Paul Domholt from MPRB Forestry asked me to forward the following information. The City is making a GIANT commitment to tree planting this year, and getting these trees watered will require help from residents.
-Corrie Zoll Green Institute ***** Minneapolis Plants 3,500 new trees this spring The Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board Forestry Section (MPRB) will be planting over 3,500 new trees on boulevards and parks throughout Minneapolis beginning the third week of April and continuing through May. Funds for tree planting are provided by MPRB, the City of Minneapolis, the Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP), grants from Minnesota ReLeaf and private donations. Many of the new trees are replacing trees that have died from Dutch elm disease, storm damage, vandalism, old age, etc. Residents with new boulevard trees will receive a door hanger with information about their tree and also the video, "You have a new Neighbor". The video, produced with a grant from the U.S. Forest Service, gives information on tree care and the MPRB's forestry section. The MPRB will provide the initial two waterings and place a layer of wood chips around the base of each tree. After this work is done, it becomes the responsibility of each property owner to water the tree. Newly planted boulevard trees will really need some extra help this summer. In general, trees less than five years old need an inch of rainfall weekly. Newly planted trees need to be watered thoroughly once every seven to ten days and especially during dry periods. Young trees need at least eight, five gallon buckets of water slowly poured their roots once every seven to ten days. Another easy way to water your tree is to put a hose at the base of the tree and run water gently for about an hour. Mulching around your trees, with an organic mulch such as wood chips, provides optimal conditions for root growth by: reducing soil moisture loss, improving water and air penetration to roots and maintaining stable soil temperatures. Young or newly planted trees should have at least a two foot radius of mulch placed around the trunk of the tree. For older trees, a 6-foot or larger radius of mulch is effective and attractive. However, do not heap mulch around the tree trunk, place the mulch so that it is kept a few inches away from the trunk of the tree and approximately 4-inches deep. For locations of wood chip sites check the Park Board website www.minneapolisparks.org under the "Caring for your Parks" section or call the Forestry Office at (612) 370-4900 during regular business hours. Trees provide many benefits to Minneapolis neighborhoods, some of which are: * Trees can reduce air conditioning needs by 30 percent and can save 20 - 50 percent in energy used for heating, when properly planted around buildings. The net cooling effect of a young, healthy tree is equivalent to ten room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day. Shade from trees could save up to $175 per year (per structure) in air conditioning costs. * Trees improve water quality. Wooded areas help prevent the transport of sediment and into streams reducing water runoff and erosion and recharge of the ground water supply. * Healthy, mature trees add an average of 10 percent to a property's value. * Trees can be a stimulus to economic development. Landscaping with trees makes commercial retail areas more attractive to shoppers and space in a wooded setting is more valuable to sell or rent. If you would like to help beautify our city, come and join us for Arbor Day on Saturday May 15, 2004. This year's Arbor Day will be held at Olson Memorial Highway (Highway 55) and Penn Avenue North; activities start at 9:30 a.m. For more information on trees and Arbor Day visit our website at www.minneapolisparks.org ***** Corrie Zoll, Program Director GreenSpace Partners A program of The Green Institute 2801 21st Avenue South, Suite 110 Minneapolis, MN 55407 Telephone 612-278-7119 Facsimile 612-278-7101 [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.greeninstitute.org/GSP REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
