40 years of forging partnerships Longtime parks and rec employee helped bridge gap between city and Spruce Up Austin By Lee Bonorden It’s springtime around Tom and Mary Graff’s home south of Austin. Now retired after a 40-year career with the Austin Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department, Tom is spending an April morning with his grandson, River, doing patio work. A spring break from classes at Neveln Elementary School for the grandson. “Something to do” for the retired grandfather now wading into a new chapter in his life. It’s a familial partnership for the pair. Tom is an expert at partnerships. For four decades, he helped forge a successful partnership between the city of Austin and Spruce Up Austin, Inc., the organization of volunteers who plant trees to protect the environment and improve the quality of life in Austin. “I think we’re park-wealthy in Austin,” Graff said. “We have so many parks for the community.” Graff began his career with the PRF department in 1972 as a laborer. “Bob Auer was the director and we had 13 fulltime employees to look after the city’s parks and other public lands. They have eight today,” he said. Austin Utilities had yet to transfer what is the largest city park today — Todd — and there were none of the flood-buyout properties now owned by the city, which are now public lands, including St. Paul Lutheran Church – now the Veterans Pavilion in Austin Community Bandshell Park, the Riverland Community College athletic complex, Shirley Theel Memorial Park, and other neighborhood jewels were missing in the PRF’s crowning achievements in development green oasis’s for all. No Hormel Century Parkway, no Mill Pond/Horace Austin Park development in downtown Austin. No petunias on city street lamps.
Editor’s Note: Lee Bonorden is an ex officio board member of Spruce Up Austin, Inc.
Tom Graff, left, and his PRF department replacement, Randy Hofner, pose atop a flood berm in Horace Austin Park, the site of so many Spruce Up Austin, Inc. tree-plantings. Hofner said he relishes the opportunity to continue the legacy set by the department’s supervisor, to ensure the city’s public lands are a top priority and that more tree are planted. Photo provided
“The mission then was to keep our parks clean, inviting and safe for everyone,” Graff said. “We still had steel playground equipment and not the safer plastic equipment we have today.” “The mission of the department remained much the same as time went on, but when we added new parks and new responsibilities came with that expansion to maintain all of them, while at the same time the city was reducing the number of workers the department had, that created more challenges for us,”
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Graff said. Twenty-two years ago, along came Spruce Up Austin, Inc., the volunteer organization that has planted more than 2,500 trees in the city with a value of over 400,000. “It’s been a great partnership for the city and Spruce Up,” Graff said. “We dig the holes and provide mulch, and Spruce Up volunteers plant the trees. Then all we have to do is water them when needed. Spruce Up volunteers even do some pruning.” Graff also praised local nurserymen Randy Berg and Brian Dolan and their businesses’ employees for partnering in the tree-plantings. “That combination has allowed the city to provide the safest, cleanest and most inviting parks anywhere," he said. Graff grew up in a neighborhood near Lafayette Park and Marcusen Ball Park. His favorite park to visit is Todd Park. His favorite tree: the mighty oak. “Better add spruce, too,” he said. His replacement in the PRF department is Randy Hofner and Graff’s advice to his successor is to stay the course. “The department has a proud legacy of providing and maintaining the best parks for the citizens. Spruce Up Austin has helped us accomplish those goals,” he said. Kim Underwood expects the unique partnership to continue. Underwood, a longtime PRF employee and now the director, knows how valuable the linkup can be for the city. “With Tom Graff retired and a new park supervisor, Randy Hofner, taking his place, I see the partnership that Spruce Up and the City department has staying as strong as it has over the years,” Underwood said.
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Michael Ruzek
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Continued from Page 2 ‘‘Tom will be missed, but the projects that happened while he was with the department will grow on,” Underwood predicted. “Mr. Maschka, our past director, had written an article in 2000 talking about the next 10 years and his hope that Austin could complete a tree inventory. I can say that with the help of a grant from MPCA our GreenCorps member, Sara Fechtelkotter and one of our tree crew members, Greg Bell, have made that a reality in 2012.” “We are planning on using this inventory as a tool in our future plantings as well as tracking ash trees with the threat of the Emerald Ash Borer,” Underwood said. “Being on the Spruce Up board, I can attest to the wonderful projects that Spruce Up does to beautify our community.” Hofner, a 17-year veteran PRF department employee, who replaced Graff, promises it will be business as usual. Admitting the department’s responsibilities have grown, while personnel resources have shrunk, he said, “We’re going to do our best for the city. With new parks and the addition of all the flood buyout property, it’s going to be a challenge, and Spruce Up Austin can help us a lot.” Sealing Graff’s partnership with Spruce Up Austin will be a tree-planting Arbor Day weekend, honoring his contributions. Also, Graff will replace Darlene Thaisen, 16-year board member in the organization, and take his place among volunteers, promoting and planting trees for the city.
A match made in Austin
City, planting group still a perfect pairing By Lee Bonorden The partnership is 22 years old, and there is no other like it in Austin’s history. Austin’s Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department and the organization known as “Spruce Up Austin, Inc” are getting it done. Protecting and preserving public lands. It started when Bob Auer was the PRF director, grew when he was replaced by Dennis Maschka and continues today under the guidance of Kim Underwood. The city has parks and the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center to maintain. Spruce Up Austin’s mission is to enhance the environment within the Austin city limits. Everywhere one looks in Austin, the benefits of the partnership are evident. Count them ... more than 2,500 trees planted, more than $400,0000 value to the city. Spruce Up Austin has been able to make a lasting, positive impact on the cityscape with many partners: –
Hormel Foods Corp., one prominent example. There are others. The hands of adults, teens and children who planted 150 trees in honor of Austin’s sesquicentennial is another. The one partnership that matters most is that between city and volunteers. According to Mike Ruzek, one of the co-founders of SUA, partnering with the city’s PRF department has resulted in mutual benefits. “Without Spruce Up Austin, the city would be left to do whatever treeplanting it could do,” Ruzek said. “And without the city, Spruce Up Austin might only be able to promote tree-planting. Working together, we can accomplish both.” “And,” Ruzek said. “Not once in our 22 years of existence have we had to go before the Austin City Council to have a project approved. We’ve built trust in our work through the Park and Rec department to the extent the city now allows this group of volunteers to do things on a scale that wasn’t done in the past.”
“It’s been a wonderful partnership.”
-Mike Ruzek
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The right tree in the right place By Kathleen Borland A healthy community forest begins with careful planning. With a little research and a simple layout, you can produce a landscape that will cool your home in summer and tame the winter winds. Your well-planned yard will contain trees that grow well in the soil and moisture of your neighborhood. Your trees will be properly placed to avoid collisions with power lines and buildings, and the aesthetics will increase your property value. A proper landscape plan takes each tree into consideration: 1. Height. Will the tree bump into anything when it is fully grown? 2. Canopy spread. How wide will the tree grow? 3. Is the tree deciduous or coniferous? (Will it lose its leaves in the winter?) 4. Form or shape. A columnar tree will grow in less space. Round and V-Shaped species provide the most shade. 5. Growth rate. How long will it take for your tree to reach its full height? Slow growing species typically live longer than fast growing species. 6. Soil, sun, and moisture requirements. 7. Fruit. No one wants messy droppings on busy sidewalks. 8.Hardiness zone indicates the temperature extremes in which a tree can be expected to grow. For the purposes of this quiz hardiness zone considerations have been disregarded. Check with your community's tree board or forestry department or a local county cooperative extension agent for a list of trees suitable for planting in your specific hardiness zone. (Arborday.org hardiness zones lookup.)
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FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 2012
Spruce Up Austin Free Spring Seminar Is your yard safe from tree disease devastation? Do you know what trees will have the best success in your yard? Come get answers to these questions & more!
Plant the Best Trees! PLUS, Austin Tree Inventory Results Beautify Austin by Planting Trees Presented by Sara Fechtelkotter, MN GreenCorps Intern
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AUSTIN DAILY HERALD - SPRUCE UP AUSTIN
Yard of the Month just a couple months away By Kelly Lady Spruce Up Austin board member Spring is just around the corner and with it comes the joy of watching bulb plants burst out of the ground, seeing tree buds sprouting, and planning new planting and landscape designs in your garden. The latter is especially important if you want to be a candidate for the Spruce Up Austin Yard of the Month recognition. Imagine the following scenario. You are sitting at your house on a sunny Saturday morning sipping a flavorful cup of hot coffee when you hear an unexpected knock on the door. Could it be the Clearinghouse Prize Patrol? No, wait! Even better! It is the Spruce Up Austin Prize Patrol. Your home has been honored to receive the locally prestigious Yard of the Month award. What? You have not yet heard of this coveted award? Then an explanation is in order.
AUSTIN DAILY HERALD - SPRUCE UP AUSTIN
Each year Spruce Up Austin receives nominations from people who want to recognize efforts taken by their friends, neighbors, husbands or wives, to beautify their front yard. They appreciate the enhancing affect their work has on the neighborhood and entire community. The SUA board selects a winner each month â&#x20AC;&#x201C; June through September. The winner is recognized by the SUA Prize Patrol. They receive a sign to place in their yard during the month they win. They also receive a picture of themselves with the sign and a gift certificate to a local nursery. If you know someone you would like to nominate for this award please contact Spruce Up Austin through the Chamber of Commerce or through our website at www.spruceupaustin.austincoc.com. Give your neighbor the recognition they deserve and call us with your nomination in May.
The Schwab family was one of the garden of the month winners in 2011. Photo provided
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Maples, Ash top in Austin Tree population becomes focus of Minnesota GreenCorps member By Bill McLain When Sara Fechtelkotter, Minnesota GreenCorps member, strolls past a downtown boulevard, it is hard for her to not spend a few minutes identifying the various trees in the area. A native of the Maple Grove and Osseo, Minn., area, Fechtelkotter joined the team at the Parks, Recreation and Forestry department for Austin, Minn., in October 2011. Her focus as a member of Minnesota GreenCorps is on environmental projects. The Minnesota GreenCorps is an environmentally-focused AmeriCorps program developed by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency that places AmeriCorps members with host site organizations around the state. “When I joined Minnesota GreenCorps, my focus was to work in a professional setting on environmental projects for a city or nonprofit organization,” Fechtelkotter said. While working for the city of Austin Parks, Recreation and Forestry department, she said it is allowing her to apply the knowledge she gained with dual degrees in psychology and environmental sciences, policy and management from the University of Minnesota. Though Fechtelkotter said she had little knowledge about tree identification when she was assigned her first task to update the tree inventory for the city of
Groups join forces to grow Austin A group consisting of Spruce Up Austin volunteers, a wrestling team and Sentence to Serve group planted 40 trees at the Mower County Fairgrounds. Photo provided
Austin, she quickly learned through onthe-job training. As a result of having the updated tree inventory, the city of Austin recently received a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Community Forest Bonding Grant. “After completing the tree inventory, I was surprised by how many maple trees there are around Austin,” Fechtelkotter said. “Maples make up about 41 percent of the tree population in Austin, which is followed by ash trees at about 22 percent.” Given this knowledge, she said it is important for everyone in the community to focus on planting the right tree in the right place. Fechtelkotter encourages anyone who is thinking about planting a tree to spend time researching the kind of tree he or she is thinking about planting and then to consult a local nursery professional. “Planting a tree is good, but we want to ensure we are maximizing the benefit of each tree that is planted,” Fechtelkotter said. “Before planting, it is important to consider how tall the tree will get, what the width of the tree’s canopy will be, the light exposure available at the proposed planting sight and the soil composition of the area.” Fechtelkotter plans to share additional information about tree recommendations the residents of Austin could consider in upcoming community outreach
programs. These programs will also include information about the city of Austin’s tree inventory and management plan and the emerald ash borer. “Austin is fortunate to have organizations like Spruce Up Austin and the Izaak Walton League that focus on environmental items because they have helped me with community outreach and overall made my job a lot easier,” Fechtelkotter said. “When my Minnesota GreenCorps assignment ends in September 2012, I will leave with a sense of accomplishment because I know these organizations will be using the plans I have developed to continue diversifying the tree populations throughout the town.” After completing her Minnesota GreenCorps assignment, Fechtelkotter plans to spend about a month biking down the Mississippi River to look at water quality and other environmental aspects of the watershed. While plans following the trip are not final, she is currently working on applying for graduate school. “This experience continues to help me build personal confidence,” Fechtelkotter said. “It has been an honor to be part of the Austin community, and to share the knowledge I have gained through this experience with the residents of Austin.”
DID
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AUSTIN DAILY HERALD - SPRUCE UP AUSTIN
Austin lawn, garden tour set for June 23 Austin Daily Herald newsroom@austindailyherald.com These days everyone wants to be green. You will be green with envy when you attend the Spruce Up Austin Yard and Garden tour on June 23, 2012, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. During this self-guided tour, you will be able to see some of the most beautiful hidden yards in the Austin community. Plants and flowers are sure to be stunning this time of year. The featured yards are an eclectic mix of large and small, some have been professionally landscaped and some homegrown, but all are lovingly cared for by their enthusiastic homeowners. In addition, some gardens will include special displays to enhance the tour experience.
Tour with a group of friends and share the experience. You will be certain to leave with lots of ideas for your own home lawn and garden. Tickets are $8 in advance of the tour and will be available at Berg’s Nursery, Dolan’s Landscape Center, Hardy Geranium and Super Fresh Produce in midMay. Tickets will be $10 each the day of the event. The proceeds from our garden tours are used to support various Spruce Up Austin beautification projects throughout the year. The tour is held rain or shine, so be sure to purchase one or more when you are shopping for your gardening needs. Cameras are welcome.
A 2011 yard of the month recipient. Photo provided
and participate in Mower County’s Recycling program. As a Mower County resident all you have to do is stop at the Environmental Services office at 1111 8th Ave. NE, Austin and pick up a set of three recycling bins. Hours: Mon., Tues., Thurs. & Fri. from 1-5 pm Feel free to call if you have questions about recycling.
AUSTIN DAILY HERALD - SPRUCE UP AUSTIN
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A thanks to partners This is the 18th year Spruce Up Austin (SUA) has partnered with the Austin Daily Herald to create this Arbor Day Edition. This publication has given SUA the opportunity to promote its mission by articles we present, and financial support has resulted in many trees planted. The SUA board of directors says 'thanks' to the Austin Daily Herald for the many years of support. This is the 23rd year of Spruce Up Austin and throughout this time we have had an excellent working partnership with the Austin Park & Recreation Department. For many years SUA worked with Denny Maschka, a charter member of SUA, and Tom Graff, who is now retired.
Now Kim Underwood and Randy Hofner work with SUA. The Austin Park & Rec. has given input on projects and helped with projects for things that volunteers would have difficulty doing. They have followed up on projects, such as , watering at critical times, major pruning, and donating mulch. They have willingly worked with SUA even when they had a tight schedule. Together we have improved the landscape of Austin. Thanks, partners. SUA looks forward to working with you for many years to come. Sincerely, Mike Ruzek
Plant a tree in honor of a special occasion By Harlan Nelson Spruce Up Austin’s Honorary Tree Program is one way to remember a loved one for years to come. Planting an honorary tree is a gift that continues to grow. Some ideas of an honorary tree recipient may be: —For a loved one, living or deceased. —The birth of a child. —A service recognition of someone. —For a club, church, or organization. You pick the kind of tree you wish to have planted and you even pick in which Austin park the tree will be planted. SUA will pick out your choice of tree at a local nursery and Austin’s Park and Rec will plant it for you. An identifying ribbon will be attached to the tree. All honorary trees are permanently recorded on a display in the Mill Pond kiosk. 8 FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 2012
The cost of a tree is a $150 donation (Spruce trees are $200). Your donation is tax-deductible. For an application, contact any SUA board member or Harlan Nelson at 433-7162 or harlanjune@charter.net. You can also download an application at www.spruceupaustin.austincoc. com.
AUSTIN DAILY HERALD - SPRUCE UP AUSTIN