In 1719 the Pejepscot Proprietors voted that 1000 acres should be held in “perpetual commonage” by the citizens of Brunswick. The commons was part of a development scheme that also included other standard public lots such as the school and ministerial lot to aid the church. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts required townships, included those in Maine in the year of 1785, to set aside four lots of 320 acres each for public uses. Such began the legacy of Town Forests in Maine, and New England. Today, over 170 municipalities own over 150,000 acres of forestland, much of it designated as TownForest. If your community is interested in designating and/or maintaining a town forest, please contact Project Canopy at (207)287-4987 or jan.santerre@maine.gov.

2008 Project Canopy grant awards

Maine’s Project Canopy recently awarded more than $250,000 to 44 communities to support local community forestry efforts. The Project Canopy Assistance Program is funded by a grant from the USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Program, a national initiative designed to strengthen the connections between people and their environment. 
Project Canopy assistance grants support sustainable community forestry management, increase awareness of the benefits of trees and forests, and improve the health and livability of communities through sound tree planting and maintenance.  In 2008, there is a strong focus to sustainably manage town forest resources. Eliot, Falmouth, Liberty, Litchfield, Medomak Valley Land Trust, Monmouth, New Forest Institute (Brooks), Sanford, Vinalhaven Land Trust and the York County Soil and Water Conservation District are among the communities and organizations committed to developing Maine Forest Service WoodsWISE plans for town forest resources in their communities.
In addition to supporting town forest management planning, Project Canopy awarded grants to Bar Harbor, Bath, Belfast, Brownville, Farmington, Freeport, Gardiner, Greenville, Hallowell, Kennebunk, Kittery, Lisbon, Maine Seacoast Mission, Morris Farm Trust, Old Orchard Beach, Presque Isle, Readfield, Rockland, Standish, Strong, Van Buren, Waterville and Westbrook to conduct community based tree planting and maintenance projects. Castine, Coastal Mountains Land Trust, Downeast Salmon Federation, Great Pond Mountain Conservation Trust, Lewiston, Rumford, Topsham, Veazie and Vital Pathways (Houlton) were awarded grants to conduct a variety of community forestry planning and education projects.

Rolland F. Perry City Forest in the headlines

The Bangor Daily News and Associated Press recently jumped on the opportunity to report the presence of a mother black bear and her two cubs in the Rolland F. Perry, (formerly Bangor) City Forest. The bear charged a mountain biker and his two unleashed dogs, stopping short in an act bear experts call a “bluff charge”. City Forest is just one of four city owned woodlands, but at 680 acres, is by far the largest. It contains close to 9 miles of trails, and serves as a destination for recreational pursuits, and as a demonstration forest for sustainable timber harvesting. Flanked by the Orono Bog and Penjajawoc Marsh to the north and east, the area offers extensive opportunity for wildlife observation and ecological study. Find out more at http://cityforest.bangorinfo.com

Maine Forest Service publishes 100th anniversary edition of
“Forest Trees of Maine"

The Department of Conservation’s Maine Forest Service announced the release of the centennial edition of its most popular publication, “Forest Trees of Maine.” The Maine Forest Service published the first edition of “Forest Trees of Maine” in 1908 as a small black and white booklet that detailed how to identify about 50 of Maine’s important trees. It was immediately popular with the public.
In celebration of the book’s centennial, the Maine Forest Service has completely revised the book, incorporating many changes asked for by the public over the years. The new book is in full color and has over 250 color photographs of Maine’s trees in all four seasons as well as the traditional pen and ink line drawings from previous editions. The book also includes historic photographs from Maine Forest Service archives, illustrating Maine’s rich logging and forest products history.
Single copies of the book can be obtained for $7 (including shipping) by contacting the Maine Forest Service at (207) 287-2791.

Developing and Utilizing Urban Forest Management Plans Training

Developing an urban forestry management plan is considered an important step in fostering a sustainable urban forestry program; however it appears the majority of communities do not have current or useable plans in place. Developing a plan can be a challenging undertaking depending on many factors including expertise of staff, the population of community, extent of the natural resources involved, inventory information available, the objectives desired, funds available, agencies and partners involved and local politics.  To help communities begin developing urban forestry management plans, the US Forest Service, State Urban and Community Forestry Staff and the National Arbor Day Foundation will be hosting training September 16th at the Doyle Center in Leominster, MA. Training will consist of a one-day workshop and three supplementary web casts, conducted by consultants experienced in management planning. Many topics will be covered including:

• Types Of Management Plans, What Do You Have? What Do You Want?
• Using Inventory Data to Develop a Plan.
• Defining Clear Goals and Objectives of a Management Plan.
• What Makes a Plan Complete.
• What Municipal Departments (Planning /Public Works/Parks Departments) Look For In An Urban Forestry Management Plan?
• Putting Your Management Plan to Work

If you would like to register, please contact John Parry at 603-868-7688 or jparry@fs.fed.us

Western Maine SWOAM Annual Field day

The Western Maine chapter of SWOAM will hold its 2008 annual field day on August 16 at the home and woodlot of Ernest and Alberta Angevine off the North road in Bethel.  Events will start at 9:00 and run until around 1:00.
Ernest and his wife have owned and managed their 189 acre forestland since 1946, when the first part of their property was purchased.  They have received many awards and honors for the quality of their forest management, including Oxford Co. Tree Farmer of the Year (3 times), and runner up for the State Tree Farmer of the Year award (also 3 times).  They have been in the Tree Farm system since 1955. 
Ernest will be writing up a history of their ownership of the property, including the many foresters, loggers and industry representatives who have contributed over the years to their very impressive forestland, including 80 acres of some of the largest pine trees growing anywhere in Maine.
Equipment both active and passive will be on display, including a working sawmill and a demonstration of tractor logging.  Tours throughout the property will be ongoing.  Coffee and donuts will start the festivities.  Signs will be posted.
The first 75 people signing in will receive a Maine weather stick and a copy of the new Centennial edition of Forest Trees of Maine.

Youth Garden Grants Available

The National Gardening Association has announced that The Home Depot will return as the Youth Garden Grants sponsor for 2009. NGA awards Youth Garden Grants to schools and community organizations with child-centered garden programs. In evaluating grant applications, priority will be given to programs that emphasize one or more of the following elements: educational focus or curricular/program integration; nutrition or plant-to-food connections; environmental awareness/education; entrepreneurship; and social aspects of gardening such as leadership development, team building, community support, or service-learning.
Schools, youth groups, community centers, camps, clubs, treatment facilities, and intergenerational groups in the United States are eligible. Applicants must plan to garden with at least fifteen children between the ages of 3 and 18. For the 2009 grant cycle, 125 grants are available. Deadline: November 1, 2008. Find out more at http://www.kidsgardening.com/YGG.asp

The Vermont Town Forest Stewardship Guide: A Community Users’ Manual for Town Forests.

This guide highlights “best practices” from model town forests throughout Vermont to help communities maximize town forest potential, from cutting edge forest management and timber production techniques to strategies for engaging community participation through forest-based recreation and education. Though any rules and regulations listed in this publication are not relevant in Maine, most have similar equivalents in Maine Statute. Available online at: http://www.vtfpr.org/urban/documents/
TownForestStewardshipGuide.pdf

July
16 Urban Tree Canopy and setting canopy goal webcast. 11 AM – Noon. Details at www.unri.org

24-26 16th Annual New York State ReLeaf Conference: Green Energy At Work - Urban Forestry Tools, Innovations and Challenges. Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. Call Betty Shimo FMI at 315-826-5743

29 Reaching Family Forest Landowners Webinar. FMI visit https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?aid=17983

August
6 Timber Tax Update webinar, 10 AM-Noon. Details at www.timbertax.org

13 Deep roots research webcast. 11 AM – Noon. Details at www.unri.org

15-16 Maine Farm Days. Misty Meadow Farm, Clinton, ME. Visit www.MaineFarmDays.org or call the Kennebec County SWCD FMI at 207-622-7847 ext. 3.

18-19 Introduction to tree climbing. Manchester Center, VT. FMI contact Danielle Fitzko at 802-241-3673

September
6 Identifying Maine Mushrooms, 9 AM-3 PM. Pine Tree State Arboretum, Augusta, ME. Contact PTSA FMI at 207-621-0031 or visit the website at www.pinetreestatearboretum.org

17 Paying for urban tree care webcast. 11 AM. Details at www.unri.org

October
National Neighborwoods Month.  Visit http://actrees.org for more information, to sign up and to learn how your community can be eligible for mini-grants for event promotion.

12-14 New England Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture Annual Conference. Holiday Inn by the Sea, Portland, ME. FMI visit http://newenglandisa.org or call 800-617-4870

15 Resources for green communities’ webcast. 11 AM. Details at www.unri.org

If you would like to put your community’s activity on the calendar, please let one of the editors know by the 15th of each month.