Do You Value What ReLeaf Michigan Does? Please Support Us! |
Please consider supporting ReLeaf Michigan so we can continue to plant trees with communities throughout the state of Michigan and help Michigan breathe. We are thankful for your support! |
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Looking Back on a Year Like No Other |
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When this year began, we knew it would be one of our busiest ever, but we never could have anticipated what lay ahead. Despite the many challenges of 2020, our small and dedicated team was able to safely lead 19 tree plantings and conduct 10 educational presentations. We also distributed seedlings to residents throughout Oakland County in celebration of their 200th anniversary. And we developed a COVID protocol to do it all safely for our volunteers and staff. Thanks to the help of nearly 500 volunteers, Michigan now has 336 new large sized trees!
As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, we are so thankful for every one of you who helped us this year. Whether you volunteered at a planting, worked with us to organize a planting, sponsored our organization, attended a webinar, or donated to ReLeaf Michigan - THANK YOU. It takes every bit of your support to make all of this possible, and we are deeply grateful for your help.
If you are able to support us, we have never needed your support more to make sure our work continues. Please consider a tax-deductible donation to ReLeaf Michigan.
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2020 Recap:
- 19 tree plantings
- 10 educational presentations
- 491 volunteers
- 336 trees planted
- 378,032 gallons of rainwater intercepted from stormwater drainage
- 259,331 pounds of atmospheric CO2 reduced
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Thank You to the
Climate Change Club of Okemos!
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Group of 6 to 12-year-olds raised over $650 for ReLeaf Michigan |
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We are always happy to receive letters from people expressing their support for ReLeaf Michigan, but we were truly delighted when we received a letter in the mail from Fiona Whitmyer, the 12-year-old president of Climate Change Club of Okemos. Fiona described how the group has been actively working to raise awareness and make a difference for the environment in four ways. First, through a series of fundraisers, including a bake sale, a can drive and an online camp, the Climate Change Club (or the CCC) had raised over $650 for ReLeaf Michigan. The group is comprised of 15 members, ages 6 to 12.
In addition to their fundraising efforts, the CCC has been working to educate their community on the importance of caring for the environment. They recently gave a presentation and hands-on workshop at a local elementary school and, at another elementary school, put up posters on greenhouse gas.
The group is also actively taking a stand for their beliefs. Several members of the group attended a recent environmental protest at the state capital, and they plan to write letters to local officials. In addition to these efforts, the group tries to minimize their carbon footprint by carpooling or biking when feasible, plus picking up litter when they see it.
We are so proud of this group and thrilled to be associated with them - in fact, we'll be working with them to do a planting next year. It's kids like these that remind us that we have a bright future, as more and more people learn about the urgency and importance of caring for the environment. With young leaders like this as our guides, we are taking steps closer to a world where we can all work together to solve the environmental issues in front of us. Thank you Climate Change Club for all that you are doing!
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Healthy Trees Build Healthy Communities |
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Introducing a new feature to the ReLeaf Michigan eNewsletter, supported by our new sponsor, Priority Health.
Trees offer all of us incredible health benefits, some obvious and others less so. Each month we'll be highlighting one way trees improve our health.
Let's start with a big one most people know: trees help us breathe! Trees are working hard to convert CO2 into oxygen our lungs need to breathe. But it takes five trees to produce the amount of oxygen used by just one person, which is one of many reasons that we need more trees to keep up with all of us!
Many more ways trees keep us healthy to come in the future!
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Welcome to Our New Project Forester, Ashley Laux |
Our new project forester, Ashley Laux, joined ReLeaf Michigan in mid-September as part of the DTE Foundation Fellowship program. Many of you have already met her, as she was actively involved in many of the tree plantings this past month, but we haven't had the opportunity to formally welcome her to the team in our newsletter.
Ashley grew up in the Upper Peninsula in Houghton County. She holds multiple degrees from Michigan Technological University, a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics, with a concentration in Actuarial Science, and a Master of Forestry professional degree.
"It wasn’t long after I started the Master of Forestry program that I felt inspired to share my experiences in nature with communities that didn’t have the same access to the wilderness that I had growing up in the U.P.," said Ashley. "I believe deeply in the mission of ReLeaf, and the work that we do. It’s an honor to inspire not only environmental stewardship, but hopefully interest in the profession."
Ashley recently moved to Dexter from the U.P. for the position. While she is working in the area, she hopes to run the Detroit Marathon, North America's only international marathon.
"I am personally thrilled that Ashley is on our team," said Melinda Jones, ReLeaf Michigan's executive director. "She has been a tremendous help this season and has not hestitated a second about jumping in with two feet. Welcome Ashley!"
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Introducing New Municipal Memberships |
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ReLeaf Michigan Is Now Offering a New Opportunity for Municipalities |
With ReLeaf Michigan's new Municipal Membership, residents receive the opportunity to engage directly with tree experts, access educational resources and better understand why trees are important to their community and a smart investment. For an annual fee, municipalities will receive:
- "Ask an Arborist" Feature for Residents
- Dedicated Webpage for Community
- Educational Resources
- Annual Presentation / Webinar
- Tree City Application Assistance
- Consultation Services Also Available
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Don't forget - the 15th Biennial Michigan Big Tree Hunt is underway! This statewide hunt for the biggest trees in Michigan is open to everyone.
It's free to participate - just complete the entry form at BigTreeHunt.com to submit your tree.
Looking for a Sponsor: We are currently looking for sponsors to support the costs of this popular family-friendly program. Contact our executive director Melinda Jones to learn how partnering with the Michigan Big Tree Hunt can create positive exposure for your organization.
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Six Community Collaboration Project |
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Assessing and Improving the Tree Canopy in the St. Joseph Watershed Basin |
In addition to our tree planting and education efforts, ReLeaf Michigan also helps communities on larger scale stormwater projects. Trees are the smartest way for a community to save on stormwater runoff costs. We've been working on a big project crossing state lines that will culminate next year. One of the reasons the grant was awarded to ReLeaf Michigan is due to the fact it is a inter-state collaboration. A great way to provide knowledge transfer.
The joint project with the Michigan DNR, the Indiana DNR, the St. Joseph River Basin Commission and Davey Resource Group is made possible by a USDA Forest Service Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) grant. An urban tree canopy assessment for six communities (three in Michigan and three in Indiana) in the St. Joseph Watershed Basin has been completed and the results of the assessment communicated to the communities. During 2021 we will work with the six communities to plant 50 trees with volunteers
The grant provides funding to assess the tree canopy in each community and identify ways to increase and improve tree canopy to intercept stormwater, reduce runoff, and improve water quality within the St. Joseph River watershed and the Great Lakes basin.
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Get the Gift that Keeps Giving.
Shop at the ReLeaf Michigan Online Store!
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Looking to send someone a gift to let them know you're thinking about them, something that will not only be appreciated but will also make a difference? Maybe a graduation gift to someone who loves nature or some new casual wear you can feel good about while you spend more time around the house?
ReLeaf Michigan merch items are available for sale directly through our online store!
Learn more about the items available by visiting our online store at the link below.
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The Latest from Social Media |
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Articles we've recently shared on social media. |
Greener Play Areas Boost Children's Immune Systems
Research in Finland finds that children that play in green spaces rather than gravel playgrounds showed improved immune systems within a month "because the children had developed significantly more diverse microbes on their skin and in their guts."
New England's Trees Are Sick. They Need More Doctors.
A growing demand for tree care professionals has been accompanied by a recognition that there is ever more to know: about pests, climate change, disease, safety, and the science of trees. Graduates specializing in arboriculture “have so many jobs waiting for them, they get to pick and choose."
Trees Are Time Machines
If cities want to keep the benefits of their urban forests, they must plan for a future with a different, more hostile climate.
Understanding City Forests
New research challenges the misconception that urbanization causes invasive species in urban forests, instead indicating that younger forests, whose canopies are not closed and are more exposed, have a higher risk of invasive species. Alternatively, land use history could impact invasion rates.
“A next step in our research is to determine if we can predict invasion based on how long a forest canopy has been intact by analyzing aerial photos,” said Trammell. “This type of work could help identify forests that need invasive species management.”
Fall Foliage Viewing Can Boost Your Mental Health
If you're like us, you love the beautiful changing colors of the trees in Michigan every autumn. But did you know that fall color viewing can actually boost your mental health? Plus, it's a great activity to partake in during a time of social distancing.
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Follow Us Online
We share on our social media feeds, tips for tree care, as well as new research about the benefits of trees.
We also post photos from every tree planting on our Facebook page. Don't use Facebook? Check out highlights on our website's photo gallery.
Follow us online to keep up with the latest updates.
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