Arbor Day Newsletter July/Aug 2023

PUTTING DOWN ROOTS IN GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA

ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION CHIEF EXECUTIVE, Dan Lambe

ARBOR DAY JOURNAL

IN MY TIME at the Arbor Day Foundation, I have had the privilege of sharing many milestones with you all. And of all of them, this is by far my favorite: we have officially planted 500 million trees.

I feel grateful to be surrounded by so many people dedicated to planting, nurturing, and celebrating trees. Tree planting partners, communities, schools, corporate supporters, Foundation staff, and loyal members all worked together to make this moment a reality.

These trees are creating lasting change around the globe. They are protecting our communities and bringing people together. They are repairing ecosystems and fighting climate change. They are providing a better future for all of us.

Celebrating a Piece of History

ARBOR LODGE, the original home of the Morton family, is one of the most recognizable landmarks near Arbor Day Farm. The mansion sits atop a large hill, overlooking the property and its many acres of forest.

This September marks the 100th anniversary of the donation of the Lodge from the Morton family to the state of Nebraska. It now serves as part of a wider historical park — and a beautiful monument to the origins of Arbor Day.

Arbor Lodge didn’t always look the way it does today. It was built in 1855 as a four-room frame house, and over the years, grew to have 52 rooms after several renovations.

Historical artifacts from the Morton family can be found in each room of the home, which is open year-round for tours and special events. In the warmer months, it’s common to see couples getting married on the mansion’s front lawn.

To mark the occasion, we planted a ceremonial tree at Arbor Day Farm in Nebraska City. This bur oak will grow as a reminder of what we have accomplished and serve as inspiration for what is possible in the years to come.

Thank you for being an important part of this journey to 500 million trees. Your engagement in our mission has helped to make it possible. I can’t wait to work together to plant the next 500 million trees.

The surrounding historical park includes an arboretum, Italian terraced garden, carriage house, and walking trails. And, unsurprisingly, it’s filled with impressive trees. The tallest tree near the mansion, a black walnut, clocks in at 101 feet high.

In addition to their grand stature, many of these trees are well over 100 years old. They were planted in the late 1800s by the Morton family, who had a strong interest in cultivating rare varieties across the property.

We’d love to see your photos of Arbor Lodge over the years. Tag us on social media with the hashtag #ArborLodge — and in the meantime, get out and enjoy your own state’s historical natural treasures.

Leading with Her Heart

Foundation president Katie Loos discusses her passion for the work, the people, and a greener future.

WHEN SHE STARTED AT THE ARBOR DAY FOUNDATION nine years ago, Katie Loos didn’t know a lot about trees. What she did have was a strong desire to create a better world for her children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren. The mission began to “grow” on her the minute she walked through the doors, and now she serves as president of the organization — a dedicated champion for tree planting. Read on to get to know Katie in her own words.

What is your strongest connection to trees?

I grew up in western Nebraska, near the Colorado mountains. Places like Rocky Mountain National Park hold a tender place in my heart. My husband and I take our two kids there every summer to spend a week in the woods. As you can imagine, my favorite tree is the aspen. Seeing aspens makes me feel at home.

What fuels your passion for the Foundation?

What gets me out of bed every day is the people who are committed to doing this work. My husband has often said my superpower is understanding people. I love the opportunity to lead people and teams. And not everyone loves that — because it’s hard, because we’re all complicated and messy people. But over the years I’ve honed the ability to see people — how they’re uniquely wired and what their talents are — and then to put them into the right role and allow them to run. It’s a joy to get to do this for such a wonderful team of people.

How about your passions outside of work? What defines you as a human?

I have this optimistic outlook on life. I tend to see the hope, the possibilities. I care deeply about the people in my life — family and friends. I also love art and music. If my headphones are on, Taylor Swift is probably playing. And I am incredibly competitive. Just ask my kids how many games of checkers I’ve lost.

How do you balance family and work in your new role?

I love being a mom; it’s my greatest gift. And at the Foundation, my kids get to be a part of my work. They’re at tree planting events with me all the time. They’re so proud of the trees they help plant — they even name them. They think I’m out planting trees all day every day, which is awesome. My first grader even wants to work at the Arbor Day Foundation someday.

What are you most excited about as you look to the future?

Over the years, we have challenged ourselves to be thoughtful about what we want to accomplish as an organization. Right now, we have big goals that are worthy of the moment we’re in as a planet. I’m excited about the focus we have and the discipline we maintain as we fulfill our mission in new and meaningful ways. And as we plan for what the next 50 years of this organization look like, I can’t help but feel incredibly excited as we chart a course for a greener tomorrow.

Putting Down Roots

Affordable housing development receives trees with help from the Arbor Day Foundation

The neighborhood of Creekside, located in Greenville, South Carolina, is every bit the suburban dream. Beautiful new homes line the streets. Neighbors, ranging from seniors to young families, know each other by name.

“When I need somebody to watch the kids, Miss Sue watches the kids. When she needs help, we help her move furniture,” said Kelly Boyd, a Creekside resident of seven years.

“Whenever we need anything, they’re here. They kind of check on the house when we're away on vacation. When we delivered our youngest, they came over with gifts,” said Brittany LeGroon, who lives in the neighborhood with her husband and four children.

The only thing missing, as of last year, were trees.

As an affordable housing development, Creekside was built in 2008 with the help of federal and local grants. But that investment didn’t extend to green space. For nearly 15 years, many homeowners have had no trees at all, something that is particularly noticeable in South Carolina.

“My kids play outside a lot, and there’s no shade. It’s super hot in the summer,” Kelly said.

That all changed on October 15, 2022, when Kelly, Brittany, and hundreds of other Creekside residents and volunteers came together to plant 128 trees across their community.

More Than Just Trees

Creekside’s planting day was organized by the Greenville County Redevelopment Authority and TreesUpstate — a local nonprofit with a focus on bringing trees to low-to-moderate income areas. The nonprofit has been active in the Greenville community since 2005, and they’ve had big ambitions to grow their impact. But like many planting organizations, they’ve been held back by a lack of resources and staff.

Then, in 2021, TreesUpstate received a $100,000 environmental equity grant from the Arbor Day Foundation. Because of the grant, the nonprofit was able to hire a new outreach and engagement manager, Evangeline Costa. She’s been the driving force behind the Creekside event and others like it.

Brittany LeGroon plants a tree with her son.

“Projects in neighborhoods — they take a lot of extra effort. You're having a lot more conversations. You're meeting with a lot more people. And you really want to take the time to make sure that you are understanding and meeting that community’s vision,” said Kylie Stackis, program director at TreesUpstate.

“Even though we’ve slowly grown our staff over the years, until Evangeline came on board with us in March through a grant from the Arbor Day Foundation, we really didn’t have the capacity to do this scale of project.”

The project took six months to plan. After hosting an initial community meeting, Evangeline went door to door to chat with residents about their questions and concerns. Residents who signed up for a tree then received a 30-minute site visit to go over their species options.

Maria Santiago was excited to pick out her favorite tree — a magnolia — for her front yard. “The smell of the flower — it’s great,” she said. After growing up in Puerto Rico, she’s missed the abundance of plants back home.

“Nature is very important for everyone. Trees give us new life, new oxygen. We can hear the birds singing … I think when they grow, we’re going to have a lot of kids playing around them,” Maria said.

Brittany and her husband, Marcal, planted four trees — one for each of their children.

“We never considered trees until the offer recently. And just learning more and doing all the research and knowing that trees may help with the shade and with the heating and air conditioning, it’s just amazing,” Brittany said.

And Kelly is excited for her yard to feel more whole.

“More than shade … I think it makes it look more like home. I’ve been here seven years and I haven’t really got to add any personal touches on the outside,” she said.

There were a lot of long nights spent in preparation for the event, as Evangeline tells it. But she wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I knew we would deliver on installing trees, bringing a community together, and providing much-needed shade,” Evangeline said. “What I didn’t expect was the outpouring of love, energy, and level of excitement.”

In Creekside that day, the trees stood for something much greater than meets the eye. For homeowners, they symbolized community. Prosperity. And a new beginning.

Right: Volunteers and residents at the Creekside planting. Participants enjoyed free breakfast, lunch, T-shirts, prizes, and educational children’s activities during the day-long event.

A Symbol of Hope

Trees are distributed annually at the Alaska Run for Women

EACH YEAR, thousands of pinkclad runners take their places at the starting line at the University of Alaska Anchorage. They run to celebrate their victories, honor lost loved ones, and raise money for breast cancer research.

It’s a 30-year-old tradition, and four years ago, free trees became a part of it.

Tens of thousands of trees have succumbed to spruce beetle infestation in Southcentral Alaska over the past seven years. This loss is felt deeply — both environmentally and emotionally.

With funding from the Arbor Day Foundation, Anchorage Parks and

Recreation has teamed up with Alaska Run for Women to distribute 100 trees each year at the event. Participants can stop by a booth at the end of their run to pick up a spruce to plant in their yards.

Annie DuBois, natural resources specialist with Anchorage Parks and Recreation, said some who stop to get trees are mothers and daughters, making it a touching multi-generational experience. “It’s really sweet to see the younger generation excited about this tree that they’re going to watch grow.”

These people are planting more than a tree. They are planting a beautiful sign of life and hope.

Leave a Living Legacy with One Simple Step

TIM (not his real name) WAS A MEMBER of the Arbor Day Foundation since 1992 and had a deep appreciation for the work being done on behalf of trees and environmental stewardship. Working with the Foundation’s gift planning manager, Tim was able to easily add the Foundation as the successor beneficiary of two of his IRA accounts. When Tim passed away recently, his gift became a legacy of caring that will help the Arbor Day Foundation continue its important work long into the future.

Naming the Foundation on a retirement, life insurance, or other account is an easy way to ensure your assets will

INFORMATION PLEASE

Please send me more information about making the Arbor Day Foundation a beneficiary of my account or my will.

I have already included the Arbor Day Foundation as a beneficiary for a future gift.

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contribute to the kind of work you appreciate and support — and without the expense of rewriting a will or living trust. You will need the following information: The Foundation’s legal name (National Arbor Day Foundation d/b/a Arbor Day Foundation), Tax ID (23-7169265), and mailing address (211 N. 12th St., Lincoln, NE 68508). Here are two easy ways to provide for a future gift:

• Retirement Plans — Most retirement accounts (IRAs, 401(k), 403(b), etc.) allow you to select beneficiaries to receive the plan assets remaining after the owner’s death. To designate the Arbor Day Foundation as a beneficiary, contact the account administrator and request the appropriate form. The designated assets will transfer tax-free to the Foundation, whereas if left to your heirs, they may face both ordinary income tax and estate tax.

• Life Insurance — Contact your policy issuer and ask for the appropriate form to designate the Arbor Day Foundation as a beneficiary of your policy.

If you have questions or need assistance, please contact Erin Mousel at 888-448-7337, ext. 9614 or development@arborday.org.

TREE BASICS

Check Your Trees to Prevent Disease

TREE PESTS AND DISEASE have been steadily spreading across the country. The emerald ash borer has killed more than 100 million trees alone. And researchers estimate that 1.4 million street trees will be killed by invasive insects over the next 30 years, costing $900 million to replace.

The good news? The end of the summer is a great time to be proactive and check trees for unwanted visitors. That’s why the U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared that August is Tree Check Month.

HERE ARE 5 COMMON PESTS TO LOOK FOR THIS SUMMER:

Asian Longhorned Beetles

This invasive wood borer attacks maples, elms, buckeyes, birches, willows, and other hardwoods. Once the beetle attacks the tree, it cannot be saved. But diligence is important to keep it from spreading. This pest has already been discovered in the Northeast and the Midwest, and efforts are underway to keep it from spreading further.

Watch for yellowing or drooping leaves, oozing sap, dime-sized exit holes in the trunk and limbs, shallow scars in the bark, dead limbs, and sawdust material where branches meet other branches or at the base of the tree.

Emerald Ash Borers

The emerald ash borer kills millions of ash trees each year and is currently found in 35 states. Adult borers are very small and difficult to spot, but infested trees will exhibit serpentine patterns of feeding tracks packed with frass and sawdust. Later in the season, you may see D-shaped holes in the bark as the adults emerge. You can also watch for crown dieback from the top down and yellowing foliage.

Japanese Beetles

Japanese beetles skeletonize the foliage on trees and shrubs. They also feed on flowers and fruit. Although they will seldom kill trees or shrubs, they can slowly weaken them, making them subject to

secondary pests and disease. Their larva will also leave irregular brown spots in lawns.

These beetles tend to appear earlier in the summer and are easy to spot — as is their devastation.

Aphids

Aphids eat away at the sap in tree leaves and stems, leaving behind a sticky syrup called honeydew. Large infestations of aphids can stunt new leaf growth and cause misshapen, curling, or yellow leaves. You can spot an aphid infestation by checking the underside of leaves or watching for sooty mold.

Mountain Pine Beetles

The mountain pine beetle is a small insect native to the western United States. It lives most of its life in the inner bark of ponderosa and limber pine trees. Signs of infestation include popcorn-shaped masses of resin, called “pitch tubes,” where the beetles have entered. The needles on affected trees also generally turn red.

What do I do if my tree is infested?

• Make note of what you found and where you saw it. Take a photo, if possible.

• Capture the insect, place it in a container, and freeze it. Doing so will preserve it for identification by a certified arborist.

• Contact a certified arborist for treatment suggestions and report your findings to your state’s Department of Agriculture.

Crapemyrtle

Lagerstroemia indica

THE CRAPEMYRTLE IS RENOWNED for its crinkly, colorful flowers. It also boasts beautiful bark, fast growth, and a tolerance of many soil conditions — making it a popular street tree across warmer regions of the United States.

Though it is best suited for southern climates, there have been countless cultivars introduced over the years, allowing some varieties to thrive in colder locations.

LEAVES: Dark green and ovalshaped, turning vibrant shades of red, orange, or yellow in the fall.

FLOWERS: Wrinkled like crepe paper, appearing in various shades of pink.

FRUIT: Small, brown capsules that appear after flowers are done blooming.

BARK: Smooth and gray, peeling away in winter to expose different shades underneath.

FORM: Small, reaching 15' to 25' tall with a 6' to 15' spread. Grows in a vase shape.

WILDLIFE VALUE: Supports pollinators like bees and birds with its colorful blooms and winter fruit.

GROWTH RATE: Fast, with height increases of more than 24" per year.

PLANTING: Requires full sun and warm weather. Can tolerate drought once established, but needs plenty of moisture while young. Suitable for hardiness zones 6 to 9.

We guarantee delivery of healthy trees to our members. Please check ordering deadlines and shipping dates at arborday.org/shipping. If you need to contact us about your trees, call 888-448-7337, email us at info@arborday.org, or drop us a note at Member Services, Arbor Day Foundation, 211 N. 12th St., Lincoln, NE 68508. We want your tree planting efforts to be successful!

To purchase or learn more about this tree and others, visit arborday.org/crapemyrtle or scan this QR code.

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