Welcome to the
July-August 2010
News You Can Use!

In this Issue

	WCCFC
	New Documents from CSFS
	And More From CSFS
	MHM Wins Award
	Tree Campus USA
	Tamarish and Russian-Olive Study
	Carbon Credit Workshop

	ISA-RMC Annual Conference

	Don't Move Firewood
	Kansas City Removing Ash
	Pest Groups Meeting

	CTC Changes Address
	FRUFC
	CTC Picnic
	Scholarship Program

The 20th Annual Western Colorado Community Forestry Conference will be hosted by the Town of New Castle. The agenda and registration form will be finalized and available soon. For more information contact Vince Urbina at vurbina@lamar.colostate.edu.
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The Colorado State Forest Service has recently produced two new documents dealing with management recommendations for storm-damaged trees and species’ growth rate analysis. To review the storm damage document Click Here. To check out the tree growth rate information Click Here.
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The Colorado State Forest Service has released a comprehensive statewide forest resource strategy aimed at focusing limited resources where they will achieve the greatest benefit. The strategy was developed in cooperation with forestry stakeholders throughout Colorado and addresses major threats to Colorado's forest resources. To view this document and the Statewide Forest Resource Assessment Click Here.
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Mayor John Hickenlooper and the Mile High Million Tree Initiative won a 2010 Arbor Day Award from the Arbor Day Foundation for their dedication to planting trees and conservation efforts. Mayor Hickenlooper and the Mile High Million Tree Initiative was one of 17 individuals and organizations that were honored Saturday, May 1, by the Arbor Day Foundation for environmental stewardship at the annual Arbor Day Awards Banquet. The event was held at Lied Lodge & Conference Center in Nebraska City. Sara Davis, program coordinator for the Mile High Million Tree Initiative, accepted the award on behalf of the City. The Arbor Day Awards annually honors innovative and extraordinary individuals and organizations that are involved in tree planting and conservation practices. To watch videos from the awards ceremony and to learn more about the 2010 winners follow the link. If you know a group or individual worthy of receiving an Arbor Day Award, Click Here to submit a nomination.
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For the third year in a row, the Tree Campus USA program is offering 10 colleges and universities a chance to host a Tree Campus USA tree-planting event for its students. Selected schools will receive up to 100 trees for the campus grounds or community, a service learning project for all campus students, and a publicity event that will bring positive attention to the campus. Start your application today for a chance to receive one of these exciting events!
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Long considered heavy water users and poor wildlife habitat, non-native saltcedar and Russian-olive trees that have spread along streams and water bodies in the West may not be as detrimental to wildlife and water availability as believed. In a U.S. Geological Survey report requested by Congress and recently released, scientists conducted a review of the scientific literature to assess the existing state of the science on the distribution and spread, water consumption, and control methods for saltcedar (also called tamarisk) and Russian-olive. They also assessed the considerations related to wildlife use and the challenges associated with revegetation and restoration following control efforts. One notable finding is that native trees such as cottonwoods and willows along western rivers typically consume as much water as non-native saltcedar and Russian-olive. Generally, the report noted, removal of saltcedar from floodplain areas along rivers leads to replacement by other vegetation that consumes roughly equal amounts of water. Therefore, removal of saltcedar from these areas is unlikely to produce measurable water savings once replacement revegetation becomes established, report authors wrote. However, the authors note that saltcedar and Russian-olive can also grow on river terraces that are too high and dry for cottonwoods and willows. Some scientists have suggested that, on these sites, revegetation with native dry-site species could save some water for human use. But, the effectiveness of such an approach has not been demonstrated. Similarly, although it has long been assumed that these non-native trees harm streamside habitat and wildlife productivity, research evaluated in the report indicates this isn’t always true. Many reptiles, amphibians, and birds use habitat dominated by saltcedar and Russian-olive. Even the endangered southwestern willow flycatcher frequently breeds in saltcedar stands. However, according to the report, saltcedar-dominated landscapes do not provide suitable habitat for more specialized birds, such as woodpeckers and birds that live in cavities. Dense tracts of pure saltcedar are typically unfavorable for most wildlife, and the report notes that many birds still prefer native cottonwood or willow habitat. Other negative impacts of dense stands of these introduced species can include impeded access to riverside recreational areas, increased wildfire hazard, and clogging of irrigation ditches. To look at the complete report Click Here.
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The Institute for Environmental Solutions (IES) hosted Guidelines for Community Forestry Carbon Credits, a workshop for urban and community forestry offset project stakeholders, on May 26 at the Daniels Fund in Denver. Participants included local and state government officials, green industry representatives, scientists, and others interested in the potential for community forestry offset projects to improve Colorado’s environment. During the two-hour workshop, participants discussed opportunities to work together to tackle multiple important environmental challenges, such as polluted stormwater runoff and ozone air pollution, both of which can be mitigated as part of an integrated community forestry carbon credit program. The ideas generated at the workshop will be used by IES to finalize the forthcoming publication, also titled Guidelines for Community Forestry Carbon Credits. IES will host a second workshop on community forestry offset project implementation this fall. For more information on the workshops or IES’s Colorado Urban Forestry Climate Coalition initiative, please contact IES Senior Research Associate Ryan Moore, ryan@i4es.org.
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Mark your calendars and get registered for this event on September 30-October 1 at the Crown Plaza at DIA. Also plan to attend the Tree Climbing Competition on October 2 in Denver. Register online by for a special low-rate! Click Here for more information.
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From John Kaltenbach and Christi Lightcap at the Colorado Department of Agriculture…Many people will be packing up the tent and sleeping bags to enjoy all of Colorado’s great camping locations this summer, but the Colorado Department of Agriculture reminds outdoor enthusiasts to leave their firewood at home. “Moving firewood across the state can contribute to tree mortality,” said John Kaltenbach, CDA’s cooperative agricultural pest survey coordinator. “Insects and diseases can be transported with the wood and can hurt or even kill Colorado’s forests.” Native and non-native insects and diseases can have devastating effects on Colorado’s trees:

•The mountain pine beetle has impacted almost 3 million acres of forests in Colorado. This pest has established populations in mountain areas so people are encouraged to not bring firewood down from the mountains to keep the beetle from spreading to urban areas.

•The emerald ash borer is a beetle that has killed over 50 million ash trees in the Midwest. At this time, it has not been discovered in Colorado but CDA is working in cooperation with other state and federal agencies to prevent the spread of this beetle to Colorado. Traps are set annually across the state as a tool for early detection.

•Thousand Cankers, a disease carried by the walnut twig beetle, has caused the death of black walnut trees in Boulder and the Denver Metro area. You can help prevent the spread of the walnut twig beetle into areas where it does not yet occur. The primary method by which the beetle reaches new locations is the movement of infested wood including logs, firewood, lumber and even wood chips.

One easy tip to help protect Colorado’s forests is to Buy It Where You Burn It. Campers are urged to buy their firewood at their destination, thus preventing the spread of any insects or diseases that can be found in or on the wood. The Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey program is involved in early detection of exotic pests that threaten Colorado's agriculture and environment. Activities include annual surveys for targeted pests, outreach, and education. Click Here for more information.
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A section of one of Kansas City’s oldest boulevards looks almost new again — in the sense that it is lacking in stately shade trees. In a pre-emptive move, the city this spring cut down about 60 towering ash trees that once graced eight blocks of Benton Boulevard north of 13th Street. Officials acted before the trees could succumb to a dreaded scourge: the emerald ash borer. Read More Here.
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Both the Northern Colorado and Denver Metro Pest Groups met in June and are planning meetings July-September as well. Dates for the Northern Colorado group include July 14, August 18, and September 22 at the Gardens on Spring Creek in Fort Collins. The Denver Metro group meets one week after each of these so mark your calendars for July 21, August 25 and September 29 at Harvard Gulch Recreation Center in Denver (550 E. Illiff Ave.). Start time in Fort Collins is usually noon and the Denver group gets going at 10am. Be sure to bring your samples by and tell the group what insect, disease and environmental issues you are seeing this growing season.
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Please make note, effective December 2009 the Colorado Tree Coalition has changed its Post Office Box mailing address. Please update your records to reflect this change:

Colorado Tree Coalition
P.O. Box 808
Broomfield, CO 80038-0808
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The Front Range Chapter of CTC will be meeting on July 22nd at Hudson Gardens. Presentations are scheduled on Fall 2009 freeze damage on Front Range trees and a panel discussion on trees species. For more information contact Keith Wood at keith.wood@colostate.edu.
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The Colorado Tree Coalition Board of Director’s invites you to their picnic this year July 24th in Colorado Springs. For more details contact Keith Wood at keith.wood@colostate.edu or Scott Grimes at scottg@sspr.org.
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The Colorado Tree Coalition (CTC) has a limited amount of funds to assist people with registering to attend conferences and workshops throughout the year. Because of the limited dollars available it is required of all who request assistance to follow these guidelines:

1. Scholarship requests will be limited to a maximum of $300, and can only be applied to cover registration costs of the event.

2. To request a scholarship please send an electronic request to Keith Wood, at keith.wood@colostate.edu. At a minimum the request should contain the name and location of the conference and what is hoped to be learned at the event, and how it will be applied in your current position. Keith will then submit the request to the CTC Board for their consideration.

3. Requests will also be limited to one person per community/group/organization per workshop or conference. Many workshops and conferences now offer concurrent sessions and there is a value to sending more than one person. However, the CTC will not be able to fund more than one person.

4. Those receiving scholarships will be required to supply an article or notes to be used in Tree Talk and/or placed on the CTC web site (www.coloradotrees.org) and/or in another electronic newsletter format so others can benefit from the workshop as well.

The board of CTC is committed to education and is seeking additional funds so the scholarship program can be expanded and more people throughout Colorado can benefit from the various educational opportunities available.
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