Urban and Community Forestry Program 2012 Accomplishment Report Delaware

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1 Urban and Community Forestry Program 2012 Accomplishment Report Delaware State Contact Kyle Hoyd Urban & Community Forestry Coordinator Delaware Forest Service 2320 South DuPont Highway Dover, DE Phone: Fax: Web sites: html#urban State Forester Michael A. Valenti Delaware Department of Agriculture 2320 South DuPont Highway Dover, DE Phone: Fax: Introduction The Delaware Forest Service s Urban & Community Forestry (U&CF) Program provides technical, financial, and educational assistance to communities, homeowners, and nonprofit organizations throughout Delaware. The assistance that our program provides is vital to help maintain several of our strategic goals including tree canopy resolutions, heat island mitigation projects, and open space management. Thus, the U&CF Program offers grant opportunities to communities, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies for tree planting and tree management projects on publicly owned lands. Since the program s inception in 1991, the Delaware Forest Service has awarded over $1.7 million in grants to over 180 organizations to improve their urban forest resources. In FY12, the Delaware Forest Service U&CF Program awarded $189,000 to its recipients for tree planting and management projects through various funding sources. Also in FY12, Delaware had 37 communities that met the four criteria of a managing community and 28 communities that met the criteria of a developing community. Given the harsh economic times, the U&CF Program is pleased that the number of managing communities has increased by two from last year. The Delaware U&CF Program logged 6,086 volunteer hours in FY12, which are valued at $131, Key Accomplishments 2 nd Annual Delware Arborist and Tree Care Seminar The 2 nd annual Delaware arborist seminar was a huge success, nearly doubling in size from last year. This year we hosted the seminar at the St. Andrews School in Middletown, DE, on March 6 and 7. The seminar offered indoor and outdoor sessions on rigging techniques, electrical hazards in the urban workspace, aerial rescue, tree worker accidents, new ways to prune, pesticide exposure, and utilizing urban forests as biofuel. Dr. John Ball from South Dakota State University was this year s featured presenter along with Dr. Chris Luly from Urban Forestry, LLC. The 3 rd annual seminar is scheduled for February 19 and 20 at Hagley Museum in Wilmington, DE.

2 Kern Brothers demonstrate rigging techniques during the Delaware Arborist and Tree Care Seminar held March 6 and 7, American Arborist display. Bartlett Tree Experts demonstrate aerial rescue techniques during the Delaware Arborist and Tree Care Seminar held March 6 and 7, 2012.

3 Delaware State University Becomes a Certified Tree Campus USA In February 2012, Delaware State University (DSU) became our first official Tree Campus USA in the State. DSU staff, along with several staff from the U&CF Program, worked hard to ensure that the Tree Campus USA standards were met over the 2011 calendar year. DSU is the only historically black college or university registered as a Tree Campus USA. To officially announce its certification, DSU hosted the annual State Arbor Day event for the Delaware Forest Service. Governor Jack Markell was our key guest along with our Tree City USA, Tree Friendly, and Tree-riffic award recipients. Eight trees were planted on campus to commemorate the event. As of this writing, 30 more trees are scheduled to be planted on October 30, 2012, with representatives from the National Arbor Day Foundation and Toyota. Delaware State University (DSU) Tree Campus USA Announcement and DFS State Arbor Day (from left to right): Dr. Alton Thompson, DSU provost and vice president of Academic Affairs; Dr. Arthur Tucker, research professor; Dr. Susan Yost, herbarium educator; DSU President Harry L. Williams; Governor Jack Markell; Dr. Sathya Elavarthi, assistant professor of agriculture; and Michael A. Valenti, Delaware State Forester. Left photo: Mayor Michael J. Smith (right) of the Town of Blades receives congratulations from Governor Jack Markell for the town s new status as a Tree City USA. Blades is the newest Tree City USA community in Delaware. Right photo: Tree-riffic Schoolyard Recipients (from left to right): Susan Nancarrow, Blades Elementary Principal; Governor Jack Markell; and Heather Bethurum, Blades Elementary Vice Principal.

4 Creating Relationships between Colleges and Municipalities The Delaware Forest Service (DFS) broke new ground on its idea to bring colleges and local municipalities together for tree planting events. On April 17, 2012, the Town of Georgetown and Delaware Technical & Community College (DelTech) came together to celebrate Arbor Day and the kickoff of a new relationship. Twenty-seven trees were planted by the students, faculty, town staff, and DFS staff. These trees symbolize how local governments and colleges can benefit from one another. Georgetown is seeking Tree City USA certification and DelTech is seeking Tree Campus USA certification. The DFS has fostered a spirit of cooperation to show them that they can work together and share in creating a new urban forest. (Pictured from left to right): The Delaware Forest Service s Urban and Community Forestry Program Director Kyle Hoyd joins Georgetown Mayor Brian Pettyjohn, Delaware Tech Community College official Beth Rodier, and Urban Forestry Outreach Coordinator Marcia Fox as they proclaim April 17 as Arbor Day in Georgetown and celebrate the event with the planting of 27 trees throughout the campus grounds.

5 Urban Tree Canopy Goals The U&CF Program is pleased to announce that 22 percent of its communities (13/57) have passed urban tree canopy resolutions. The U&CF team has been working closely with its municipalities to set tree canopy goals over the past year. Our main focus is to get municipalities to pass these goals and practice good planning for their urban forests. The following are communities that have passed tree canopy goal resolutions: County New Castle Kent Sussex City of Wilmington City of Dover City of Lewes City of Newark City of Rehoboth Beach City of Delaware City Town of South Bethany Town of Elsmere Town of Fenwick Island Town of Smyrna Town of Blades Town of Laurel Town of Georgetown Statistical Highlights Managing Communities: 37 Developing Communities: 27 Population of Participating Communities: 560,414 Volunteer Assistance Generated (Hours): 6,086