TreeVitalize's electronic newsletter shares urban forestry information from across Pennsylvania.
TREEVITALIZE QUARTERLY
Summer  2017
Keep an eye out on the  TreePennsylvania website for the most recent TreeVitalize grants!
Community Spotlight
Milford Borough, Pike County, PA

This Spring Milford Borough celebrated its 35th year as a Tree City! Learn how they continue to achieve standards and improve the Milford forest from the below interview between P enn State Extension Urban Forester, Vinnie Cotrone and Valerie Meyer, chair of Milford's Shade Tree Commission.

(L-R: Linda Platt, Bill Cure, Emil Moglia, Arlene Moglia, Fern Lutfy, Camilla Doyle, Peter Rushton, Valerie Meyer, Ed Gragert, Paul Labounty, Maria Farrell, Reggie Cheong-Leen, Aleyda Cardona)

VC: Can you tell me why it is important to you and the tree commission to participate in the Tree City program?

VM: Milford has participated in 35 of the 40 years that the Tree City program has been in existence. A program of the National Arbor Day Foundation, Tree City provides a framework for communities to manage and expand their public trees. The Tree City logo is one of national recognition that reflects the values of the people who live in the community. It illustrates to residents and visitors that the community deeply supports the valuable benefits of having a greener, healthier community.

VC: What are the Shade Tree Commission's biggest accomplishments?

VM:  Through solicitation, state and federal funding we have raised over $350,000.  Each year, with the help of a well-designed flyer that is widely distributed, the tree commission has been able to raise several thousand dollars from local businesses and residents.This has enabled the Milford Shade Tree Commission to manage our community trees. Our most important accomplishment is protecting the public and sustaining the public's trees.

VC: What are the Shade Tree Commission's biggest challenges?

VM: Funding is now our biggest challenge.

VC: How does the commission utilize volunteers to plant and care for trees?

VM: As a grass roots organization we constantly partner with volunteers to help dig holes, plant and water new trees, remove debris after planting, pruning and hazard removals. We partner through our solicitation brochure with community residents, local schools, cub scouts, boy scouts, the electric utility company, police department, garden club, DPW, Milford Water Authority.  

VC: If you were asked to provide some advice to a newly forming Shade Tree Commission, what would that advice be?   

VM: Always maintain the tree program's top priorities in protecting the public thru the following: 1) Assessment of your trees and their condition; 2) Renewal of the urban forest through proper selection and planting; and 3) Maintain the Health of the Urban Forest. Never let anyone or anything interfere with this demanding responsibility. Plant high quality trees, water them weekly in the first year, mulch them properly, and tag your trees.
Keep up the great work Milford! 
SPRING EVENTS RECAP:

Arbor Day & Earth Day plantings throughout the state
On Friday, April 28th, TreeVitalize partners, Penn State Extension, PHS, WPC, PA DCNR Bureau of Forestry and TreePennsylvania were scattered across the state helping communities celebrate Arbor Day by planting trees. 

Waynesburg Bo rough  used their 2017 awarded TreeVitalize grant to plant 13 trees in Borough parks on Arbor Day. Three classes from Margaret Bell Miller Middle School walked up to the parks to help plant the trees. 



Williamsport, PA, another TreeViatlize recipient, planted 75 trees in late April including the tree to the left, planted along Little League Boulevard in Williamsport, PA.
Photo by Cara Morningstar, Sun-Gazette. Read the full article by Sun-Gazette  here.  Pictured, Chad Eckert, City Forester, left and Tom Cillo, General Manager of Streets and
 Parks, right.

More than 60 people contributed to an "Arbor Day of Service" in the City of York to help remove EAB-killed ash trees and to plant new trees. Participants included
 employees from 10 tree services, 2 municipalities, 2 forest products companies, and DCNR; and volunteers from the York area.  

The City of Harrisburg celebrated Arbor Day by planting a red maple 'October Glory' in Clarence Morrison Park. Above, Ellen Roane from PA DCNR presents Mayor Eric Papenfuse with their Tree City banner; Harrisburg has participated in the Tree City program for a total of 27 years. Volunteers from TE Connectivity provided additional support cleaning up and revamping many features in  the park. 
Remember to water your newly planted trees! 

If you recently planted a tree you'll want to make sure your investment pays off and your tree grows up to provide shade and other benefits. Newly planted  trees need water on a regular schedule to support the leafy crown which makes food for the tree.  

Research has demonstrated that the soils around a tree's root system dry out every 4-5 days during the summer growing season. Most current recommendations call for providing 10 gallons per week through a slow, deep soaking of the soils surrounding the root system. A light rainfall is not enough to soak the root system of a tree. 

Read more tree care tips from the full article " Making Sure Your Young Shade Trees Survive to Create Some Shade" by Penn State Extension Urban Forester, Vinnie Cotrone. 
 
Ever wonder about the difference between 
an "arborist" and a "consulting arborist"?

Arborists are equipped to offer planting, pruning, transplanting, fertilizing, monitoring and treatment for insects and diseases and tree removal. Consulting arborists specialize in diagnosing problems, recommending treatments, tree appraisals and suggesting where to obtain competent tree service. But regardless of their area of expertise, be sure to hire a professional, certified through the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). Certification involves a rigorous exam and completing continuing education credits each year.

Read more at the  Arbor Day Foundation
PA Urban & Community Forestry Council Member Highlight
Dan Hall

Dan Hall is one of the Council's longest standing members, serving almost 20 years. Previously the Council's president, Dan is now the Council's Vice President. 

Dan is a retired United Methodist pastor who served churches in Eastern Pennsylvania for 44 years. He studied forestry at Penn State where he received an AA in Forest Technology and a BS in Forest Sciences. Instead of entering forestry as a profession he pursued a MDiv degree from Eastern Baptist Seminary in Philadelphia and chose ministry as his career. His interest in urban and community forestry specifically began when he attended the first two week-long National Urban Forestry School sponsored by the National Arbor Day Foundation in Nebraska City, NE. Through a friendship with then PA Urban Forestry Coordinator, Norman LaCasse, Dan was invited to join the council as a director.
 

Thank you for your dedication Dan!

TreeVitalize is Pennsylvania's urban forestry program. This is a partnership-based program between PA DCNR Bureau of Forestry, TreePennsylvania (Pa's Urban & Community Forestry Council), Penn State Extension, Pennsylvania Horticulture Society, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Tree Pittsburgh, among many other organizations . Such partnerships are essential to TreeVitalize's continued success in restoring the urban tree canopy across the state and educating citizens about trees and their benefits.