At the October 19, 2023 meeting we had two speakers:
Ryan Pudwell from the Nonconnah Creek Conservancy (est. 2016) shared findings & invited members to volunteer to take i-naturalist inventory of the Nonconnah Creek waterway. Two unusual trees found along the creek are the Swamp Cottonwood (Populus heterophylla) & the American Hazelnut ( Corylus americana) . You may be interested in joining the Nonconnah Conservancy for their monthly hikes.
Explore scientific data, archaeology, & read the Nonconnah Conservancy newsletters found at https://www.rpudwell.com/nonconnah-creek
Cat Pena, Germantown's Public Art Manager, explained the The Blue Trees Environmental Art Installation by international artist Konstantin Dimopoulos &Tree Tones by local artist duo Belleau + Churchill. " It aims to raise awareness of our community's natural resources, foster connections between Shelby County residents and our green spaces, and advance regional understanding of the importance of trees."
For information on the Blue Trees installation: https://www.germantownpublicart.org/
To volunteer or learn more about the Blue Trees project go to https://www.germantownpublicart.org/contact
It's TREE PLANTING TIME: According to the ISA, the ideal time to plant a tree is during the dormant season—in the fall after leaf drop or in early spring before bud break.
Memphis Tree Board - recommended trees for our area:https://memphisparks.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Memphis-Tree-Board-Tree-Reccomendations.pdf
Leave the Leaves to help reverse the decline of our beneficial insects and birds. " Invertebrates, -- rely on fallen leaves and other organic debris to cover and insulate them from the elements." https://xerces.org/leave-the-leaves
Caterpillars make up a large portion of the diet of baby birds. According to Doug Tallamy, birds feed their babies up to 570 caterpillars per day. Native trees provide homes to numerous caterpillar species.
Recommendations from Dr. Dana Sanders MD (June Speaker):
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Subscribe to UNDER THE OAKS: Memphis Botanic Garden's Lever 4 arboretum newsletter.
Past President Claire Barnett presents the UFA 2021 certification certificate at the 2.16.23 mtg.
The President's award went to Jan Castillo of the West TN Chapter.
Native Trees of the Southeast: An Identification Guide Katherine Kirkman, Claud L. Brown , & Donald Leopold
See American Foresters 2021 Tree Equity Report https://www.americanforests.org/our-work/urban-forestry/
9.20.23
Turn in Your Hours to Judi .
Volunteer Coordinator: Susan McKnight (left photo)
Website manager: Jan C.
WTC:TUFC Volunteer Opportunities posted posted 11.09.2023 Susan McKnight
Saturday, November 11, 2023. 10am- 1pm. WTC-TUFC information table. Blue Tree Family Fun Day Event. Patriot Circle at Germantown Municipal Park along Exeter Road. The Family Fun Day is an event for families with young children, seniors and people with special needs who are unable to participate in the installation of the Blue Tree project along the Germantown Greenway. The Blue Trees project is a temporary environmental art installation by Australian artist Konstantin Dimopoulos created to inspire awareness about global deforestation and highlight the importance of trees in our environment. Contact Susan McKnight to volunteer at information table susanmcknight976@gmail.com.
On-going through Wednesday, November 15, 2023. 10am-12pm. Blue Trees Environmental Art Installation. Germantown Greenway. Participants will be able to color tree saplings with a temporary biologically safe pigment that will be planted in Memphis in partnership with the Wolf River Conservancy and the West Tennessee Urban Forestry Chapter. The blue pigment will slowly wash away from the trees by rain over the next several months. The trees will be on display November 2023 through April 2024. To sign up for volunteer time slot, go to germantownpublicart.org and scroll down to volunteer opportunities. For questions contact Cat Pena 901-751-7664, cpena@germantown-TN.gov.
Saturday, November 11, 2023. 8am-12pm. Greenhouse clean out. Overton Park Conservancy Greenhouse, 281 East Parkway. Judi Shellabarger writes: They will need help. Wear gloves and bring cutting tool or weedeater. Ask Judi if you need more information. Shellabargerjudi@gmail.com
Saturday, November 18, 2023. 11am-1pm. WTC-TUFC information table at Lichterman Nature Center on Saturday, November 18th from 11a.m. - 1p.m. Mary Schmidt <mary.schmidt@memphistn.gov> wrote: This is part of our 3rd Saturday series in which we invite a community organization to set up information and talk about their organization. We will also be leading a fall color hike (or if you have a volunteer interested in leading a hike that would be great too!) Contact Susan McKnight text
Saturday, December 2, 2023. 10 am- noon. Audubon Park, 751 Cherry Rd, Memphis. Suzanne Shown of Friends of Audubon Park wrote: Volunteers are needed to plant trees and to mulch other trees planted in early summer. These trees were donated by WTC-TUFC. Contact Suzanne Shown shownsuzanne@gmail.com
Saturday, December 9 and, if needed, Saturday, December 16, 2023. 9 am-noon. Williamson Park Arboretum, located at 250 Williamson, behind the new home for Friends for All at 1548 Poplar Avenue. Volunteers are needed for planting and mulching as many as 16 new trees. Bring gloves and spades and a wheelbarrow if you have one. Contact Kathy James at kjames@barton.edu.
Noconnah Creek Inventory: https://www.rpudwell.com/nonconnah-creek
Sign up with Judi for the Shelby County Team. To view UT Forestry's State Champions click https://fwf.tennessee.edu/champion-tree/
Claire & Judi measure a potential champion Osage Orange in Morris Park 1.10.23
Mycorrhizal networks sink 5 billion tons of carbon a year. Trees send down carbon to fungi. Fungi send nitrogen and phosphorus to trees.
Read much more about uncovering the mysteries of fungi in Unearthing the Superpowers Of Fungi; NY Times by Somini Sengupta 7.27.22
https://www.oneearth.org/mapping-the-fungi-network-that-lives-beneath-the-soil/
by Jan Castillo
On a recent walk through Holmes Park, I removed some privet to discover a brightly decorated Hearts-a burstin eight foot shrub growing behind it. If not removed, the privet will completely shade out this fall beauty; thus depriving wildlife of an important food source and hikers a glimpse of nature’s unique fall color scheme.
The September to early October fruit is a show stopper on this plant. When the strawberry-red warty five chamber capsules burst open, they reveal arils covering fleshy orange seeds. In late fall these aril covered seeds, high in fat and caloric content, attract song birds, wild turkey and small mammals. The seeds are poisonous to humans
After the orange and yellow foliage is gone, the shrub can be identified by is unusual twigs which are four sided and slightly twisted.
Hearts-a burstin grows in moist areas of eastern U.S forests. Once established it can tolerate some dry periods. It does not thrive in sunny locations. It can be found in wetland areas such as swamp margins , woodland’s edge, open woodland, and shaded stream banks.
For more photos and detailed information on identification: click: https://anps.org/2015/12/02/know-your-natives-strawberry-bush/
For its role in supporting pollinators click: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euonymus_americanus
http://For its role in supporting pollinators click: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euonymus_americanus" rel="noopener" target="_blank">
https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/science/five-facts-hearts-a-bustin/,
Trees as ART! Students view & discuss Bonsai art, & tree paintings, with Master Gardener Larry T. and others.
Support the chapter; grab your Kroger Card and sign up for Kroger Community Rewards our code is UX807
https://www.kroger.com/i/community/community-rewards
TUFC PROGRAMS:
1991; Annual Conferences started “to train, educate, and advise those making decisions concerning Tennessee's urban forests.” Awards recognize those who “make a significant contribution to establishing and maintaining viable community forests in Tennessee.”
2000: Arboreta Certification program- TUFC’s program is one of the few state arboretum certification programs in the U.S. https://tufc.com/programs/tree/arboreta/
1998: Landmark, Historic, and Heritage Tree Registry. https://tufc.com/programs/tree/landmark-historic-heritage-tree-registry
1999: first TN Tree Climbing Competition. New arborists learn from skilled climbers to reduce job related injuries. Since 2018, the climbing competition has been sponsored by the TN Arborist Association.
2012: TUFC Centers for Excellence --to provide in depth outreach for TUFC’s programs Memphis Botanic Garden the first designated Center of Excellence; Cheekwood Garden (Nashville) is the only other Center Of Excellence https://tufc.com/programs/educational/centers-of-excellence/
2016: Tree Sanctuary program (home arboreta) https://tufc.com/programs/tree/sanctuary/
2017 (only): Replant Gatlinburg Campaign
TN State Champion TREES: Until 2018 administered by TUFC, but now managed by the Tennessee Division of Forestry, the Department of Forestry, the Wildlife and Fisheries at the University of Tennessee https://fwf.tennessee.edu/champion-tree/
The West TN Chapter of the TN Urban Forestry Council was founded in 2004.
Oaks sustain a complex and fascinating web of wildlife. The Nature of Oaks reveals what is going on in oak trees month by month, highlighting the seasonal cycles of life, death, and renewal. From woodpeckers who collect and store hundreds of acorns for sustenance to the beauty of jewel caterpillars, Tallamy illuminates and celebrates the wonders that occur right in our own backyards. He also shares practical advice about how to plant and care for an oak, along with information about the best oak species for your area. -David George Haskell, author of The Forest Unseen and The Songs of Trees
.."Since the turn of the millennium, a remarkable recasting of our attention—away from the gravitas of individual trees and toward the question of what trees do together, as a collective—has been under way. What passes between trees, the nuance of their exchanges, and the seemingly delicate mechanism of their connections—that mystery has inspired a rich new realm of research, and along with it, a subgenre of literature dedicated to spreading a revised conception of the powers and processes that allow arboreal plants to thrive. The title of the German forester Peter Wohlleben’s hugely popular 2015 book, The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate—Discoveries From a Secret World "
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2021/07/social-trees-meg-lowman-suzanne-simard/619015/
“Finding the Mother Tree reminds us that the world is a web of stories, connecting us to one another. [The book] carries the stories of trees, fungi, soil and bears–and of a human being listening in on the conversation. The interplay of personal narrative, scientific insights and the amazing revelations about the life of the forest make a compelling story.”—Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass
Suzanne Simard is a pioneer on the frontier of plant communication and intelligence; her TED talks have been viewed by more than 10 million people worldwide.
https://mothertreeproject.org/
Some Scientist Question the role of the theory of the " Wood Wide Web"
Named a Best Essay Collection of the Decade by Literary Hub
As a botanist, Robin Wall Kimmerer has been trained to ask questions of nature with the tools of science. As a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, she embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers. In Braiding Sweetgrass, Kimmerer brings these two lenses of knowledge together to take us on "a journey that is every bit as mythic as it is scientific, as sacred as it is historical, as clever as it is wise" (Elizabeth Gilbert).
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Three books on Planting with Natives recommended by Josiah Lockard, speaker at the April 2023 meeting:
Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes
Claudia West & Thomas Rainer
Garden Revolution: How Our Landscapes Can Be a Source of Environmental Change Larry Weaner & Tom Christopher
Toward an Urban Ecology Kate Orff
Barkskins. a 2016 novel by Annie Proulx, tells the story of two immigrants to New France, René Sel and Charles Duquet, and of their descendants. It witnesses the deforestation of the New World, during a 300 year span, from the arrival of Europeans to the contemporary era of climate crisis .
A story about people, our forests, and our future. https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324001607
Back Porch Forestry are educational sessions on trees, forests and forest management from Dr. Mercker found here https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC_0Z5Y2l2wfDh-UcOeOVn3g/videos
TUFC's Webinar Series: The most recent ones(2.16.23) are on tree identification. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkeRUoXKHgwt2utYPea6uWH_xuqSIU3yf
above photo by L. West ; Quercus lyrata Overcup Oak leaves October 2021
Bylaws of the West Tennessee Chapter,
Tennessee Urban Forestry Council – A Chapter of The Tennessee Urban Forestry Council
ARTICLE I
Name
The name of this organization shall be the “West Tennessee Chapter, Tennessee Urban Forestry Council” and shall, within these bylaws,
be referred to as “Chapter.”
ARTICLE II Purpose
The purpose of this Chapter shall be synonymous with the mission of the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council (TUFC): to promote and improve Tennessee’s urban forests by providing leadership and guidance through education, planning and advocacy with a focus on West Tennessee issues.
Specifically, the Chapter will work to coordinate and stimulate programs that will:
1) Promote current, sound urban forestry practices within West Tennessee;
2) Promote public awareness of urban forestry through education, advocacy, and special programs; and
3) Cooperate with allied associations, public agencies, and academia in conducting programs beneficial to urban forestry, the green industry and all related natural resources in West Tennessee, Tennessee and the Mid-South Region.
ARTICLE III Membership, Privileges, Dues and Donations
SECTION 1: Membership
Any person, firm, corporation, association or organization engaged in urban forestry or interested in the welfare and benefits of urban forestry within the State of Tennessee shall be eligible for membership in this chapter, in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the Chapter Board of Directors.
SECTION 2: Privileges
Each person, firm, corporation, association or organization duly qualified as a member shall be entitled to one vote each.
SECTION 3: Dues
The Chapter Board of Directors shall determine the basis of membership dues. Dues paid to the Chapter are non-refundable and apply only to the current calendar year beginning January 1st. Upon payment of Chapter dues, a member shall have access to all Chapter privileges. Chapter dues do not grant Chapter members access to those privileges provided by the TUFC. To receive these additional privileges an individual or entity must join the TUFC.
SECTION 4: Donations
Donations made to the Chapter will be utilized at the local level. The TUFC will provide Chapters with a list of members with corresponding levels of membership dues. Chapter donation solicitations from TUFC members on the list provided will be conducted in cooperation with the TUFC so as not to conflict with TUFC objectives.
ARTICLE IV Board of Directors
SECTION 1:
The governing body of the Chapter shall be the Board of Directors (Board). The Board shall be composed of 7 elected members all of whom shall be dues paying members of both the TUFC and the Chapter. These dues must be paid by January 15th of the year in which they are elected to serve. The President, Vice-President, and Immediate Past President shall continue as members of the board until the completion of their officer terms and are included in this number.
SECTION 2:
The last chapter meeting of the calendar year shall be considered the annual meeting at which the offices of the Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and
2 at-Large Board Members shall be elected. These 5 plus the new President and Immediate Past President shall make up the new Board of Directors. A nominating committee shall be appointed by the current President at the chapter meeting prior to the annual meeting with one member being named the committee chairman. This committee shall submit its slate of nominations to the membership for vote at the annual meeting. Additional nominations from the floor shall be invited.
SECTION 3:
The term of office of the Board of Directors shall begin on January 1st and shall be for 1 year. Upon completion of their term, each member shall be eligible for re-election to the board except for the Immediate Past President who must sit out a year before again being eligible.
SECTION 4:
In the event a vacancy occurs with a Board member at-Large, it shall be filled by the Board. This replacement Board member shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term.
SECTION 5:
Board of Directors shall include persons with diverse backgrounds representing government, business, civic, educational and citizen interests who have an interest in urban forestry.
SECTION 6:
The Tennessee State Forester and West Tennessee Urban Forester shall be ex-officio members with full voting privileges.
SECTION 7:
The Board shall act upon all business of the Chapter arising between annual meetings.
SECTION 8:
The Board shall meet at least quarterly and as needed. The President or 3 board members, as needed may call special meetings of the Board. In the case of special meetings, ten calendar days written notice of the time and place shall be given to the Board
SECTION 9:
A majority of the Elected Board Members shall constitute a quorum. Ex-officio members shall not be considered in determining a quorum.
SECTION 10:
Two consecutive non-notified absences by a Board member to the President or Secretary shall constitute a resignation from the Board.
SECTION 11:
The board shall develop an annual budget and submit it to the membership at the designated annual meeting for approval
ARTICLE V Officers
SECTION 1:
The offices of Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be elected at the annual meeting.
SECTION 2:
The term of office for each Officer shall begin on January 1st and be for one calendar year. The Vice President shall be the President-elect.
SECTION 3:
An Officer vacancy other than the President shall be filled by a vote of the Board of Directors and that Board member voted on by the board shall complete the unexpired term. Should the office of President become vacant, the Vice President shall become the President for the unexpired term and go on to serve his/her term of President as well.
ARTICLE VI President, Vice President and Past President
SECTION 1:
The President shall preside at all meetings of the Chapter and of the Board. The President shall appoint the chair of all committees and shall sign all contracts made for and in behalf of the Chapter. Each Chapter President or his/her accredited representative shall represent the Chapter at all meetings of the TUFC Board of Directors.
SECTION 2:
The Vice President shall preside in the absence of the President. The Vice President shall assist the President and shall act in his/her place in the event of sickness and inability of the President to perform the duties imposed upon him/her or incident to the Office of President.
SECTION 3:
The immediate Past President shall be a Board member of the Chapter the year following his/her tenure as President. This person shall have full voting rights but will not be eligible for re-election to the board for one year.
(See Article IV, Sect. 3)
ARTICLE VII Secretary/Treasurer
SECTION 1:
It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to properly account for all receipts and disbursements, and to make reports to the membership showing the balance on hand and outstanding obligations at designated meetings. The Treasurer shall have charge of and be responsible for the membership records and other books of account. In addition, the Treasurer shall provide financial reports at the Board’s regularly scheduled meetings.
SECTION 2:
The Secretary shall conduct the correspondence of the Chapter, give notice in writing of all annual and special meetings of the Chapter and its Board, keeping a permanent record of all the business conducted. In addition, he/she shall provide additional copies of all activities including elections, Bylaws and Annual Reports to the Executive Director of the TUFC within one month of completion.
ARTICLE VIII Membership Meetings
SECTION 1:
Chapter membership meetings shall be held at least quarterly with at least 30 days advance notice.
SECTION 2:
Special meetings may be called by action of the Board provided the membership is given at least 10 calendar days written notice.
SECTION 3:
A Chapter quorum is determined as the number of currently paid members attending any membership meeting.
ARTICLE IX Procedure
SECTION 1:
The Chapter shall make and adopt by-laws, rules and regulations for its own guidance as may be expedient insofar as such are consistent with the mission and bylaws of the TUFC. Amendments to these Bylaws may be made by a two-thirds affirmative vote of all the members present at an annual meeting or at any special membership meeting called for that purpose provided that written notice of such meeting shall include a copy of the proposed amendments. The Chapter will inform the TUFC of adopted Bylaw revisions (Ref. Article VII, section I).
SECTION 2:
The fiscal year for the Chapter shall be from January 1 through December 31.
SECTION 3:
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised Shall govern the Chapter in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and any special rules of order the chapter may adopt.
ARTICLE X Dues
SECTION 1:
The Chapter shall establish a dues schedule for various levels of membership. This schedule shall be adopted by and may be amended by a majority vote of the board (or membership), upon notification to the general membership, and is incorporated herein by reference.
ARTICLE XI
Committees
SECTION 1:---All committees shall be formed during a Board meeting.
SECTION 2:
The term of the non-standing committees shall expire with the term of the appointing President unless another expiration is provided by an establishing resolution or successful motion.
ARTICLE XII Chapter and State Relationships
SECTION 1: Organization
A local Chapter shall consist of a group of TUFC – West Tennessee Chapter members. No Chapter shall use the name “Tennessee Urban Forestry Council” without the written authorization of the TUFC Board of Directors.
SECTION 2: Financial
In addition to dues, the members of each Chapter may assess themselves for any costs incurred in connection with the activities of the Chapter.
SECTION 3: Bylaws
A Chapter shall make Bylaws for their governance consistent with Mission of the TUFC and shall file their Bylaws with the Executive Director of the TUFC (ref. Article VII, section I).
SECTION 4: Reports
Each Chapter organization shall file copies of an Annual Report with the Executive Director of the TUFC. Each Chapter President or his/her accredited representative shall represent the Chapter at all meetings of the TUFC Board of Directors.
SECTION 5: Grants
Chapter grant requests will be in line with the mission of the TUFC, clearly communicated to both the State and Chapter Boards, and will not conflict with the fundraising efforts for statewide programs supported by the TUFC.
SECTION 6: Media Releases
A Chapter shall have the right to release through its Officers, or a duly authorized spokesperson, expressions of opinion, views, statements, or other public pronouncements on matters of interest to the welfare of its members of the Chapter and the general public. Said public pronouncements shall not contain directly, indirectly, or by implication material at variance with the Constitution, Bylaws, or Policy Statements of the TUFC. Copies of all releases shall be furnished to the TUFC Executive Director at the time they are issued.
SECTION 7: Endorsement
The TUFC does not assume any responsibility for any Chapter unless such action shall have first received the approval of the TUFC Executive Committee.
SECTION 8: Self-funding
The TUFC will not assume any liability for debts incurred by, or for the expenditure of any Chapter. Upon Chapter dissolution, any remaining funds shall revert to the Council.
SECTION 9: Charter
The TUFC Executive Committee shall have the right to rescind the Charter of any Chapter.
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Mon | 09:00 am – 05:00 pm | |
Tue | 09:00 am – 05:00 pm | |
Wed | 09:00 am – 05:00 pm | |
Thu | 09:00 am – 05:00 pm | |
Fri | 09:00 am – 05:00 pm | |
Sat | Closed | |
Sun | Closed |
Copyright © 2020 WEST Tennessee CHAPTER: TENNESSEE URBAN FORESTRY COUNCIL - All Rights Reserved.
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