forlivestock bedding, pulp for paper making andfuel for biomass burners.

Thanks to Mike Zins for the information in this article.As Extension Horticulturist at the University ofMinnesota, Mike is based at the Minnesota Arboretumand facilitates tree-related activities there. He is aninstructor at the St. Paul Campus and in the ShadeTree Short Course program. Mike also owns a smallcircle sawmill in rural Waconia. He is co-chair of theMnSTAC Wood Utilization Task Force.

COUR

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SThis is the secondin a series of arti-cles featuringMnSTAC membersand their organiza-tions’ utilization ofwood left fromfrom tree trim-ming, tree removaland storm throw.

Frost tooth breakingapart stumps andwood containing tramp metal.◆ ◆ ◆

Processed wood mulchat a Minneapolis site;approximately100,000 cubic yards.◆ ◆ ◆

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ADVOCATE • Autumn 2000

Tree and Shrub Guarantees

5

ur “disposable, costs-too-much-to-repair,junk it” way of living

has permeated our lifestyleand has influenced our way ofthinking regarding tree selec-tion, planting and care in oururban landscaping. We tend tohave the attitude that says,“Plant it now; if it doesn’t sur-vive, we’ll replace it.” This atti-tude is fostered by warrantiesof garden centers, nurseriesand other firms supplying trees to the home-owner.

“Guaranteed for One Year” is a commonwarranty offered by tree and shrub suppliers.Most forestry professionals will agree that,even under very adverse conditions and withminimal care, most trees will “survive” fortwelve months. As urban forestry profession-als and advocates, we need to expand thethinking and the expectations of tree buyerswho are offered a warranty of 365 days. Treesshould be viewed as permanent structures,especially when put in the perspective oftheir potential lifetimes. An exercise inhumility for all of us might include the esti-mated longevity or years to maturity forthese selected trees*:

Sequoia ◆ 4000-5000 years

Bur oak ◆ 600 years

Red pine ◆ 350 years (MN State Tree)

White spruce ◆ 250-300 years

Eastern larch ◆ 100-200 years*(Richard J. Preston, Jr.; North American Trees, FourthEdition)

“We guarantee our trees for a year.” Is that enough?By Gary R. Johnson and Andy Sobert

O Purchasing qualityplants vs. purchasing guarantees

At the heart of theissue is the assumption ofrisk, and the risk in thisissue is whether or not thepurchased trees arehealthy enough to poten-tially live long, useful livesin our landscapes. Dick

Cross of Cross Wholesale Nurseries, Inc., inLakeville, MN, offered this grower’s perspec-tive of one-year guarantees:

If the tree has the potential to survive(adequate roots, leaves, stored energy), thenthe guarantee is adequate. In other words, ifthe tree hasn’t been grown well and harvest-ed correctly, it is likely to fail within thatfirst year and the guarantee is a worthy

Please turn to page 6.

Dispel a Myth

Bur oaks can live over 250 years in Minnesota.◆ ◆ ◆

This hackberry’s root system was coveredby over 12” in the root ball.◆ ◆ ◆

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Autumn 2000 • ADVOCATE6

investment. The retailer assumes that riskfor the first year of the tree’s life.

According to Cross, the consumer shouldexamine the trees before purchasing themand look for evidence that the tree has been

grown and cared for properly. Thisincludes good foliage, intact and healthybark, good over-all vitality if the tree iscontainerized, a moist, full, and intact(minimum of broken roots) root system ifthe tree is bare-rooted, and in general, a50/50 canopy/stem ratio. For instance, a10-foot tall tree should have the branchesstarting at about 4.5-5 feet above ground.

Based on the research conducted atthe University of Minnesota, Forest

ResourcesDepartment since1994, the depth tothe first main orderroots (first truebranch roots) isequally if not moreimportant to long-term health.Diagnostic root collarexcavations and ran-domized sampling of

three tree species (ash, linden, maple) haverevealed that buried root systems oftenresult in shorter lives for trees. This is aconcern when purchasing containerized andballed-and-burlapped trees, situations whereyou can’t see the roots. When purchasingthese plants, ask the retailer for permissionto probe down through the soil ball with awire (coat hanger gauge) to find the depth tothe first branch roots. If the roots are closeto the surface, that’s good. If they are deeperthan four inches from the surface of thesoil/root ball, you will be purchasing an infe-rior root system, especially after you removethat excess soil at planting time.

Guarantees connected to installations

Although many guarantees are tied tocash-and-carry purchases, many are alsoconnected to installed landscapes. In thesecases, the consumer purchases not only thetree but the contract to have it installed.Now the risk is not just whether or not thetree is healthy, but also whether it is han-

dled and planted correctly. From his experi-ence, Dick Cross believes the way trees arehandled prior to planting, the way the plant-ing sites and holes are prepared and the waytrees are finally planted on the site are all atleast as important as the quality of theplant. Therefore, poor handling and plantingtechniques can lessen the chances of survivalfor a healthy tree in that first year.

The error of placing the root (trunk) col-lar area several inches below the landscapegrade often results in a condition known asstem girdling root syndrome, or a generalslow decline in health. Unfortunately, basedon the research conducted by the ForestResources Department, these problems andsubsequent decline often take 12-20 years tobecome obvious … long after the one-yearguarantee. The trees were healthy, but thehandling and planting techniques placed thetrees at risk for several years.

Marc Shippee, City Forester for Blaine,MN, has encountered problems with someretail nurseries installing trees on new resi-dential sites, in situations where theinstalled trees are mandated by the city’s

Guarantees, from p. 5

Top: A well-dug balled-and-burlapped tree.

Bottom: This amurmaple with a pot-boundroot system died threeyears after planting . . .long after the guarantee period.◆ ◆ ◆

In addition to having its roots too deep in the soilball, this tree’s roots were buried with 10” of soil.◆ ◆ ◆

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Please turn to page 8.

ADVOCATE • Autumn 2000 7

Buried Root Systems andTree HealthBy Gary R. Johnson

Stem girdling roots (SGRs) are those roots that grow either par-tially or completely against and compress (girdle) stem tissues oftrees. Xylem and phloem (conducting) tissues in the stems becomemuch smaller in diameter at the point/s of compression, compromis-ing the transport of water, nutrients and photosynthates (“food”).Trees become stressed and more vulnerable to secondary problems(drought, insect attacks). Often, the compressed areas of the stemsare weak points and far too often are the points of failure during

windstorms. For instance, in the cata-strophic windstorms of 1998 inMinnesota, 73.3%* of the lindens thatwere lost actually broke at compres-sion points from SGRs, and most brokebelow ground.

SGRs can and do form aboveground, especially with maples andpoplars. However, they can develop onmost species below ground and out ofsight. How can this happen? If a tree’sroot system has been buried too deep,the stem is subsequently buried. Whenroot systems are buried too deep—with

some trees, that’s one inch of soil over the first, main order (firstbranch) roots— secondary woody roots grow upward, closer to thesoil surface. Often, some of these roots end up growing against thestem tissues, either partially or completely encircling the stems.

Since 1997, the University of Minnesota Forest ResourcesDepartment has randomly sampled 303 trees (ash, maple, linden).Depths of soil over the first roots ranged from 0 to 13 inches.Analysis of the data later revealed a statistically significant rela-tionship between depth of soil over the roots, condition of the treesand the frequency of stem girdling roots.

As more soil was added over the root systems of those trees—forwhatever reason—stem conditions declined and the frequency ofstem girdling roots increased. So, deeper (planting) is not better. Inthe long run, it’s worse for the long-term health and stability of thetrees.

*Based on the storm damage research conducted by the Department ofForest Resources, University of Minnesota, 1995-present.

Gary Johnson is Associate Professor, Urban and Community Forestry,University of Minnesota

Top: Above-groundstem girdling roots.

Right: Dysfunctionalroot system of an ashwith 4” of soil over themain root stem.

Below: Poor stem con-dition related to stemgirdling roots andexcess soil over rootsystem.◆ ◆ ◆

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Autumn 2000 • ADVOCATE8

double-checking on the part of the consumer.Did Kirkpatrick’s contract clause protect

her trees? After they were installed, she ran-domly checked a few plants to make sure theywere planted correctly. They weren’t. In theend, the original contractor took care of a fewof the problems, extended the guarantee totwo years, and just gave up on others.Kirkpatrick had the remaining trees correctlyplanted and has since used a different con-tractor for her expanding landscape. The newcontractor told her “I want to plant legaciesinstead of just planting trees,” and has abidedby the clauses she has inserted in their con-tracts.

In summary, Kirkpatrick recommends thefollowing steps when contracting out treeplanting on your own property . You’ll betterensure not only the health of the trees, butthe handling and planting practices:

1) Communicate your expectations with thecontractor.

2) Be specific when drawing up the con-tract and double check that all of yourconditions are included before signing it.

3) Withhold 50% of the contract balanceuntil you are satisfied that the contracthas been honored.

4) Perform a random inspection of theinstalled trees and shrubs before thefinal payment.

5) Hire reputable, qualified and ethicalpeople who care about their reputation.

As Dick Cross also recommended: If younotice a tree is not performing well, don’t waituntil the end of the guarantee period andexpect a free replacement. Call the retailer orcontractor as soon as you notice problemsbecause they may be able to intervene andsave the tree.

Buyers must be educated to look past the“One Year Guarantee.” They can expect muchbetter results if they learn and adopt proventree selection and installation practices, andassume some of the risks involved in creatingarboreal legacies.

Gary Johnson is Associate Professor of Urban andCommunity Forestry, University of Minnesota,Department of Forest Resources. Andy Sobert is aMinnesota Tree Care Advisor and Member of theMnSTAC Research and Education Committee.

reforestation plans. One retail nursery in par-ticular not only refused to pay careful atten-tion to planting depth; they claimed thatthey’ve never had any problems with plantingdepth causing tree decline in the 10-year his-tory of their business. Still, they threatenedto void the guarantee on the trees if thehomeowners or city forester insisted that thetop half of the burlap, strings and wire bas-kets be removed. Shippee has taken the posi-tion of ensuring long-term health by insistingthat these best planting practices be imple-mented (proper depth, removal of burlap,strings and wire), and has advocated thathomeowners insist the one-year guarantee behonored.

Will replacement trees fare betterthan the original guaranteed trees?

Possibly not, unless some of the seriousconditions that caused the failure of the origi-nal trees are remedied. If the cause of failurewas a poor tree, then the replacement treemay do much better (if it’s a good one). If thecause was chronically poor handling practicesor site conditions, the new tree probably won’tlive long either.

To fortify the plant guarantee when theplants are also being installed by a retailcompany, a consumer may want to develop adetailed contract between himself or herselfand the company. Barb Kirkpatrick of NorthOaks, MN protected her landscape invest-ment by adding some details to the originalcontract offered to her. She specified that alltrees and shrubs must have their first, mainorder roots within one inch of the soil surface.As the work progressed on the project, she

had to ask theinstallation con-tractor on twooccasions to addthe planting depthrequirementbefore she wouldsign the contracts.Whether this over-sight was an acci-dent or purpose-ful, the examplestresses the needfor monitoring and

This linden lived less thanfive years, not due to poorplant quality, but due topoor site preparation.◆ ◆ ◆

Guarantees, from p. 6

Even under veryadverse conditionsand with minimalcare, most treeswill “survive” fortwelve months.■ ■ ■

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ADVOCATE • Autumn 2000 9

Neighborhood GreeningIn St. Paul By Lisa Myaya

ooking at a 1997 aerial photo ofSaint Paul, it’s easy to pick out theneighborhoods in need of “ReLeaf.”

The West Seventh/Fort Road neighbor-hood is one of those areas. Dominated byasphalt and concrete, some blocks arealmost devoid of trees. But it wasn’talways so.

“Our neighborhood used to have amagnificent canopy of trees,” says BettyMoran, community organizer for the WestSeventh/Fort Road Federation, “but muchof it was lost in the 70’s and 80’s to Dutchelm disease.”

Also, consider that those aerial pho-tos were taken before the spring of 1998,when heavy storms ripped through thecity, toppling and damaging over 6,500trees. The West Seventh neighborhoodwas among the hardest hit, with someblocks losing over half of the existing treecanopy.

Losing so many trees, literallyovernight, gave West Seventh residents agreater appreciation for the value of theurban forest. Besides missing the beautythat the trees provided, some peoplenoticed their homes were warmer andcooling costs higher. Others mentionedthe noise from Interstate 35E, whichdefines the western border of the neigh-borhood, seemed louder.

Fortunately, the future is beginningto look a little greener for the WestSeventh neighborhood. While city crewswork to replant trees on public property,residents wanting to replant trees in theiryards are getting help from the SaintPaul Neighborhood Energy Consortium(NEC). With funding from the MinnesotaDepartment of Natural Resources ReLeafProgram, the NEC is helping removesome of the barriers homeownersencounter as they begin to replant.

For some West Seventh residents, thecost of cleanup and stump removal of

storm-damaged trees as well as propertydamage caused by the fallen trees hasmade replanting unaffordable. Others arephysically unable to transport and plant atree themselves. And recognizing thathomeowner education is a key componentto healthy, viable trees, the NEC beganoffering free classes on proper plantingand maintenance techniques. Studies ofthe ’98 storms showed that many dam-aged or destroyed trees were weakenedbecause they had been planted improperly(based on current forestry practices), andthat nearly all showed evidence ofimproper pruning or a lack of timelymaintenance.

Dave Sundmark, an arborist with thecity of Saint Paul, leads the NEC treeinformation sessions, teaching homeown-ers how to plant and care for newly plant-ed trees, and the best way to maintainand prune mature trees. To help ensurehomeowners get the right tree and put itin the right place, they are also taughthow to analyze their sites— to check soiland light conditions, utilities and otherphysical restrictions—and how to select asite and tree to conserve energy, to frameor screen views and to provide sound anddust barriers.

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Participants plantingtrees to shade west-facing windows.◆ ◆ ◆CO

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STAC INFO & NEWS

About MnSTACThe Minnesota Shade Tree Advisory

Committee (MnSTAC) was established in 1974by a group of concerned citizens to address thehealth and well being of community forests.MnSTAC is recognized throughout Minnesotaand the country for its expertise, advice, coor-dination and support for community trees. Itis an organization of diverse individuals whorepresent a broad spectrum of tree-relatedinterests. It fosters and supports local commu-nity tree programs across the state so healthycommunity forests are fully integrated intocommunity development, infrastructure, edu-cation and management.

MNSTAC BOARD OF DIRECTORSPresident: Glen Shirley, City of Bloomington —612/948-8760

(Fax: 612/948-8770)Vice President: Kirk Brown, Tree Trust—612/920-9326Ken Holman, DNR Forestry—651/772-7565Gary Johnson, U of M Forest Resources—612/625-3765Janet Larson, consulting arborist—612/941-6876Mike Max, EnvironMentor Systems, Inc.—612/753-5505Dwight Robinson, MN Dept. of Agriculture—651/296-8578Bob Slater, MN Dept. of Transportation —651/779-5104Mark Stennes, Top Notch Treecare—612/922-3239

Regional MnSTAC CommitteesSoutheast STACChair: Henry Sorensen

651/388-3625 or 651/385-3674Sec./Treas.: Katie Himanga, Heartwood Forestry, Lake City

651/345-4976

Headwaters-Agassiz STAC (HASTAC)Chair: John Johnson

City Forester, City of Thief River Falls 218/681-1835Sec./Treas.: Jeff Edmonds

DNR Forestry, Bemidji 218/755-2891

West Central STACChair: Bob Fogel

Director of Parks, City of Moorhead 218/299-5340Sec./Treas.: Dave Johnson

DNR Forestry, Detroit Lakes 218/847-1596

Northeast STACChair: Kelly Morris

City Forester, City of Grand Rapids 218/326-7600Secretary/Treasurer/Technical Advisor: Dan Jordan

IRRR–Mineland Reclamation 218/254-3369Coordinator: Kathleen Preece

Minnesota BetterFORESTS magazine 218/326-0403 e-mail kathleen@uslink.net.

After attending one of the tree infor-mation sessions, residents and businessesare eligible to get a Minnesota native treefor about 75% off the retail price.Participants are asked to contribute $20-$40 towards the cost of the tree, andfunds from the ReLeaf grant pay for therest. A variety of tree species is offered toaccommodate different growing condi-tions and preferences, and all are con-tainer grown and come with a one-yearguarantee.

The NEC’s green-upinitiative has receivedstrong community support.Cash donations and in-kind services such asprinting, advertising,meeting space and planti-ng volunteers have beendonated by West Seventhbusinesses and communityassociations. HighlandNursery, the local neigh-borhood retailer and sup-plier of the program’strees, is providing dis-counts on trees and deliv-ery for the program. Thenursery is a helpfulresource for residents whohave further questionsabout what types ofMinnesota native treeswill thrive in their site.

“Trees have immense value to thiscommunity,” says Moran. “Between Dutchelm disease and the 1998 storms, we’velost a lot. But with the help of the SaintPaul Neighborhood Energy Consortiumand the West Seventh community, we’reputting down roots for a greener future.”

Lisa Myaya is Natural Resources ProgramCoordinator with the St. Paul NeighborhoodEnergy Consortium.

St. Paul Greening, from p. 9

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ADVOCATE • Autumn 2000 11

EventsNov. 28—Student Society of

ArboricultureProfessional Seminar onDutch Elm Disease,University of MN, St. Paul.Contact www.isamsa.org/UFC/UFC.htm

Dec. 7–8—Minnesota Turf and Grounds Conference,Minneapolis ConventionCenter. Contact 612/625-9234.

Dec. 15—Certified ArboristExam, Maplewood. ContactGary Johnson, 612/625-3765or gjohnson@forestry.umn.edu

2001 Jan. 3–5—MNLA Convention

and Trade Show,Minneapolis ConventionCenter.

March 20–21—Shade TreeShort Course, BethelCollege, St. Paul. ContactTracey Benson, U of MN,612/624-3708 or 800/367-5363.

April 27—Arbor Day

May 5–11—Minnesota ArborMonth Trail of TreesBicycle Tour. Kick-off atState Capitol followed bysites around the state.Contact Don Mueller,651/772-6148.

May 6–8—Tree Structure andMechanics: How TreesHold Together and FallApart, Savannah, GA.Contact Dr. Kim Coder, 4-432School of Forest Resources, Uof GA, Athens, GA, 30602.

Sept. 5–8—National UrbanForestry Conference:Investing Natural Capitalin Urban Spaces,Washington DC. Contact Cheryl Kollin,American Forests, www.americanforests.org

New PublicationsANSI A300 Tree FertilizationStandards. Contact ISA at888/472-8733.

Conserving Wooded Areas inDeveloping Communities: BestManagement Practices inMinnesota. Contact MN DNRForestry at 651/772-7925.

The Big Woods Heritage Forestpamphlet. Contact MinnesotaDNR- Forestry at 651/772-7925.

Tools and Training forTomorrow. Tree Trust AnnualReport, 1999. Contact TreeTrust, 952/920-9326.

For Extension publications, con-tact the University of MinnesotaExtension Service DistributionCenter, 20 Coffey Hall, 1420Eckles Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108-6069; 800/876-8636. Refer topublication number when ordering.

A Practitioner’s Guide to StemGirdling Roots of Trees. Gary R.Johnson and Richard J. Hauer,2000. BU-7501. $6. University ofMinnesota Extension Service.

Protecting Trees fromConstruction Damage: AHomeowner’s Guide. Gary R.Johnson. Major revision of theoriginal by Miller, Rathke andJohnson. FO-6135 1999 revision.University of MinnesotaExtension Service.

Storm Damage to LandscapeTrees: Prediction, Prevention,Treatment. Gary R. Johnson andBen Johnson, 1999. FO-7415.University of MinnesotaExtension Service.

Tough Trees and Shrubs forTough Sites. G. R. Johnson, M.Zins and M. Shippee, 2000. FO-7502. $1. University ofMinnesota Extension Service.

Internet◆ Center for Urban

Horticulture, University ofWashington (research ofhuman dimensions of urbanforestry): www.cfr.washing-ton.edu/enviro-mind

◆ Hazard Tree Web Page,USDA Forest Service, Stateand Private Forestry St. PaulField Office:willow.ncfes.umn.edu/Hazard/hazard.htm

◆ International Society ofArboriculture:www.ag.uiuc.edu/~isa

◆ Livable Communities:www.livablecommunities.gov

◆ Minnesota Department ofNatural Resources:www.dnr.state.mn.us

◆ NEW! MnSTAC:www.mnstac.org

◆ NEW! Minnesota Society ofArboriculture:www.isa.msa.org

Tree Potpourri◆ National Arbor Day

Foundation:www.arborday.org

◆ National Tree Trust: www. nationaltreetrust.org

◆ National Urban andCommunity Forest AdvisoryCouncil:www.treelink.org/connect/orgs/nufac/index.htm

◆ The Simple Act of Planting aTree: www.treelink.org/simpleact/index.htm

◆ Traffic Calming: www.grounds-mag.com/planting.htm

◆ Tree Climbing: www.treeclimbing.com

◆ Tree Climbers DiscussionGroup:spectre.ag.uiuc.edu/archives/isa/treeclimbers

◆ Tree Link: www.treelink.org◆ University of Minnesota

Forest Resources Extension: www.cnr.umn.edu/FR/extension/pages

URBAN AND COMMUNITY FORESTRY CALENDAR

Dutch Elm Disease SymposiumThe U of MN's Urban Forestry Club is holding

its 4th Annual Symposium in November. Thisyear's topic is Dutch Elm Disease and will be pre-sented by Professor Mark Gleason from IowaState. He will speculate on why Dutch ElmDisease has been so bad this year in the metroarea, discuss diseases that mimic Dutch ElmDisease for better field diagnosis, and sharethoughts about how well the resistant elm vari-eties are working in the field.

The symposium will be held TuesdayNovember 28th from 6:30-8:30 pm in 495 HodsonHall on the U of MN's St. Paul Campus. The costis $15 in advance and $20 at the door, withrefreshments provided. If you have questionsplease call 612/624-3020 or emailextfor@forestry.umn.edu. RSVP to:

Urban Forestry Club115 Green Hall1530 Cleveland Ave. NorthSt. Paul, MN 55108

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Minnesota Shade Tree Advocate115 Green Hall1530 Cleveland Ave. N.St. Paul, MN 55108

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Minnesota Shade TreeAdvocate

A quarterly newsletter pub-lished by the MinnesotaShade Tree AdvisoryCommittee.

Managing Editorial Group:MnSTAC EducationCommittee (Cindy Ash, RichHauer, Gary Johnson, JanetLarson, Don Mueller, JeffRick, Gail Steinman)

Editor-in-Chief: Jan Hoppe

Design: Jim Kiehne

Material in this newsletter isnot copyrighted.Reproduction for educationalpurposes is encouraged.Subscriptions are free.Articles, news items, photosand videos are welcome.

This publication was pro-duced with the support ofthe U.S.D.A. Forest Service,Northeastern Area; Stateand Private Forestry.

Address inquiries to:

Jan HoppeMinnesota Shade Tree

Advocate115 Green Hall1530 Cleveland Ave. N.St. Paul, MN 55108

Printed on recycledpaper using soy-basedinks.

Recognize Outstanding Projects with MnSTAC Awards!

A tremendous amount of work goes into organizing and implementing the hundredsof community tree-related projects that take place in Minnesota each year. MnSTACwants to recognize those efforts, projects and partnerships but we need your help! Pleasenominate worthy candidates! MnSTAC Award Categories include:Outstanding Volunteer Project Award—Awarded to an individual volunteer or

group who has organized and implemented the most innovative and successful pro-ject involving volunteers.

Outstanding Youth Project Award—Awarded to an individual youth, school oryouth group that has organized and implemented the most notable youth project.

Outstanding Partnership Award—Outstanding Partnership Award-Awarded toorganizations and/or individuals who have jointly implemented a project thatdemonstrates a high level of cooperative spirit and effort.

Outstanding Arbor Day Award/Arbor Month Celebration—Awarded to the com-munity and/or school that has organized the celebration that best commemoratesand furthers the Arbor Day ideal.

Outstanding Community Forestry Maintenance Award—Awarded to the individ-ual or organization that has implemented the most exemplary ongoing comprehen-sive maintenance program for the trees under their jurisdiction.

Distinguished Service Award—Awarded to the MnSTAC member who has con-tributed most significantly to urban and community forestry on behalf of MnSTAC.

Tree Care Advisor of the Year Award—Awarded to an individual Tree Care Advisorwho has contributed most significantly to urban and community forestry throughcommunity service work.

Special Merit Award—Awarded to an individual or organization for unique exem-plary achievements in community forestry serving as an innovative model forother programs.

Achievement Certificates—Achievement, Sponsorship, Stewardship and MediaCertificates are awarded to those groups that have contributed significantly tocommunity forestry in line with the categories list above.

Application forms and additional information are available from Lara Newberger at612/509-5945. Applications are due February 23, 2001.