The Webcast Series is a bimonthly webcast held at the lunch hour. The goal is to provide informal training opportunities for local urban and community forestry practitioners. The trainings highlight successful programs and practices that you may want to adopt in your community.

About the Webcast Series
The series is geared for volunteer organizers, community groups, and others who work with the public. Webcasts are open to all. Sessions are planned to last no more than one hour, with two presenters speaking on the same topic from slightly different perspectives, each for 10-15 minutes, followed by 10-15 minutes of questions and answers. The Webcast Series is made possible through support from The Home Depot Foundation and partnership with the USDA Forest Service.

Read more about and register for an individual session by clicking on that title below:

Date: October 7, 2010
Session: Tree Technology- Part II: CRMs
Trainer: Paige Van Riper, Director of Engagement & Technology, TreePeople (Beverly Hills, CA)
Trainer: Joe Wilson, Executive Director, Greening Milwaukee (Milwaukee, WI)

Date: September 2, 2010
Session: Species Selection- Part IV: Life After Planting
Trainer: Greg Paige, Arboretum Curator, Bartlett Tree Research Laboratory Arboretum (Charlotte, NC)
Trainer: Jim Woodworth, Director of Tree Planting, Casey Trees (Washington, DC)

Date: August 5, 2010
Session: Species Selection- Part II: Seasonal Landscaping
Trainer: Greg Paige, Arboretum Curator, Bartlett Tree Research Laboratory Arboretum (Charlotte, NC)
Trainer: Edith Makra, Community Trees Advocate, The Morton Arboretum (Lisle, IL)

Date: July 15, 2010
Session: Species Selection- Part I: Nursery Selection
Trainer: Greg Paige, Arboretum Curator, Bartlett Tree Research Laboratory Arboretum (Charlotte, NC)
Trainer: Barrett Robinson, VP of Horticulture and Construction, New York Restoration Project (New York, NY)

Date: July 1, 2010
Session: Climate Change Impacts: Water & Rain Harvesting
Trainer: Jason Schmidt, Program Associate, TreePeople (Beverly Hills, CA)
Trainer: Brenda Smith, Executive Director, Nine Mile Run Watershed Association (Pittsburgh, PA)

Date: June 17, 2010
Session: Off-Season Projects for Tree Planters
Trainer: Meredith Borchardt, Project Manager and Field Coordinator, Trees Forever (Marion, IA)
Trainer: Jen Bruhler, Parks and Forestry Outreach Manager, Delaware Center for Horticulture (Wilmington, DE)

Date: June 3, 2010
Session: Green Partnerships with Business- Major Corporations
Trainer: Peter Massey, Grants Manager, TreePeople (Beverly Hills, CA)
Trainer: Teresa Rhodes, Development Director, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (Indianapolis, IN)

Date: May 20, 2010
Session: Environmental Grudge Match: Solar Panels vs. Trees
Trainer: Rhonda Berry, President & CEO, Our City Forest (San Jose, CA)
Trainer: Dan Staley, Urban Planner (Aurora, CO)

Date: May 6, 2010
Session: Green Jobs- Part III: From Incarceration or Probation to Employment
Trainer: Joan Lionetti, Executive Director, Trees for Tuscon (Tucson, AZ)
Trainer: Annette Williams, B.E.ST. Director, Sustainable South Bronx (Bronx, New York)

Date: April 15, 2010
Session: Trees at Playspaces
Trainer: Dave Flanigan, Director of Operations, KaBOOM! (Washington, DC)
Trainer: Kathleen Ownby, Executive Director, SPARK Park (Houston, TX)

Date: April 1, 2010
Session: Green Solutions to Stormwater Management
Trainer: Howard Neukrug, City of Philadelphia (Philadelphia, PA)
Trainer: Dennis Lee, Executive Director, Project NEAT (Philadelphia, PA)
Trainer: Susan Pringle, Executive Director, UC Green (Philadelphia, PA)

Date: March 18, 2010
Session: Landscaping for Property Value
Trainer: Geoffrey Donovan, Research Forester, Pacific NW Research Station (Portland, OR)
Trainer: Jane Fortune, Development Director, Tree Fresno (Fresno, CA)

Date: February 19, 2010
Session: State Advocacy for Trees
Trainer: Sarah Foster, State Urban Forestry Coordinator, Washington DNR (Olympia, WA)
Trainer: Gary Allen, Chair, Partnership for Sustainable Forestry (Annapolis, MD)

Date: February 4, 2010
Session: Tree Ordinance and Design Standards
Trainer: Craig Richardson, Vice President and principal, Clarion Associates (Chapel Hill, NC)
Trainer: Chad Meadows, Senior Associate, Clarion Associates (Chapel Hill, NC)

Date: December 17, 2009
Session: Canopy Campaigns and Public Tree Goals- Part I: Goal Setting
Trainer: Dan DeWald, City of Bellevue (Bellevue, WA)
Trainer: Cheryl Kollin, Consultant for American Forests (Washington, DC)

Date: December 3, 2009 (ACT Members Only)
Session: 2010 Challenge Grants in Support of Housing Partnerships for Sustainable Communities
Trainer: Danielle Crumrine, Executive Director, Friends of the Pittsburgh Urban Forest (Pittsburgh, PA)
Trainer: Joelle Teachey, Executive Director, TreesGreenville (Greenville, SC)

Date: November 19, 2009
Session: Putting the 'Green' Back Into Green Jobs, Part II: Seeding Career Opportunities
Trainer: Mary Washington, Parks & People (Baltimore, MD)
Trainer: Nancy Wolf, Magnolia Tree Earth Center (Brooklyn, NY)

Date: November 5, 2009 (ACT Members Only)
Session: Rally for the National Conference
Trainer: Randy Gordon, Program Manager, Arbor Day Foundation (Lincoln, NE)
Trainer: Scott Fogarty, Executive Director, Friends of Trees (Portland, OR)

Date: October 15, 2009
Session: The Value of Shade: Energy and Climate Impacts
Trainer: Misha Sarkovich, Residential Services, Sacramento Municipal Utility District (Sacramento, CA)
Trainer: Geoffrey Donovan, Research Forester, Portland Forestry Sciences Lab (Portland, OR)
Trainer: Jacobe Caditz, Sacramento Shade Director, Sacramento Tree Foundation (Sacramento, CA)

Date: October 1, 2009 (ACT Members Only)
Session: NeighborWoods Month Primer- Part II
Trainer: Leland Milstein, Program Associate, Alliance for Community Trees (College Park, MD)
Trainer: Rene Lafflam, Executive Director, RNeighbors (Rochester, MN)
Trainer: Nate Faris, Youth Corps Manager and Arbologist, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (Indianapolis, IN)

Date: September 17, 2009
Session: Heading Towards Sustainability- Part II: Community Orchards
Trainer: Ashley Atkinson, Program Director, The Greening of Detroit (Detroit, MI)
Trainer: Dave Jacke, Dynamics Ecological Design (Greenfield, MA)

Date: September 3, 2009 (ACT Members Only)
Session: Building Capacity and Growing Sustainably with ACT
Trainer: Megan Graff Odett, Development Associate, Alliance for Community Trees (College Park, MD)
Trainer: Marcia Bansley, Executive Director, Trees Atlanta (Atlanta, GA)

Date: August 20, 2009
Session: 'Planning' Your Way to the Best Urban Forest
Trainer: Jim Schwab, American Planning Association (Chicago, IL)
Trainer: Cheryl Kollin, VP for Urban Ecosystems, American Forests (Washington, DC)

Date: August 6, 2009 (ACT Members Only)
Session: NeighborWoods Month Primer- Part I
Trainer: Leland Milstein, Program Associate, Alliance for Community Trees (College Park, MD)
Trainer: Ken Knight, Executive Director, Goleta Valley Beautiful (Goleta, CA)

Date: July 16, 2009
Session: Urban Landscaping- Part II: Tree Stock
Trainer: Jim Urban, JimUrban Associates (Annapolis, MD)
Trainer: Sue Probart, Executive Director, Tree New Mexico (Albuquerque, NM)

Date: June 18, 2009
Session: Urban Landscaping- Part I: Bareroot Trees
Trainer: Nina Bassuk, Urban Horticulture Institute at Cornell University (Ithaca, NY)
Trainer: Patrice Sheehan, Delaware Center for Horticulture (Wilmington, DE)

Date: May 21, 2009
Session: Tree Campus USA
Trainer: Mary Widhelm, Program Coordinator, Arbor Day Foundation (Lincoln, NE)
Trainer: Teresa Rhodes, Development Dir, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (Indianapolis, IN)

Date: April 16, 2009
Session: Advancing Your Mission with Support from Your Urban & Community Forest Councils
Trainer: Mary Lynne Beckley, Executive Dir., GA Urban Forest Council (Decatur, GA)
Trainer: Bill Hascher, President, NC Urban Forest Council (Raleigh, NC)

Date: March 19, 2009
Session: SmartGrowth and Urban Forestry- Part II: City Planning
Trainer: Dan Kildee, Treasurer, Genesee County (Genesee, MI)
Trainer: Dan Staley, Urban Planner (Aurora, CO)

Date: February 19, 2009
Session: Incorporating AmeriCorps and Recent Grads Into Local Programs
Trainer: Yvonne Lee, Assistant Director, Shreveport Green (Shreveport, LA)
Trainer: Ashley Atkinson, Program Director, The Greening of Detroit (Detroit, MI)

Date: January 15, 2009
Session: Marketing & Communications- Part IV: Advertising & Promoting Tree Events
Trainer: Laurie Kaufman, Director of Communications, TreePeople (Los Angeles, CA)
Trainer: Jean DuBose, Director of Development & Promotions, Parks & People (Baltimore, MD)

Date: December 18, 2008
Session: Marketing & Communications- Part III: Building & Positioning Your Brand
Trainer: Laurie Kaufman, Director of Communications, TreePeople (Los Angeles, CA)
Trainer: Constance Crawford, Outreach Services Director, Sacramento Tree Foundation (Sacramento, CA)

Date: November 20, 2008
Session: Marketing & Communications- Part II: Strategy & Public Relations
Trainer: Laurie Kaufman, Director of Communications, TreePeople (Los Angeles, CA)
Trainer: Mandy Hunsicker, Senior Account Executive, Manning, Selvage, and Lee (Atlanta, GA)

Date: October 16, 2008
Session: Marketing & Communications- Part I: Marketing 101
Trainer: Laurie Kaufman, Director of Communications, TreePeople (Los Angeles, CA)
Trainer: Shannon Forsell, Public Relations, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (Indianapolis, IN)

Date: September 18, 2008
Session: Urban Forestry Partnerships in Education
Trainer: Nancy Wolf, Magnolia Tree Earth Center (New York, NY)
Trainer: Peggy Davis, Executive Director, LSU Hilltop Arboretum (Baton Rouge, LA)

Date: September 11, 2008
Session: NeighborWoods Month 101 (special webcast)
Trainer: Patrice Sheehan, Tree Program Manager, Delaware Center for Horticulture (Wilmington, DE)
Trainer: Claudia Schenck, Office Director, Tennessee Environmental Council (Nashville, TN)

Date: August 28, 2008
Session: NeighborWoods Month 101 (special webcast)
Trainer: Kari Smith, Community Greening Program Manager, Parks & People (Baltimore, MD)
Trainer: Adrienn Mendonca, Communications Director, Savannah Tree Foundation (Savannah, GA)

Date: August 21, 2008
Session: Special Event Fundraising
Trainer: Kelly Quirke, Executive Development, Friends of the Urban Forest (San Francisco)
Trainer: Kelley Skumautz, Annual Fund Director, TreePeople (Beverly Hills, CA)

Date: July 17, 2008
Session: Trees and Transportation
Trainer: Pam Helfer, Field Director, Trees Forever (Marion, IA)
Trainer: Dorothy McDaniel, Executive Director, Trees Columbus (Columbus, GA)

Date: June 19, 2008
Session: Technology in the Urban Forest
Trainer: Holli Howard, Director of GIS & IT, Casey Trees (Washington, DC)
Trainer: Scott Maco, Research and Development Analyst, Davey Tree (Seattle, WA)

Date: May 15, 2008
Session: Tree Sales and Giveaways
Trainer: Greg Levine, Program Director, Trees Atlanta (Atlanta, GA)
Trainer: Patrick Hayes, Executive Director, The Park People (Denver, CO)

Date: April 17, 2008
Session: Heading Towards Sustainability- Part I: Agroforestry
Trainer: Brad Riphagen, Field Coordinator, Trees Forever (Marion, IA)
Trainer: Richard Straight, Lead Agroforester, USDA National Agroforestry Center (Lincoln, NE)

Date: March 20, 2008
Session: Green Jobs- Part I: Adult Workforce Training
Trainer: Renee Toll-Dubois, Eagle Eye Institute (Somerville, MA)
Trainer: Karen Brook, Trees Forever (Marion, IA)

Date: February 21, 2008
Session: Affordable Housing and Trees
Trainer: Fred Wacker, The Home Depot Foundation (Atlanta, GA)
Trainer: John Linner, National Development Council (Toledo, OH)

Date: January 17, 2008
Session: Partnering with Utility Companies to Plant Trees
Trainer: Joan Lionetti, Trees for Tucson (Tucson, AZ)
Trainer: Patty Peterson, Trees Forever (Marion, IA)

Date: December 20, 2007
Session: Starting a Tree Group & Operating Sustainably
Trainer: Marcia Bansley, Trees Atlanta (Atlanta, GA)
Trainer: Anna Dooley, Greenscape of Jacksonville (Jacksonville, FL)

Date: November 8, 2007
Session: Smart Growth and Urban Forestry
Trainer: Dannielle Glaros, Office of Councilman Eric Olson (Upper Marlboro, MD)
Trainer: Peter Harnick, Trust for Public Land- Center for Parks Excellence (Washington, DC)

Date: October 18, 2007
Session: Organizing Work Programs for High School Students
Trainer: Amanda Benner, UC Green (Philadelphia, PA)
Trainer: Kemba Shakur, Urban ReLeaf (Oakland, CA)

Date: September 20, 2007
Session: Getting into Greenroofs
Trainer: Katrin Scholz-Barth, Scholz-Barth Consulting (Washington, DC)
Trainer: Ed Snodgrass, Green Roof Plants (Street, MD)

Date: August 16, 2007
Session: Operating a Nursery, Community Garden, or Arboretum
Trainer: Mike Bradshaw, Texas Trees Foundation (Dallas, TX)
Trainer: Glenda Daniel, Openlands (Chicago, IL)

Date: July 19, 2007
Session: Natural Capitalism: Green Partnerships with Businesses
Trainer: Greg Levine, Trees Atlanta (Atlanta, GA)
Trainer: Prescott Gaylord, Baltimore Landmarks Homes (Baltimore, MD)

Date: June 28, 2007
Session: Raising Money Through Commemorative Tree Plantings
Trainer: Joan Lionetti, Trees for Tucson (Tucson, AZ)
Trainer: Scott Fogarty, Friends of Trees (Portland, OR)

Skills Required: Strong writing and research, attention to detail, organization, ability to work independently or with a team, self-starter, and sense of humor.

General Interests: Urban policy, neighborhood redevelopment, public relations/marketing, nonprofit management, and development.

Minimum/Maximum Award: Stipend commensurate with experience.

Application Procedure: Submit a cover letter, resume, and writing sample to the email or mailing address listed below.

Application Deadline: Rolling.

Internship Period: Students are suggested to apply for spring (February-May), summer (June-August), or fall (September-November) fellowships.

Mailing Address: Mail or email resumes to:

Alliance for Community Trees
Attn: Internship Program
4603 Calvert Road
College Park, MD 20740
jared@actrees.org

Inquiries: Please direct questions regarding the internship program to ACT's Director of Programs, Jared Liu at 301-277-0041.

ACT member organizations engage thousands of volunteers nationwide to transform cities for the better. Together, members of Alliance for Community Trees have planted 14.9 million trees in cities, with help from 4.3 million volunteers. We're proud of our collective achievements, but there is much more work to be done to make our cities healthy, sustainable, and successful.

Individual donors are an important source of support for ACT. Your donation will support ACT's advocacy, education, and planting initiatives nationwide. Alliance for Community Trees is unique among national conservation organizations in our urban focus and grassroots approach - we truly think globally, and act locally.

Your contribution helps support:
* Advocacy for a National Agenda for Trees
* NeighborWoods
* NeighborWoods Month
* Community Tree Leadership Training
* Brown Bag Webcasts
* and other valuable programs that support urban greening nationwide

The Alliance for Community Trees is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization (EIN # 68-0319301)

ACT participates in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC # 12402) and is eligible for employer gift matching programs.

To discuss planned giving opportunities, call us at 301-277-0040.

Bette Midler's New York City community gardening, tree planting, and environmental education nonprofit seeks candidate to lead organization into its next 15 years. New York Restoration Project (NYRP), an environmental, nonprofit organization that is co-leading the MillionTreesNYC initiative with Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and the New York City Parks Department has launched a national search for a new executive director. The new director will play a significant role in advocating for the greening and programming of New York City community gardens, parks and open space.

In addition to the day-to-day operations of the 100-plus employee organization, the executive director will oversee continued restoration and maintenance of NYRP's 55 community gardens and Swindler Cove Park; tree planting and management of MillionTreesNYC; expansion of the organization's environmental education program; and development of community events and programming- including NYC Grows, New York City's largest gardening festival. The Executive Director will also play a leadership role in cultivating and securing major donors, corporate sponsorships, foundation support, and public funding to support the organization's $12.5 million annual budget.

Since the organization's founding by entertainer Bette Midler in 1995, NYRP has achieved dramatic results for New York City by investing in the greening and beautification of underserved communities throughout the city's five boroughs. In 1999, Midler and NYRP saved 114 community gardens from commercial development and established the New York Garden Trust to ensure NYRP's gardens remained public gardens in perpetuity. NYRP is also responsible for transforming an illegal dumping ground along the Harlem River into the five-acre Swindler Cove Parkand building the adjacent Peter Jay Sharp Boathouse- the first floating boathouse on the river in over 100 years. AtSwindler Cover Park and in NYRP's community gardens, adults and youth are being introduced year-round to innovative environmental education programs and community events which serve thousands of New York Cityfamilies.

The direction position is becoming available with the departure of the organization's current executive director, Drew Becher, who was recently named the 36th president of the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society. When Becher assumes his new role in April 2010, he will oversee Philadelphia Green- largest and most comprehensive urban greening program in the nation, the Philadelphia International Flower Show, and the Society's horticulture education and urban greening programs.

Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter and resume to: pamela@pbrsearch.com

Related Resources:
NYRP Executive Director Job Description

The U.S. EPA created the Pollution Prevention (P2) Grant Program (formerly Pollution Prevention Incentives for States) under the authority of the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990. The grant program provides matching funds to State and Tribal programs to support P2 activities across all environmental media and to develop State-based programs. EPA believes these environmental programs have the best opportunity to promote P2 because States have closer, more direct contact with industry and are more aware of local needs.

Pollution prevention and source reduction grants support State, Tribal and nonprofit organizations that facilitate the adoption of pollution prevention practices by businesses, government, universities, hospitals, and other organizational entities. These grants produce annual environmental results in pounds of hazardous materials reduced, BTUs of energy saved, gallons of water saved and dollars saved. In 2006, the Pollution Prevention Program began publicly reporting the environmental results of grants, on an individual grant basis and on a regional and an aggregate basis.

Related Resources:
Pollution Prevention Grant RFP
Pollution Prevention Grant Application, Assessment Reports, and Case Studies

At the graduation celebration, keynote speakers will include:
* The Honorable Sarah R. Simmons, Presiding Judge, Pima County Juvenile Court, Div. 29
* Richard Elias, Pima County Board of Supervisors, District 5
* Marty Cortez, Board of Governors, Pima Community College District

The Adopt-a-Park and Public Areas program was started in 1984 to address the growing problem of litter. Since that time, Tucson area volunteers have provided over 200,000 volunteer service hours at hundreds of sites, including over 13,000 hours just in the past year. This unique public-private partnership helps to keep our public areas cleaner and safer for all to enjoy.

The first year of the YARDS Program has been generously funded by the Wolslager Foundation, along with a second year challenge grant for 2011. Additional program sponsors and supporters include the Pima County, U of A Extension Service, Smartscape, Pima County Department of Natural Resources Parks & Recreation, and City of Tucson Landscape Advisory Committee. Tax-deductible donations to the program in support of the challenge grant may be sent to Tucson Clean & Beautiful, c/o YARDS program, P.O. Box 27210, Tucson, AZ 85726.

Tucson Clean & Beautiful is a nonprofit organization, incorporated in 1985 as the flagship for community based environmental volunteer efforts in the Tucson-Pima County metropolitan area. Its programs have grown to address recycling and waste reduction, urban forestry, land stewardship, and beautification. Visit www.TucsonCleanAndBeautiful.org or call (520) 791-3109 for more information.

Portland, OR (March 6, 2010)- I was visited by a happy, talkative group called Friends of Trees on Saturday morning. They poured out of three trucks, one of which had our two trees and several others slated for plantings elsewhere. Shovels, buckets, trees and people made a beeline for my backyard and they showed us the best places to plant the three-year-old trees, they're are hardly bigger than saplings, yet old enough to be sturdy on their own. It was fun and educational, both.

Trees are very important to the ecology, as we've seen in places like Easter Island and Haiti. We need them for shade, erosion prevention, wildlife, clean air, green spaces and scenic beauty. Not to mention the tax breaks some homeowners can get.

At their website you can find the planting calendar and volunteer opportunities and even get started on getting your own new trees. First is easy sign-up, which can be done at the website for your convenience, and then they'll give you a list of the trees that will grow well in your area. This may or may not require a visit to the property to determine the list; they didn't need to visit for mine. Choose your trees from that list- we chose two Incense Cedars- and then schedule weekend planting with them.

The discounted trees from Friends of Trees cost only $25 to $75 and the price includes delivery, hole digging, planting, mulching, stakes and even follow-up maintenance. The education that comes with it is totally free.

They like you to participate (even if you don't buy trees, it's fun to help) and they also like it if you go with them to the next planting. Their plan is to plant thousands more trees between the Columbia River and Gladstone. Since 1989 they've planted well over 385,000 trees in the Portland/Vancouver area.

Friends of Trees is a member of Coalition for a Livable Future, Alliance for Community Trees, Oregon Community Trees and Earthshare Oregon. Friends of Trees also meets all 20 BBB Charity Standards and is Recycle at Work certified by the City of Portland.

Let's get Greener, Portland!

Related Resources:
Portland Home & Living Examiner- Portland gets new trees from Friends of Trees
Friends of Trees

Lompoc, CA (March 6, 2010)- About twice a year, the members of the Lompoc Beautification and Appearance Commission take their monthly meeting on the road. "It's just so much easier to get out and see what we're talking about," said city Parks and Urban Forestry Manager Cindy McCall after she finished driving a van full of commission members around the city Friday.

Siberian and Chinese elms lined the road, each one "topped," meaning their uppermost branches had been cut back, giving them a flattop appearance. McCall explained the situation: Electrical power lines above the trees means the city is required to maintain an 8-foot gap between the wires and the treetops. The gap helps to ensure stormy conditions will not knock trees into the lines, and that climbing children could not reach the lines.

"Topping is tough on the trees, because the way the branches grow they are very weakly attached," McCall said, indicating the unhealthy bark, and tiny unwanted and unproductive "sucker branches," that each tree in the row seemed to have. McCall said the city could take out the elms and replace them with trees that grew shorter and require less maintenance, "to change this street into something lovely."

Back in the van, McCall began driving to the next stop. "I really like how Chinese elms look though," said Commissioner Barry Weaver. "Where they need to be is in a park, somewhere they have room to grow," McCall added. More Siberian elms sit along College Avenue, crammed underneath power lines. Several had already been removed, allowing for shorter trees to be planted. "Should we get a grant, this is where we'll be planting," McCall said.

Along Pine Avenue, in front of Fillmore Elementary School, the commission saw more elms obviously stunted due to power lines above. "These worry me because they're right next to the walkway, where all the little children walk to school," McCall said.

Between stops, commissioners and McCall talked about the trees they liked (new stone pines along West Airport Avenue), other beatification problems (such as graffiti and stump removal) and Lompoc's tree history.

According to McCall, a former city forester is responsible for the number of elms planted around Lompoc, after seeing so many planted in Disneyland and falling in love with them. "I remember when we planted these trees," said Commissioner Elizabeth Schmidt, pointing to the row of Canary Island date palms planted along the West Laurel Avenue railroad tracks.

The tour then headed to South V Street, and a row of Monterey and Canary Island pines stricken with pine pitch canker, a disease that kills trees. Pine pitch canker has hit Lompoc hard this year. Last month, Lompoc Parks and Recreation officials reported removing roughly a dozen trees in the 100 to 300 blocks of South V Street, the 1100 to 1300 blocks of West Olive Avenue the 300 block of South O Street, and a few trees within River and Beattie parks. "Right now, because of the rain, it's spreading so fast," McCall said, pointing out the telltale signs, including the browning tips of the trees and resin flowing from infection sites.

Residents who are concerned that their trees may be infected can contact the city's Parks Maintenance and Urban Forestry Division at 875-8034, or contact McCall by e-mail at cmccall@ci.lompoc.ca.us.

The next meeting of the Beautification and Appearance Commission will begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall.

Related Resources:
Lompoc Record- Commissioners Tour Trees
City of Lompoc

City neighborhoods with the highest levels of crime and unemployment often also have the fewest trees and least green space. Green jobs training programs developed in accordance with the needs of struggling communities can be part of a solution to these issues. Programs for teaching and employing formerly incarcerated youth and adults in the growing green economy can help reduce social and economic imbalances while also cleaning and greening our cities.

Trainers:

Joan Lionetti, Executive Director, Trees for Tuscon (Tucson, AZ)
In 2009 Trees for Tucson initiated a new juvenile probation landscape maintenance program. Individuals under 18 years of age are selected to participate in the program by their probation officers. The eight-week curriculum invites professionals including horticulturists, arborists, and justice system employees to present to participants during one four-hour session each week. The program was developed in partnership with Pima County Extension Services, Pima County Parks, and the University of Arizona.

Annette Williams, B.E.ST. Director, Sustainable South Bronx (Bronx, New York)
Sustainable South Bronx developed its Bronx Environmental Stewardship Training (BEST) program to certify formerly jobless and often incarcerated people in green-roof installation and maintenance, urban forestry, hazardous waste cleanup, and retrofitting aging buildings for energy efficiency. The BEST Academy links environmental cleanup and restoration in the community to the career development and economic needs of local people. Over eighty percent of BEST graduates are gainfully employed, and fifteen percent are attending college.

Webcast attendees will learn about:
* Working with local criminal justice systems to plan job training programs.
* Developing curricula for formerly incarcerated people.
* Identifying the opportunities for green jobs in your community.
* Creating programs for youth in the juvenile justice system.
* Advocating for green jobs as a means for social and environmental justice.

About the Webcast Series
The Webcast Series is the Alliance for Community Trees' bimonthly webcast series held at the lunch hour and made possible through support from The Home Depot Foundation and USDA Forest Service. The goal is to create informal training opportunities for local urban and community forestry organizations. The content is geared to mainly serve the needs of volunteer organizations and community groups, although webcasts are open to all.

The trainings leverage local successes by amplifying to a larger audience the model organizations' methods, materials, and approaches. Sessions are planned to last no more than one hour, with two presenters speaking on the same topic from slightly different perspectives, each for 10-15 minutes, followed by 10-15 minutes of questions and answers.

Washington, DC (March 5, 2010)- OK, so maybe it isn't exactly in the curriculum... but DC Public Schools is continuing to make a difference in the community by planting numerous trees throughout the city. Students, faculty, and staff in our nation's capital have the opportunity to partner with an organization called Casey Trees in an effort to take some time out of the school day to plant trees around many of the district's schools.

Casey Trees is a local organization that supplies trees to any group, organization or individual wishing to plant 10 or more trees. Through their Community Tree Planting Program, these trees are donated for free, and staff from Casey will even come help put them in the ground!

Although Casey Trees is only in D.C., it is a part of a national organization called Alliance for Community Trees (ACT), which serves largely the same purpose on a national level. Check out the ACT website if you want to get involved and make a difference... every tree helps. Check out the website for Casey Trees and Alliance for Community Trees.

Related Resources:
Think Green, Live Clean- DC Public Schools Adds a Little Greenery to the Curriculum
Casey Trees

* When planted to provide shade and windbreaks, as few as three trees can reduce residential utility costs by as much as 50%.
* Residential property values are 5-12% higher when landscaping includes trees.
* Children exhibit greater concentration and self-control, even displaying fewer symptoms of ADHD, when they are provided with daily access to green settings.
* Children who live on tree-lined streets have lower rates of asthma.
* Trees along roadways encourage slower and safer driving; tree-lined streets have fewer accidents.

About Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc.
Keep Indianapolis Beautiful (KIB) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit engaging neighborhoods in environmental and community improvement projects throughout the city. The mission of Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. is to unite people to build community and transform public spaces through aesthetic and environmental improvement. To learn more, visit www.kibi.org.

About Alliance for Community Trees
Alliance for Community Trees (ACT) is dedicated to ensuring clean air, green streets, and healthy neighborhoods by planting and caring for trees. With 160 grassroots affiliates in 41 states and Canada, ACT engages volunteers to take action to improve the environment where 80% of people live - in urban areas. Together, ACT member organizations have planted and cared for 15 million trees in cities with help from 10.7 million volunteer hours. For more information, visit www.actrees.org.

About The Home Depot Foundation
The Home Depot Foundation was created in 2002 to further the community building goals of The Home Depot. The Home Depot Foundation is dedicated to building affordable homes for working families that are healthy to live in and affordable to own. To make homes healthy and affordable, the Foundation encourages developers to incorporate responsible design and use durable and quality materials to ensure that homes are more energy and water efficient, have good indoor air quality, and provide a safe and healthy space to live. Since its formation, The Home Depot Foundation has granted $120 million to nonprofit organizations and supported the development of more than 65,000 affordable, healthy homes. For more information, visit www.homedepotfoundation.org.

Related Resources:
KIB Lands Grant For 2012 Super Bowl Tree Project
Keep Indianapolis Beautiful