Severe ice storms occur every year in the United States and Canada, particularly in the Midwestern and eastern regions of the US. Trees suffered minimal damage in the ice storm of 2008, far less than 10 years ago according to Maine Forest Service officials, though parts of York and Cumberland Counties experienced significant damage along the edges of open areas and on street and park trees. The Maine Department of Conservation and US Forest Service have a number of materials to help homeowners address residual tree damage, available online at:
www.maineforestservice.org
www.umass.edu/urbantree/icestorm/
www.na.fs.fed.us/ (on both the urban forestry and forest health portions of the site)
Trees on Maine Street Going Electronic
For some time now we have considered changing newsletter formats from print, to electronic. We are finally making the transition to an electronic bulletin. For what it costs us to produce and mail a print newsletter, we can instead support several more community grants every year. Major announcements such as grants and Project Canopy sponsored workshops will continue to be distributed through the print mailings, as well as electronically. Please sign up for the Trees on Maine Street bulletin at http://mailman.informe.org/mailman/listinfo/project_canopy. This edition of the Trees on Maine Street Bulletin is the last edition we will distribute via print.
SUSTAINABLE SITES GUIDE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
The Sustainable Sites Initiative recently released the Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks Draft 2008 for public comment. This important milestone builds on the initial Standards and Guidelines: Preliminary Report released in November of last year. The new draft contains over 50 proposed prerequisites and credits ranging from site selection to sustainable maintenance practices. The initiative is the most comprehensive set of national guidelines yet developed for the sustainable design, construction and maintenance of landscapes.
These guidelines will enable built landscapes to support natural ecological functions by protecting existing ecosystems and regenerating ecological capacity where it has been lost. The report includes more than 50 prerequisites and credit options that cover everything from initial site selection to construction and maintenance. The report represents thousands of hours with input from 37 technical advisors in hydrology, vegetation, soils, materials and human health and well being. These credits were tailored to apply to any landscape, with our without buildings. The Guidelines are intended to compliment the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building rating system.
The Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks Draft 2008 are available for download and public comment through January 20, 2009 at wwwlsustainablesites.org. Public review and comment is essential to the successful development of these guidelines and performance-based benchmarks.
Forest Protection Division offers fuel reduction program
The Maine Forest Service is offering a FREE “Fuel Reduction Chipping Program” to communities interested in reducing the risk of wildfire near homes. Fire Chiefs and Town Wardens wishing to take advantage of this program should contact their local Forest Ranger or the Maine Forest Service at:
Augusta 1-800-750-9777
Old Town 827-1800
Ashland 435-7963
Interested communities should:
- Request the use of the chipper and coordinate well in advance with their local Forest Ranger.
- Publicize the event in community newspapers, in newsletters, on bulletin boards, etc.
- Distribute the “Will Your Home Survive?” Firewise brochure to homeowners.
- Distribute and collect applications from homeowners.
- Provide a crew of at least four volunteers to assist in hauling and feeding brush into the chipper. Training and protective equipment will be provided.
The Maine Forest Service will:
- Provide a wood chipper and a modified stake body truck to haul chips at no cost to the community.
- Provide one person to operate the chipper (but not haul brush).
- Haul unwanted chips to a nearby location or (when feasible) deliver to awood pellet mill for recycling.
Communities benefit by reducing the risk of wildfire, keeping branches, brush and other debris out of expensive landfills, and using the by-product (chips) as mulch, landscaping material, trails or as bio-fuel.
Woodlot Management Adult Education Course
This course, sponsored by the Maine Forest Service, through Ellsworth Adult Education is an introduction for people interested in learning more about our forest resource, and forest management. Topics covered will include forest management planning, tree and plant ID, forest measurements, compass and GPS skills, wildlife management, working with consulting foresters and professional loggers, common tree pests and diseases, forestry rules and regulations and much more! Jim Ecker and Steve MacDonald, both Maine Forest Service District Foresters, will be leading the course. The course will cost $20, and meet at Ellsworth High School in Ellsworth on Wednesdays from 6 to 8 pm starting February 4th. To register for this class, contact Ellsworth Adult Education at 667-6499.
Nature Hills Nursery Green America Awards
Deadline: April 1, 2009
The Nature Hills Nursery Green America Awards recognize nonprofit organizations that are committed to improving their local environment by planting trees, bushes and shrubs to make their communities a better place to live. The Grand Prize winner will receive a $2,500 gift, the First place winner will receive a $1,500 gift certificate and the second place winner will receive a $1,000 gift certificate. The gift certificates can be used to purchase trees, fruit trees, bushes and shrubs, perennials and vegetable seeds. Visit www.naturehills.com/green_america_awards.aspx for application details.
Jenny Jones Community Grant Program
Grants of up to $25,000 will be awarded to individuals who have proposed lasting ideas to improve their communities. Through the fifty grant recipients so far, funds have been used to provide items and services such as library books, school computers, firefighting gear, nursing home upgrades, sports equipment, free dental services, wheelchairs, coats for children in domestic violence shelters, and a running track at a women's prison. The program's focus is primarily on smaller communities where fundraising can be difficult. For more information on Jenny's Heroes and grant guidelines, visit the program's web site at www.jennysheroes.com/.
Green Infrastructure Municipal Handbook
The Municipal Handbook is a series of documents to help local officials implement green infrastructure in their communities. Handbook topics cover issues such as financing, operation and maintenance, incentives, designs, codes & ordinances, and a variety of other subjects. The handbook documents are intended to serve as "how to" manuals on these topics, written primarily from the standpoint of municipal implementation. The handbook is being produced in sections, with each new element being released as it is
completed. Available online at: http://cfpub2.epa.gov/npdes/greeninfrastructure/munichandbook.cfm
January
10 Compass Workshop, 9 AM – Noon. Cherryfield, Maine, Maine Seacoast Mission, EdGE Center. Contact Steve MacDonald at 207-434-2622 or steve.macdonald@maine.gov to register.
13-15 68th annual Maine Agricultural Trades Show. Augusta Civic Center. Details at www.getrealgetmaine.com
20 Maine Landscape and Nursery Association conference and trade show. Augusta Civic Center. Details at www.melna.org
24 GPS Workshop, 9 AM – Noon. Cherryfield, Maine, Maine Seacoast Mission, EdGE Center. Contact Steve MacDonald at 207-434-2622 or steve.macdonald@maine.gov to register.
28 Improving your woodlot by harvesting firewood. Stueben, Maine. Humboldt Field Research Institute. Contact Anne Favolise-Stanton at 207-546-2821 for more information.
February
4-6 New England Grows. Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, Boston, MA. Details at www.negrows.org
9 Arbor Day Poster Contest Deadline for 5th grade classrooms in Maine. Contact Loretta Huttman at 207-623-2371 or projectcanopy@roadrunner.com for more information.
22-27 Municipal Forestry Institute, Ridgeland, South Carolina. Registration closes November 1, or when the class is full. Contact SMA (706) 769-7412 or apply online at www.urban-forestry.com
March
1 Maine Arborist Association conference and trade show. Verillos Conference Center, Portland, Maine. Details at www.mainearborist.org
12-15 Portland Flower Show. Portland Company Complex, Portland, ME. Details at www.portlandcompany.com/flower/
May
18-22 Maine Arbor Week
If you would like to put your community’s activity on the calendar, please let one of the editors know by the 15th of each month.