America has the grandest trees on earth--the largest, the oldest, and some of the most magnificent. Five years ago Congress deemed the oak as America’s National Tree. John Rosenow, president of the National Arbor Day Foundation reminds us, "The United States is blessed with a wealth of tree species--more than twice as many as all of Europe. The oak has long been an enduring and mighty tree. It is truly a part of our national heritage and merits the formal distinction of America’s National Tree." The confluence of 115 years of Arbor Day as a national tree planting tradition along with the variety of oak species available in our state highlights the abundance and splendor of Maine’s natural resources.
ARBOR DAY 2009 TO CELEBRATE 16 MAINE TREE CITY USA COMMUNITIES
Arbor Week is a time to reflect upon the enormous resource we have here in Maine – our trees! They provide us with numerous environmental, economic, aesthetic and social benefits. Since 1978, Maine has celebrated Arbor Week during the 3rd full week in May. This year, Maine Arbor Week: May 18 – 22, 2009 – will be kicked off by Project Canopy by hosting the state Arbor Day ceremony on Monday, May 18. The event will be celebrated from 1-3 pm at the Maine State Museum. Awards will be presented to the following 2008 recipients of the National Arbor Day Foundation Tree City USA designation: Auburn, Augusta, Bangor, Bath, Camden, Farmington, Hallowell, Hampden, Kennebunkport, Lewiston, Orono, Portland, South Portland, Waterville, Westbrook, and Yarmouth. In addition, the communities of Augusta, Bath and Farmington demonstrated accomplishments exceeding the program’s basic requirements and will receive Tree City USA Growth Awards. Awards also will be presented to the state’s 2009 Arbor Day Poster Contest winner and others. We hope you can join us in the celebration this year!
BEES & YOUR WOODLOT
A hive of bees flies over 55,000 miles to bring you one pound of honey. A honey bee can fly 15 miles per hour. Honey bees must tap two million flowers to make one pound of honey. Each worker honey bee makes 1/12th teaspoon of honey in its lifetime. Honey bees visit 50-100 flowers during one honey collecting trip. Bees have been producing honey from flowering plants for at least 10 million years! And maybe even as long as 20 million years! In one day a honey bee can fly 12 miles and pollinate up to 10,000 flowers. Honeybee workers must visit 2 million flowers to make one pound of honey.
Healthy woodlots are an essential component for the success of bees. Bees need to pollinate, trees need to be pollinated, it’s as simple as that. Come Join the UKV chapter on Saturday, May 30th, from 9-12 in Mercer to hear avid beekeeper, our own Peter Lammert, talk about the delicate balance in our ecosystem between bees and woodlots. He will answer such questions as, how can you manage your woodlot to encourage honey bees? What are some things you don’t want to do on your woodlot if you want bees? How do you get started keeping bees? Can you just get started with bees already out in the wild?
We will meet at SWOAM/Tree Farm members Mary and Bob Burr’s place in Mercer on the Beech Hill Road. Mary and Bob are also avid beekeepers and woodlot managers. Their address is 1334 Beech Hill Road which is 1.5 miles on the left off US Route 2. Look for the “Blue Ribbon” and Tree Farm signs. The workshop is free and open to all; please join us! If you have questions, contact Patty Cormier at 474-3499, or patty.cormier@maine.gov.
ENVIROTHON REGIONAL COMPETITIONS
The Maine Envirothon program recently held its annual forestry training workshop for students registered for the regional Envirothon competitions at Unity College. Unity has been a strong supporter of the Envirothon program for many years. District Foresters Merle Ring and Mort Moesswilde and Stewardship Forester Pete Lammert, along with Society of American Foresters volunteers taught 98 high school students plus advisors from 11 schools (or home school programs) basic forestry topics such as tree identification, using a compass, basic silviculture, using forestry tools and community forestry. This training day has grown in popularity each year with the kids. Last year the workshop hosted 9 schools and 75 students.
Envirothon is a natural resource problem-solving competition for grades 9 – 12. In an outdoor setting, students are tested in five natural resource areas: aquatics, forestry, soils, wildlife and a current national environmental issue. More information is available on the web at http://projectcanopy.maine.gov, or call the Maine Forest Service at 1-800-367-0223.
Maine DEP to host 20th Annual NPS Conference
Maine DEP will host the 20th Annual Nonpoint Source Pollution (NPS) Conference (May 18 - May 20, 2009) at the Eastland Park Hotel in Portland, ME. Since 1990, the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission in partnership with member states, has coordinated the Annual NPS Pollution Conference, the premier forum in our region for sharing information and improving communication on NPS pollution issues and projects. The three-day conference brings together all those in New England and New York involved in NPS pollution management, including participants from state, federal, and municipal governments, private sector, academia, and watershed organizations. Online registration and a draft conference agenda are available at: www.neiwpcc.org/npsconference. FMI: please contact Michele Piazza, mpiazza@neiwpcc.org or 978-323-7929 ext. 245.
2009-2010 MAINE REGISTER OF BIG TREES NOW AVAILABLE
The 2009-2010 edition of the Maine Register of Big Trees is now available online at: www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/projectcanopy. A print edition is also available. FMI contact: Loretta Huttman, Project Canopy Community Outreach Director (207) 623-2371.
LAND & WATER CONSERVATION and RECREATIONAL TRAIL FUNDING AVAILABLE
Land and Water Conservation Fund monies are available to municipalities for assistance of up to 50 percent funding with a maximum of $50,000 in federal assistance for any one project. Applications must be submitted on or before Aug. 23, 2009. A pre-approval site inspection by a Bureau of Parks & Lands representative must be made to qualify the proposed site for funding. Requests for site inspections should be made before June 23, 2009.
Under the Recreational Trail Program, funds are available to municipalities and nonprofit trail organizations for construction and maintenance projects. The program will provide up to $35,000 in funds and up to $5,000 for projects to promote trail safety or environmental education. The application deadline for this funding opportunity is Nov. 6, 2009.
Applications for both grants are available online at: www.state.me.us/doc/parks/programs/community/index.html
PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
Planning the Urban Forest is a state-of-the-art best practices manual about how urban and community forestry can best be integrated into long-range and current municipal planning activities in the U.S. It was developed by The American Planning Association in close collaboration with the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and American Forests (AF). Planning the Urban Forest can be ordered from www.planning.org/research/forestry/
Cities Go Green Magazine www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/verde/citiesgogreen_200810/
Urban Forestry Best Management Practices for Public Works Managers - booklets 
www.apwa.net/About/CoopAgreements/urbanforestry/
TREE AND FOREST HEALTH
New Pest Detection Tool (I-PED) Being Developed and Pilot Tested - The USDA Forest Service and Davey Tree Expert Company are developing I-PED, a pest detection protocol that integrates pest detection with tree inventory efforts. This new tool is expected to provide a standardized method for integrating pest detection into urban forestry management, broaden efforts to detect exotic pests, and provide a field tool that communities can use to detect pest populations across broad areas.
USDA Forest Service Launches Web-Based Forest Threats Viewing Tool – This new tool will provide images, threat distribution maps, additional forestry contact information, and brief descriptions about forest threats throughout the eastern U.S. http://www.forestthreats.org.
DESIGN, PLANTING, AND CARE
Sustainable Design - ASLA has produced a guide to the best on-line resources for sustainable design and development. The site also provides links to the USDA plants database and the Forest Service Urban Forest Effects Model (UFORE). Check it out at: http://www.asla.org/ContentDetail.aspx?id=21718
Road to a Thoughtful Street Tree Master Plan - booklet 
www.forestry.umn.edu/extension/urban_com/Street%20Tree%20Manual.2.pdf
UP & COMING
Storm Response Strike Team
This initiative, developed by the USDA Forest Service Southern Region, is intended to recruit, train and deploy qualified professionals to assist communities in evaluating damaged trees after natural disasters. The USDA Forest Service’s Northeastern Area will conduct a pilot project to bring this initiative to our area in 2009.
Tree Owner’s Manual
The Tree Owner’s Manual is an easily reproducible reference manual about tree care throughout the course of a tree’s life. It is intended to be used by garden centers, nurseries, landscapers, arborists and homeowners. The booklet lists instructions for installation, tips for troubleshooting common tree care issues, recommended services related to tree care and cautions related to safety. The manual will be printed in limited quantities for initial distribution and distributed on a web-site portal with related educational information. To be notified when this available, sign up at: http://tinyurl.com/39u7mg.
USDA Forest Service Northeastern Area event and education calendar http://www.na.fs.fed.us/urban/index.shtm
May
9
International Migratory Bird Day Festival, 9-12 pm. Free and open to all ages! Adult bird walks at 6am and 8am. Children's bird walk at 10am. Please pre-register for bird walks by contacting Toni Pied at 621-0031 or ptsaedu@roadrunner.com. Pine Tree State Arboretum, Augusta
12
Active Communities Conference. Maine Dept. of Conservation is co-sponsoring the conference at the Harraseeket Inn, Freeport. The theme “Walking, Biking, Physical Activity and the Built Environment,” is for municipal officials who want to learn more about creating communities that encourage residents to be more active. The conference is free and lunch will be provided. To register visit: www.mcdregistration.org and click “Statewide Conferences and Events.”
14
Kennebec Soil & Water Conservation District Plant Sale, 3 pm. FMI: www.kcswcd.org
Pine Tree State Arboretum, Augusta
18
Pine Tree State Arboretum Guided Tours & Seedling Sale, 10-12 pm.
Maine Arbor Week Awards Celebration, 1-3 pm.
Maine State Library, Augusta. FMI: http://projectcanopy.maine.gov
18 – 20
Maine DEP: Nonpoint Source Pollution Conference
Eastland Park Hotel, Portland. FMI: www.neiwpcc.org/npsconference
30
Bees & Your Woodlot, 9-12 pm.
Beech Hill Road, Mercer.
June
4, 11, 18, 25
Take it Outside! Natural History Workshop Series, 1 pm.
Pine Tree State Arboretum, Augusta. FMI: www.ptsa.org
27
Maine Hosta Society Annual Hosta Auction, 10:30 – 2:30 pm.
Silent Auction 10:30-12:15; Regular Auction starts at 12:45. This event is open to the public!
Pine Tree State Arboretum
To include your community’s activity on the calendar, please contact us by the 15th of each month.
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.