Yesterday, I attended the Tree Planting ceremony held at 19th. and Park Ave. It was held to announce a $100,000 contribution from the EPA and a cooperative effort to plant 5000 trees this year. We planted disease resistant Patriot elms. I think it is a significant step forward in better relations between the city and the Park Board. I am very supportive of this effort and it was interesting to see the map of the distribution of where these trees will be planted. Central, where this planting ceremony was held, will recieve the most of any neighborhood because of the many places where boulevard trees have died and not been replaced. This is a plan to look city wide at where trees are needed. The trees can have a significant effect on reducing the heat island effects, improving water quality and the estetic value of city living. It is also a social justice issue as to where the city has its amenities.
The biggest challenge now lies in getting the public to take care of these baby trees until they are mature enough to fend for themselves. With the brilliance of hindsight, I can see how this might have been a better event. I saw this event publicized in several venues, but it was pretty small event, composed almost entirely of paid staff and politicians. These folks deserve great praise for this effort. But the people on the block weren't a part of the ceremony. We should have invited them, door knocked and given them the free T shirts and free trees. The photo op would have been better if it was a picture of someone on the block shaking hands with the Mayor and saying, "Yeah, I'll take care of this tree." It's kind of the point-we need residents to take care of these trees. I would have knocked on doors if I had thought of it sooner. After the ceremony I went to a River Gorge Steward/Park Board event upstream of 36th and West River Road to pull Garlic Mustard which is an unwanted invasive species that is taking over the understory of areas in the river gorge. You can eat it if that is your preferred method of removal. I did learn two interesting things during the event from the Park Board horticulturist. The spread of garlic mustard is related to furry animals spreading the seed. So the byproduct of the many dogs that were running off leash was the spreading of this alien invader. They are not the only furry things, but If the dogs were on leash we could just manage close to the trails with a lot more success. And those Asian ladybugs that are giving our more demure species a bad name- because they bite and swarm in such numbers. It turns out that they over winter exclusively in buckthorn bushes and trees (another alien invader that is taking over area of the River Gorge). So another reason to remove Buckthorn in forests and residential areas. Other invaders are the earthworms and nightcrawlers. These are not native. In yards and gardens they can be beneficial but in the forests they destroy the layer of duff that is needed for young tree growth. Even with such challenges, I feel blessed to live in a large city that values its urban forest. Thanks, Scott Vreeland 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
