Tree Trust	Chapter 3 - Make it Happen

Plan for Success Whether your job is to plant a few trees in a park or to organize a committee to deal with a tree disease epidemic, planning is an important first step. Planning is the strategy you work out ahead of time that directs your time, energy and resources toward accomplishing a goal. It is a conscious effort to anticipate and manage future events. We recommend going through specific planning steps rather than planning by the seat of your pants. As you go through the steps, you make choices that determine future action. The earlier you start planning the better. Set aside time at meetings and let your enthusiasm and leadership guide the way. Action Planning An action plan is a summary of planned activities that provides a great deal of information on the who, what, when and how of a project. Develop an action plan for any project or activity you want to initiate. A plan is especially helpful when you must coordinate the efforts of several individuals. Follow the planning steps described here and listed in the checklist on the following page: Define the goals and objectives specific to the project. Our goal is to enhance City Park. Our objectives are (1) dress up the entrance area (2) replant boulevard trees and (3) increase shade. Think of alternative ways to achieve certain objectives. Evaluate each one and select the best strategy. Brainstorm to come up with a complete list of tasks to do. For now, do not worry about when they must be done. Once all the tasks are listed, group them into categories and put them in chronological order. Determine the time required to complete each task. Be realistic! Set target dates. These are the beginning and ending times for each task. Decide what resources you need to accomplish each task: time, money, support, materials, equipment and other resources. Decide who is responsible for completing each task. Ask each person to report in once they complete a task. This ensures that tasks get done and problems are identified early. Make copies of the action plan and give one to every member. Ask members who are responsible for any task to put it on their calendars. Promote your plan in the community. Target community leaders for support. Include neighbors, youth and civic groups, churches, business and political representatives, government and the media in your plans if their support can help you achieve your goal. We were surprised at the interest. When we went out to talk to people about our ideas, they said, "We should have done this long ago." We rounded up 60 volunteers for planting day, from kids to seniors. Put the plan into action. Monitor progress, checking off each task as it is completed. Evaluate the plan by comparing it to what you actually did. What needs improvement in the future?

Planning is the road map that helps you get from where you are to where you want to be. We received very favorable publicity on this project. I believe a large ingredient in this was the fact that the people were involved, it wasn't just the city going in and planting the trees. Brian Hagberg Mankato City Forester Information for this section is based in part on Building Capacity for Cooperative Action: Enhancing the Effectiveness of Networks, Coalitions, Boards, and Committees, Barbara C. Bader, Ph.D., and Steven Carr, M.S.W., Community Systems, Bozeman, Montana, sponsored by the National Association of State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service, Cooperative Forestry.

Recruiting volunteers and raising money for your program or project is easier with a written plan in hand.

Planning Checklist for a Tree-Planting Project Brainstorm project ideas; select the highest priority project Define your goal and objectives; be specific and write them down Consider ways to achieve your objective; evaluate the alternatives and select the best strategy Get preliminary support; if your project involves property that you do not own or control, set up a meeting with the affected parties Brainstorm a list of all the tasks that need to be completed to reach your goal Group tasks into categories and put them in chronological order Set the timeline for starting and completing each task List what resources you need to complete each task: money, support, materials, equipment Decide who will do what and when; form subcommittees as needed; delegate To monitor progress and head off problems, set up some way that committee members report when tasks are complete Make copies of the plan for all committee members Get permission and/or support for the final plan from the property owner and other affected parties Seek support; promote your plan in your community Take copies of the plan with you when you present your ideas to others Recruit volunteers to help implement the plan; delegate tasks Put your plan into action Plant trees! Celebrate! Thank everyone Evaluate the project; compare what you did with what you planned; modify the plan as needed to improve future projects Take a break Start a new project

Long-Range Planning Long-range planning is taking current goals and practices and projecting them into the future. It involves predicting changes which your organization responds to in the community. A plan helps a committee in these ways: Creates a sense of continuity and purpose Makes the path to achieving a goal clear Clarifies issues that are relevant and those that are not Develops resources and expertise to address problems Allows time to develop and test strategies Links short-term goals, and longrange goals and mission Typically, a few members of the committee get together to develop longrange plans. They meet for a series of meetings in which they take these steps: Plan to plan. Be sure that everyone understands and supports the process and the outcomes of long-range planning. Define or reaffirm your mission and goals. Find out if any areas are "off limits" as you plan. Lakeshore Park is sacred in this town. We don't dare change a thing. We think it needs trees, but city leaders like it just the way it is. Someday we'll get trees, but there is no point in talking about it now. Analyze your situation. Look outside of your committee to predict changes that will affect the work of your committee. Look for changes in demographics, technology, and the needs of people you serve. Look internally at your committee. What are its strengths and weaknesses? Select the main areas that your plan will address. These might include programs, projects, methods, community relations, and committee organization and development. What is the ultimate desired outcome for each main area? Where do you want to be and when? We want to establish a nature center on our school grounds over a threeyear period with five areas of focus. Year 1: a woodland and a shelterbelt. Year 2: an outdoor classroom. Year 3: a prairie and a vegetable garden. Choose a strategy to achieve each long-range outcome. First choose alternative strategies. Then set criteria to use to select between strategies. Evaluate each alternative against the criteria and choose the best strategy. Decide what specific activities to do in each main area during each year of the long-range plan. Review and integrate the overall plan. Consider the plan as a whole. Review steps in each main area. Are they compatible and complementary? Make adjustments as needed. Ask committee decision-makers to review the plan and adopt or modify it. Once adopted, make copies for everyone affected. The plan is a guide to policy and program development. Implement the plan. Each year create short-range plans which fulfill the intent and purposes of the longrange plan.

The time is always ripe to do right. Martin Luther King Jr.

Accountability is the responsibility to document activities and results for the people and organizations you answer to: ° Members of the   community ° Sponsors ° Government ° Yourself. You may be accountable for: ° Accomplishing a   task ° Achieving a goal ° Managing money. Links for More Information: ° Team Work ° Work Together ° It Takes More Than   Hard Work

Evaluation Organizations that fund your project or program want to know that they are getting the most for their money. Evaluations are one way to improve the way your committee works and its ability to achieve goals. Governing boards, such as tree boards, must also evaluate the tree program itself. Tree boards are responsible for the quality of programs or services in their community and for board finances. Evaluation helps you achieve accountability. It involves gathering and reviewing information. You want to provide quality services and make wise use of members' time and skills. Ask your committee to make a thorough self-evaluation each year. Use a questionnaire or an interview to get input from members of your committee: What are your goals and objectives? Does the decision-making process work? Do you make good decisions? Does the way you are organized and the way you operate work? Are your meetings well run? Are your meetings effective? Do you have good-quality, trained members? Are your policy and planning documents up to date? Does everyone understand his or her role in the organization? Are communication channels open? Does information flow? Are there good working relations among committee members and among members and staff? Are conflicts addressed openly and positively? Do you understand and communicate the economic, environmental and social benefits of trees and forests? Do you communicate achievements and ideas and to decision-makers? Do you have access to the technical expertise you need? Are members recognized and appreciated for their contributions? Once in a while, ask members of your board to conduct their own selfevaluation. Ask them to think about these topics: Do you attend meetings? Do you participate at meetings? Do you get your work done between meetings? Have you completed training? Are you challenged and supported? Are you involved in subcommittee or task force work? Are you still committed to the mission and goals of the group? Are you willing to take the lead? Do you want to work with the public more than you do now? Do you wish that you did hands on work outdoors more or less often? Are you using the skills that you have for the benefit the organization?

Work Together Build Partnerships People and organizations form partnerships to bring about change. They pool their assets to work together toward a common goal. Partnerships have these functions: Legitimatize problems through association Create a broad base of support for a problem or project Increase access to and sharing of resources and information Develop a base from which to exert influence Overcome real or perceived lack of capability or credibility Promote synergy--new possibilities emerge from combining resources. Partnerships progress through predictable stages in their life cycles. Each stage of development requires that specific tasks be carried out: establishing relationships, setting objectives, and implementing strategy. Examine the issue that brought you together. Look from many vantage points to find all conceivable sources of input and points of view: What is the problem or issue? Who are the people affected? What are the geographic areas served or affected? Are there sources of funds to address the problem or issue? What are the unique features of the problem or issue? To achieve your goals, we recommend that you try to include people with many perspectives. Strive for members that represent your community. Consider diversity of age, culture, gender, affiliation, physical ability, native language, ethnicity, place of residence and other attributes. We believe that you can multiply your efforts by forming partnerships. Take these steps to form a new partnership: Define the need or problem Decide what it is you want from the partnership Specify the purpose and functions of the partnership Decide who you want as a partnership member and gain his or her involvement Gather partnership members together and get started Refine the organizational structure of the partnership Develop partnership plans & Implement partnership plans Monitor progress and recognize accomplishments Conduct partnership evaluations These reflect a cycle of activity for partnership members. Once you have completed all steps and evaluated your success, the partnership may repeat the cycle or disband.

Partnerships tend to form around issues. This focus allows groups with different missions to work together on a task. A successful partnership has: ° Committed    leadership ° Clear goals,    objectives and plans ° The ability to speak    with one voice. In communities, as in forests, there is strength in diversity.

Formal and informal networks exist throughout families, groups, organizations and communities.

Network Networks are an interconnected or interrelated chain of individuals, groups or organizations. They provide an environment for group action based upon some shared values and a desire to cooperate to achieve identified goals. Through your network you get information and feedback, a range of resources, and intellectual, economic and social support. These attitudes and values help sustain your network: Be open to the ideas of others Take a positive, encouraging view of things Value people who are different from you Be willing to take risks Put up with uncertainty Have a broad, long-term outlook Use these techniques to develop and maintain your networks: Attend and hold meetings Make telephone calls Use computer bulletin boards Exchange information Join associations and other networks Use the grapevine Serve on boards, committees and advisory groups In our town it's the grapevine that we pay attention to. A couple of our members make a point of stopping at the coffee shop once in a while to make sure folks know what we are up to. It helps us find money and equipment, too. Step back from your role as a tree advocate and committee member for a moment. Take an objective look at your committee and your community to see how they interrelate. Imagine yourself on the outside looking in. The exercise below, called network analysis, helps you learn if your committee makes good use of the collective energy in the community. Take action as needed to strengthen your ability to achieve goals and meet the needs of your community. For each of the following, ask yourself: What does your committee offer them? What can they offer your committee? Target key organizations and groups in your community: Volunteers and volunteer groups Citizens and the community at large Community-based organizations Non-profit organizations Government Business and industry Education Networks, partnerships and advocacy groups Mass media Churches and religious organizations Sponsors We knew that 4-H groups did service projects. When we learned, through a news article, that they were going to focus on the environment this year, we knew we had to connect. They cleaned up North Park, planted 70 trees and pulled a mountain of buckthorn out of the woods. They had a great time doing it, too. It was a win-win situation.

It Takes More Than Hard Work Money Good intentions and colorful landscape plans do not pay for nursery stock and supplies. You need money. Start by determining how much you need, then figure out how to get it. At the end of this chapter are forms to help you estimate the resources you need to carry out a project. Once you know what you need, it's time to look for funding. Sometimes it's as easy as a stop at a local civic club or business-owners meeting. However, most sources of funds require a more sophisticated approach. Get ready to write a proposal. Write a Proposal The key to getting funding is to write a terrific proposal. Begin writing as soon as you know the purpose and goal of the project. Proposal writing takes time, but it helps you to organize thoughts and prepares you to raise funds, write media stories and document the project. Plan to submit the proposal well ahead of planting day (many months or even a year ahead) so you can secure the money before you order plants and supplies. Ask the funding source if there are guidelines that you should follow or use the format described here. Write a proposal that is no more than three pages long and includes the following elements: Summary: Write a clear and concise summary of your request. Tell specifically what you want to achieve and why. Be creative! Your proposal must catch the interest of the reviewer. North High School has an image problem. Our objective is to improve that image by creating park-like greenspaces around the school. The North High Action Club, with the school, the city, and a neighborhood association, will plant trees, shrubs and perennial flowers in two areas around the building. The total cost of the project is $8,000. We request $2,500 to pay for plant materials. Introduction: Describe who you are and why you are qualified to do the project. The reviewer wants to know that you are successful. Communicate that you are the logical group to do the job and that you are capable of doing it efficiently. The Rose Garden Club has 15 members who meet to share horticultural information and enhance our community. East Park is our special project. Thanks to the city, which provides mulch, compost and maintenance, and the local Lions club, which provides funds for materials, we established hedgerows and perennial gardens there. Our members design plantings and provide labor on planting day. We monitor every other week and replace plants that die. The city council gave us a Civic Pride Award. Problem Statement/Needs Assessment: Explain what the problem is or why you need to do this project. If appropriate, explain the current status of the situation and its effect on the local and larger community. We believe that adding trees, along with flowers, lighting, and picnic tables will solve several problems. They will attract families and adults to the park in the evening--currently the area is just a hang out for kids.

Build it and they will give. When a project has clearly defined objectives and is marketed properly, the funding will come along with the volunteer support. Be creative, organized, and positive and great things can happen. Mike Ruzek Spruce-Up Austin, Inc. Proposals typically have these sections: ° Summary ° Introduction ° Problem Statement   or Needs   Assessment ° Program objectives ° Methods ° Evaluation Plan ° Future of the Project ° Budget.

Proposal Tips: • Stay within funding guidelines • Match your abilities and priorities with the interest of the funding source • Be concise • Submit before the deadline • Have someone unfamiliar with the project read the proposal for content, clarity and errors • Ask for the granting agency for clarification if you have questions • Secure letters of support from your partners.

Program Objectives: Describe the measurable outcomes of the project you want funded. Be specific. We will plant a shelterbelt of 180 trees (six rows) and 75 shrubs (one row) west of the Sunrise School building and playground. It will protect children outdoors from winter winds. It will reduce air infiltration into the building, creating a more comfortable environment. It will define the west edge of the school yard and provide habitat for birds. In addition, it will catch blowing snow, and eliminate a chronic drifting problem around building entrances. Methods: Describe the activities you will conduct to achieve the desired objectives. Be logical and tie your activities to a particular problem. Answer the question, “Why and how will my project help?” Be innovative and interesting, but stick to the facts. We will provide 100 trees to community residents who need shade trees to the east or west of their homes. Each resident will contribute $10 to the cost of the tree and must agree to care for it. A youth group volunteered to help residents who need assistance planting their trees. Park Department staff will care for the trees until Tree Board members distribute them on planting day. Evaluation: Tell how you plan to measure your success in meeting your objectives. What are the criteria that you will measure and document? Who will do it and how? Planning for evaluation forces you to have clear objectives from the start. We will keep records of all time spent on this project. Members of our board will evaluate the project in June. In August, the S.W.C.D. technician and our city maintenance worker will inspect the new shelterbelt to see if there are any dead trees, or health or maintenance problems. We will include this information in our final report. Future of the Project: Describe the long-term outlook for the project. Emphasize that the project will continue after the initial funding period is over. When this project is concluded, the school will have an established nature area and prepared lesson plans to use it for teaching. The school district will budget for nature area maintenance each year. The curriculum will be reviewed regularly along with other curriculum. Budget: Define clearly the cost of the project. Include personnel, facilities, equipment, supplies and other costs. Distinguish between those to be met with funding and those from other sources. Budget (includes value of donated time and materials)   Labor/volunteers $3,000     Labor/staff time (in-kind) $700     Equipment rental/Civic Club $200     Trees & shrubs/Civic Club $300     Trees & shrubs/Grant Funds $1,200     Woodchip mulch/City $300     Total $5,700   Keep Records, Write Reports At the end of this chapter are planning guidesheets to help you put together a successful planting project. They include ideas for planning the project, rounding up plants and equipment, planning the events of planting day, and keeping records. Make copies of these for your planning committee.

Blow Your Horn Get Media Coverage Use the media to get the word out about your project or program, or to educate people. The more exposure you get, the better your chances of success. Rarely does publicity have a negative impact on a tree project or program. If fact, it is essential for ongoing success and continued funding. Publicizing your event gets the word out to potential volunteers and potential sponsors. It may result in cash donations or in-kind contributions such as equipment, services or plant material. It might motivate someone to plant or care for trees in their own yard. These tips for submitting written information to the media apply regardless of which medium you choose: Know what you want to say and who you want to say it to Put the most important information first Use action words Avoid “wordy” or cute copy Use people's names and use quotes; they make news Submit information ahead of the deadline Newspapers Find out who the contact person is at your local newspaper. Ask about deadlines for submitting news releases. Do they accept color photos? How much notice do they need to come out and take a photo? Follow these guidelines to make a newspaper editor happy: Prepare a news release on 8½ by 11 inch paper, typed, double-spaced and printed on only one side of the paper Identify yourself at the top of the page Put the date you want the article to run up there, too Include specifics about your project: Who? What? Why? When? Where? Include the name and phone number of someone that folks can call for more information Keep your story short and to the point Write a headline if you want, but keep it short and to the point Double check your release to eliminate errors and check that your message is easy to understand Television and Radio When a reporter asks for an interview, say "yes." You need the publicity. Before the interview, take time to organize your thoughts. Keep a list of facts handy to which you can refer. Give a copy of the fact sheet to the reporter. Use statistics, but use them sparingly. Logic and facts don't always win out over emotional appeals. Include statistics on your fact sheet so reporters will have the correct figures when writing their stories. When using numbers, tell reporters what they mean and your reaction to them. Don't lose sight of the message you wish to convey. Keep coming back to it in the interview if you feel the topic is being lost. Adapt the reporter's questions to the message you wish to send.

Watch reporters' pens and microphones. When they start writing and recording, it signals that you are on the right track. Assume that everything you say in an interview is for the record and might go on the air or in the article. At the end of an interview, restate your strongest message with: "The most important thing to remember is...", or "What this means to the local area is...." Some information in this section is from Tips on Dealing With the Media, prepared by the Communications Department, Society of American Foresters, 5400 Grosvenor Lane, Bethesda, MD 20814

Keep a list of good quotes. Review these before a media interview. Use your quotes early in the interview before a reporter's notebook is crowded with information. During a radio telephone interview, know when you are being recorded.

When the reporter asks you questions, keep your answers short and filled with facts. If you talk at length on your subject, you may find your sentences edited in the middle—or worse, you may find that your comments get cut completely out of the story. Get comfortable and get used to the microphone before an interview. Smile. Pretend you do this every day. Before your first interview, practice in front of a mirror. If you have some habits that don't look good on television (say you frown every time you relax, or you tense up your shoulders so much that you look like a turtle) it's better to find out in private rather than while your first interview airs. As long as you are in front of the mirror, think clothing. Keep your outfit low key for a television interview. No plain white shirts or plaid jackets! For a television interview, use visual aids to illustrate your point. Before the television crew arrives, have the aids organized and ready to use. Let an interviewer know how to pronounce difficult words. That might include your name. On written copy, type the phonetic spelling in parentheses after the difficult word and break it down with hyphens. Example: Mankato (man-KÃ-tõ). You know how to pronounce Mankato; the evening news anchor may not. Photographs as Communication Tools Photographs attract readers attention and draw them into a news story. A good picture increases your chances of landing a good spot on the page. Choose a center of interest for your photograph. Don’t put the center of interest in the center of the photo, though. Keep it just off center. Where people are the focus of the photo, use one or two people rather than a crowd. Create a feeling of depth by planning the photo so that an object is closer to the camera than the center of interest. Take photographs of people in action. Try different camera angles to add interest to your photo. Avoid extremely light or extremely dark backgrounds. Use timing to your advantage and get the picture at the most dramatic moment. Use photographs to illustrate a news article, to draw attention to a display or to teach. For a display, select a few of your best photographs and mount them on mats. Be frugal! Too many photographs confuse the viewer. Use slides to bring your project directly to an audience. Use with care or people will sleep. Keep a slide presentation short and keep it moving. Don't spend a lot of time on any one photograph. Awards Nominate your project or program for awards. Awards bring recognition and recognition brings support, maybe even money. You don't need the award, your program or project does. Besides, award certificates look good hanging in council chambers at city hall, on an office wall or on the refrigerator (look what Mommy did!). The MN Shade Tree Advisory Committee, the MN State Horticultural Society, the MN Arbor Month Partnership and the National Arbor Day Foundation each have recognition programs. Keep your eyes open for opportunities to nominate your program or project for awards. Example News Releases At the end of this chapter are examples of news releases that you can adapt for use in your community.

Get the Job Done Volunteer Coordination Legions of volunteers get up early on spring mornings to implement planting projects in communities across the state. To keep everyone on task and complete the project requires leadership and organization. Plan your strategy ahead of planting day. Who is going to do what? When? Where? How? How will you communicate? Large planting events are best organized like an army preparing for battle. Put one person in command of the entire event from start to finish. Choose someone who can lead, make decisions on the spot and solve problems that usually pop up throughout planting day. The person in charge needs a good support staff: someone to take charge of plant materials; food and beverages; talk with the media; staff the first aid station and other supporting roles. The number of positions depends on the size and length of the planting event and on the experience of workers. Divide the army of volunteers into teams of 5-15, each with a team leader. Some teams have two leaders who work together. One, such as a Girl Scout leader or teacher, is from the organization providing the volunteers, and is responsible for supervising the behavior of the volunteers and making sure they get beverages and breaks as needed. The second leader gets his or her hands dirty by teaching the volunteers how to use the tools and plant the trees. This person doesn't actually plant anything, but knows how and where to plant everything. He or she is a cheerleader and helps keep the group upbeat and focused. Communication is critical on planting day, especially for an event where volunteers are spread over a large area. Arrange for key volunteer leaders to have two way radios. Before planting day, provide orientation and training for key volunteers. People want information about the project and what their job expectations are. A well planned orientation session takes only a half hour of time. Gather again on planting day an hour before most volunteers arrive. Go over last minute details and make sure everyone knows what to do. A well organized planting event is fun for all. Volunteers typically go home tired and muddy, but proud of their accomplishments. Planning Guidesheets At the end of this chapter are planning guidesheets that you can use to help you plan your tree project. They include: Planting Day Worksheet Planting Day Equipment Checklist Volunteer Tree Planter Tree Planting Team Leader Committee Worksheet Community Tree-Planting/Volunteer Information Sheet Volunteer Sign-up Sheet & Before-Planting-Day Worksheet After-Planting-Day Worksheet Tree and Landscape Observation Checklist

The best way to get volunteers is to ASK.

Every effort deserves recognition.

Say Thanks! Volunteer Recognition One of the most important steps in working with volunteers is to thank them. Too often, volunteer effort goes without notice or reward. Volunteers made your project a success; they deserve appreciation! There are many ways to show your appreciation. Here are a few guidelines: Thank volunteers in public. Personal thank-yous are worthy of respect. Thank volunteers throughout the project and at the end. Do not delay! Customize your recognition to the unique talents of your volunteers. BE creative. Not everyone responds the same way to an award. Use a personal and honest manner when you thank a volunteer. Personal indications of appreciation are perceived as more sincere than formal pronouncements. Aim for a clear and wellcommunicated link between accomplishments and rewards. Be sure people know how and why they received the award or gift. Distinguish recognition. Thank the people who thank others for doing what is best for your group. Everyone on the team should recognize and support excellence. We say thank you to motivate and to keep involvement high. Everyone needs to feel appreciated and rewarded. Here are a few ways to say thanks: Plan a potluck dinner and invite all volunteers. It is an ideal time to distribute thank-you gifts, certificates, and awards. Schedule the meal soon after the planting. Throughout planting day, provide snacks and drinks. Send newsworthy information about your volunteer team to the local media. Take a minute to personally thank volunteers. Send thank-you notes or letters. Throughout the entire project always remember to SMILE! Appreciation Certificate An appreciation certificate is an inexpensive way to personally thank someone who participated in your project. People like to hang them on the refrigerator at home or the wall at the office. Modify a sample certificate to meet your needs or design your own. Many kinds of paper and pre-printed certificate forms are available at office supply stores. We like a mediumweight paper or 8½ by 11 inch stationary (designed for laser printers) with colorful designs or scenes with trees.

November 29, 2001 PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION: Katie Himanga: 651-345-4976 Don't Top Trees Tree experts advise tree owners not to have their trees topped. Topping is a practice that harms trees. "Topping leaves a tree defenseless against decay," says forester Katie Himanga, "Trees often sprout vigorously after topping which gives their owners a false sense that topping was good for the tree. What actually happened is the tree spends the rest of it's life decaying from the top down - it leads to a dangerous situation." Most tree trimmers no longer top trees, but at least one in the area still does. To protect the health of trees, have them correctly pruned. A mature tree that had good care throughout its life needs little more than dead and broken branches and other hazards removed. Young trees need pruning to train them to have a single central trunk with strong, well spaced, side branches. Does topping stimulate trees? YES! A topped tree is left without leaves (or buds full of leaves) to produce food and without its natural defense system. It puts everything it has left into staying alive. Branches sprout profusely from dormant buds. These sprouts are in a race against time. Each branch must put on enough leaves to make food for itself and to contribute to the tree system as a whole, or it dies. Some tree species can successfully beat the clock. Usually elm, cottonwood and silver maple trees can put on enough leaves to stay alive. Unfortunately, by the time the tree looks decent again, decay is active in the ends of topped branches. The decay continues down the branch and into the trunk for the rest of the life of the tree. As the sprouts get bigger and bigger, the branches they are attached to gets weaker. As a result, the sprouts commonly break out during wind and ice storms. If you would like more information about the harmful practice of tree topping, pick up a copy of the bulletin “Don’t Top Trees” at city hall. ###

September 15, 1998 PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION: Janette Monear: 651-644-5800 Community Planting Celebration Planned Residents of Bloomington will be gathering Saturday, September 19, to help plant over 2,000 trees, shrubs, wildflowers and grasses on the NSP power line corridor at the Columbia Playlot and Parkers Picnic area. The planting, which begins at 9 a.m. and lasts all day, is sponsored by Tree Trust, NSP, and the City of Bloomington to help improve the area’s natural environment. “It should be a great day to enjoy the fresh autumn air while helping beautify the community,” said Glen Shirley, maintenance coordinator with the City of Bloomington. “While we started planing this project last year, it is a timely addition to our community after all the tree losses this spring.” The planting, located south of 98th Street between Columbus and Park Avenues, has been planned by neighborhood residents, Tree Trust, NSP and city representatives. Major funding for the project and the plant materials is provided by NSP, Bloomington, and a Conservation Partners Grant from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.. Volunteers will be welcome any time during the day and can stay as long as they like. Jobs will range from digging and planting to watering and mulching. Tree Trust will provide refreshments throughout the day and tools for volunteers. Tree Trust is a non-profit corporation whose mission is to provide education and employment experiences that develop individual responsibility and environmental stewardship. ###