www.upwithtrees.org
Up With Trees FALL 2013
News and Information from Tulsa’s Tree Advocates
Citizen Forester class graduates 21 in 2013 In February, UWT kicked off its annual Citizen Forester class full of tree-loving enthusiasts. The Citizen Forester program is an established and exciting curriculum for Tulsans who are interested in learning or enhancing arboricultural knowledge and skills. The 2013 Citizen Forester program, in its 5th year of existence, had 21 participants who received 16 hours of training with Tulsa area top arborists, learning how to identify tree species, plant and maintain trees as well as promote urban forestry awareness and education. The Up With Trees curriculum, “The P’s of Trees,” instructs the participants on the importance of “Planning, Planting, and Promotion” by taking a comprehensive look at both the art and science of tree planting efforts. After the training classes are completed, graduates become part of a volunteer corps that plants, maintains, prunes and inventories trees in parks and other Tulsa locations. Congratulations to all our graduates. We thank you for working to help plant, preserve, and promote Tulsa’s Urban Forest! Listed below is the 2013 graduating class. Jim Brosseau Brian Cloud Carl Cornelius Ann Marie DiStefano Ginger Fast Arlin Franklin Rosie Gomez Rose Gutierrez Karen Hardesty Judi Hill-Hively Brenda Lambert
Willene Leffall Scott Malone Leslie Petty Johnathan Qualls Anita Rausch Cherlyn Reeves Erma Roquemore Kurt Schneider Michelle Siegfried Kelly Stimson
1102 S. Boston Ave., Tulsa, OK 74119 Phone: 918-610-TREE Fax: 918-270-2286 Email: trees@upwithtrees.org Web: wwwUpWithTrees.org
BOARD
Tulsa Teenager Steps Up and Refurbishes 9/11 Memorial
Executive Board Shane Fernandez –President Michael Patton – Vice President Bob Jack - Treasurer Joe Howell – Secretary Don Lambert – Former President Board members Bill Ainsworth Richard Bewley Nick Doctor Tim Endicott Terrell Hoagland Shawn Karnes Tim Nall E.J. Oppenheimer Laura Parrott Cassie Reese Macy Snyder Amatucci Ron Walker Tom Wallace Paul Woodul
STAFF Administrative Staff Steve Grantham – Operations Director & Interim Executive Director steve@upwithtrees.org 918-610-8733 x210 Bonnie Webster – Office Coordinator bonnie@upwithtrees.org 918-610-8733 x200 Ron Walker – Tree Site Coordinator ron@upwithtrees.org 918-610-8733 x207 Bill Vogle – Chief Financial Officer bill@upwithtrees.org 918-610-8733 x204 Candice Chinsethagid – Development Director candice@upwithtrees.org 918-610-8733 x202 Vacant – Programs Director James Stander – Project Coordinator james@upwithtrees.org 918-610-8733 x205 Operations Staff Quentin Hendricks – Operations Manager Aaron Kahre – Operations Assistant Brandon Randolph – Operations Assistant James Gladden – Operations Assistant James Purdom – Operations Assistant
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Up With Trees
A Tulsa teenager and Eagle Scout, Jason Smith, stepped up and refurbished the September 11th memorial area on I-244, just east of the Memorial Drive overpass. The memorial was put in, in April 2002, by Up With Trees, and dozens of community and corporate volunteers. “I live about five minutes from here, and I drive by it every day,” Smith said. Smith vowed to never forget September 11, 2001. As such, he selected this endeavor as his Eagle project. He drafted help and spent days refurbishing one of Tulsa’s most visible 9/11 memorials. “ Jason saw something that needed some work and he wanted to help,” said Steve Grantham, Up With Trees, Director of
Operations, “the site had lost its corporate partner for the memorial site, so we were delighted when Smith stepped up.” Smith planned the work and organized the volunteers. “We had different people from the troop and a lot of volunteers from Up With Trees,” Smith said. It took four full workdays. They mulched and painted and removed overgrown vegetation. They repaired and reassembled stonework that had been damaged over the years. Jason and his volunteers got the place looking good as new, except there are no lights. “This electric line right here goes to the sign on the eastbound side, then across to the westbound side,” Smith said. Apparently, it was cut during some road construction and never repaired. “Most frustrating,” Smith said, “is the flag can't fly 24/7, as intended, because it can't be lit.” Smith’s Eagle project is completed and everyone is thrilled with the result. He’ll get his Eagle Scout award; he just wishes he could get the lights turned on. We contacted PSO, which referred us to the City of Tulsa. The city says the memorial sits on ODOT’s right-of-way, so they may be responsible for the power. We’ll keep digging and let you know what we find out.
Outreach Activities in 2013 March 2013 Tree Planting at Chouteau Tree Planting at Reed Park Booth at TCC Northeast Campus ECOFEST
April 2013 Booth at Tulsa Garden Center SPRINGFEST Booth at ENVIRO EXPO Cherry Street Farmer’s Market Seedling Giveaway
Booth at BOK Center KIDS GREEN Event Booth at Guthrie Green EARTH DAY Event Green Leaf Gala
July 2013
May 2013
August 2013
Pruning event at Riverparks
Mulching and Maintenance at O’Brien Park
June 2013 Pruning event at Riverparks Tree Planting at Kendall Whittier
Mulching and Maintenance at Bunche Early Childhood Development Center
September 2013 Pruning event at 54th & Riverside, Dosser, Brown, and Reynolds Sites
Asbury United Methodist 2nd Saturday Day of Service 9/11 Memorial Eagle Scout Project Apache Trees Unloading Surveying Class
October 2013 Pruning event at 75th & Riverside Garden Center Class
Seminar helps Tulsa heal from storm damage
Volunteer profile:
Karen Hardesty Volunteers are the backbone of nonprofit organizations. UWT is beyond blessed to have so many eager volunteers helping us on a daily basis accomplish our mission of planting, preserving, and promoting Tulsa’s Urban Forrest. We want to take this opportunity to thank all of our volunteers for their dedicated, hard work throughout 2013. Thank you!
The breeze, the trees, the honey bees - All volunteers! ~Juliet Carinreap
Karen Hardesty was
Up With Trees and The Tulsa Garden Center in cooperation with co-sponsors City of Tulsa Park Department, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Tulsa Community College presented “Tree Care After the Storm” on Wednesday, October 9th in the auditorium of Tulsa Garden Center; 2435 S. Peoria Ave., Tulsa, OK 74114. This seminar was an updated version of the very popular seminar that was held last year to help Tulsans cope with the tree damage that our urban forest sustained. The seminar focused on three points: • Better management practices to enable trees to resist the damage harsh winters and summers inflict. • How to properly diagnose and assess a tree’s health. • Recommendations for the best trees for a variety of locations. Seminar presenters included: • City of Tulsa Urban Forester Mike Perkins • PSO Head Forester Richard Bewley • TCC Horticulture Coordinator John Kahre • UWT Director of Operations Steve Grantham 65 participants attended the seminar. After the completion of the seminar, a three gallon replacement tree was offered to participants by Up With Trees. Educational handouts were also made available so the public can help Tulsa renew its’ urban forest.
born in Tulsa, and has lived in Oklahoma City, Stillwater, and for 6 years in California. Karen has managed hotels, dug ditches, functioned as a Lab Tech and an Orthodontic assistant. She’s worked for Tulsa Community College, the City of Oklahoma City, architectural firms, engineers, FlightSafety, McDonnell Douglas, and drove a 5th wheel at the transfer rail yard for Southern Pacific Railroad. But her real passions are photography, music, and art. For the past 13 years, she’s been working for AT&T doing analysis to replace cable that has deteriorated due to weather, insects, and all types of damage. “I work in an office, but I see what Mother Nature can do every day.” Years ago, she put herself through college at Oklahoma State University, and briefly worked in the Horticulture green houses. She learned that plant growth was determined by a lot of factors, soil, light, water, etc. “Mother Nature fascinates me and we are at the mercy of her mood swings,” claims Karen. “As little girl, I would play outside all day long. I would climb the big elm tree in front of our house and sit for hours and watch the neighborhood. While up in the tree, I would examine the bark, the leaves, the insects and bugs, watch the birds (my dad always fed the birds and built bird houses) and later ask my dad questions about it all. Dad grew fruit trees and cared for all types of growing things in his yard, flower beds and vegetable garden. I watched “To Kill a Mockingbird” and when Scout found articles left in the tree by Boo Radley, I thought trees were magical. That started my fascination with trees.” Her favorite quote is “The inadequacy
of the answers we receive is a direct consequence of the limitations implicit in the viewpoints of the questioner.” So she’s always asking questions to un-limit her viewpoint. For example: “Why do trees grow like they do?” In May 1999, her then 9 year old son and she lived through the, F5 tornado that devastated their tree-lined neighborhood in West Tulsa, tearing rooftops asunder. She cried at the catastrophic destruction of the trees caused by the ice storm of December of 2007. When her adult son moved out of the house, she had time on her hands and looked for an organization to join to meet people with similar interests. The signs along the roads saying “Up With Trees” inspired her to become a Citizen Forester. When taking the Citizen Forester class the instructor said they would be outside in groups tending trees, and she was hooked. When Up With Trees went to plant trees at Chouteau Elementary, she was surprised to find it was the Junior High School she had attended, previously known as Madison Junior High. She had always wondered how trees were planted once they grew large. She found out when she helped plant trees at the West Bank River Sports Complex. “It’s true; cold, wet, and miserable may not be the best day to plant a tree, but it can be a good day to make friends and experience Mother Nature.”Thank you, Karen for sharing your volunteer experience and love of trees. Furthermore, thank you to all of our volunteers who show up rain or shine to help support our mission of planting, preserving, and promoting Tulsa’s urban forest. We could not have the impact on our city without your help! THANK YOU! www.upwithtrees.org
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Sponsor Spotlight:
Membership Society
NORDAM
Looking for avenues to support the Up
NORDAM and all of its employees who have made this partnership a success for over twenty years!
Arvest
With the beginning of this fall’s planting season, Up With Trees has had the honor of serving the citizens of Tulsa for the past 37 years. It has taken the hard work and support of our volunteers, staff, and site sponsors to ensure that the Tulsa urban forest will stay vibrant, beautiful, and healthy. One of those sponsors is NORDAM. Headquartered in Tulsa and employing 2,500 people across nine facilities on three continents, NORDAM is one of the world?s largest independently owned aerospace companies. To Up With Trees, they have been an integral partner in the mission to beautify Tulsa since they first sponsored a site in 1991. Since the installation of that first site in memory of their founder Ray Siegfried, NORDAM has gone on to sponsor five additional sites. Their most recent addition was a planting at the Tulsa Police Academy located at 6066 East 66th Street North. This site was personally chosen by NORDAM’s Vice Chairman Hastings Siegfried. Mr. Siegfried, a former Tulsa police officer, wanted to show his company’s continued support for the men and women who keep Tulsa safe. It is civic minded individuals and companies like NORDAM that allow Up With Trees to continue our work. Thank you to
2013 Volunteers: Alice Calkins Amelia Agostinelli Angie Davis Anita Rausch Ann Marie Distefano April Hastings Becky Eagleton Benny Foreman Billy Cuenca Bob Archibald
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Up With Trees
Bob Burlingame Brian Cloud Carl Cornelius Carla Goble Carol Stanley Catherine Clements Celia StuartPowles Charles Hovorka Charlyn Hobbs
Many of you may have noticed new, more compact Up With Trees signs springing up on medians throughout Tulsa. Due to city budget issues, Up With Trees has taken over the maintenance on the medians along 71st Street, South Yale Avenue, and 15th Street. This summer, we have spent many hours removing weeds, replacing mulch, and watering the trees – even hiring a night watering crew to avoid causing any traffic congestion. In the next few weeks, we will be removing the trees that have died over the last couple years of drought and replacing them with trees that will be stunning for decades to come. We could not continue this project without the backing of our median sponsors. One company that has answered the call to work alongside us in this endeavor is Arvest Bank. Arvest is committed to being an active and involved member in the communities that they serve and we would like to thank them for their continued support of our mission to plan, preserve, and promote Tulsa’s urban forest.
Cherlyn Wilhelm Dan Makoske Dana VanArsdel David Merifield David Olsen Deric Denton Doug Stewart Ed Nelson Erma Roquemore Franklin Arlin Garry Potter Gary Huneycutt Jack Wellhousen James Wineinger
Janet Williamson Jim & Alice Costas Jim Brosseau Jo Leslie Petty John Byrne John Vaughan Johnathan Qualls Judi Hively Julio Hofer Karen Hardesty Kathleen Sisler Kathryn Cox Kathryn Earle
Katie Nicholas Keith Judkins Kelly Stimson Kristen Miller Kurt Schneider Lance Larey Leslie Wildman Lisa Brown Lydia Patitsas Michael Lockhoff Michael Newman Michael Stephenson Michael White
With Trees mission and goals? One of those opportunities to join is through our membership program. The membership program helps keep all of our important programs running while keeping you informed on what UWT is doing to plant, preserve, and promote Tulsa’s Urban Forrest. UWT membership brings wonderful benefits to you and our region’s struggling ecosystems. All members get the personal satisfaction of knowing they’re making a difference. Members also receive…
2014 MEMBERSHIP LEVELS Green Leaf – Student/Retiree $50-100 Online newsletter, car decal, 4 three-gallon Apache trees (based on availability) Evergreen – Individual $250-499 Above benefits plus: membership listing in newsletter, admission to workshops and member only events, UWT T-shirt Supporter – Individual $500-2,499 Above benefits plus: hard copy newsletter, email updates and calendar of events, website and newsletter recognition, adoption of a downtown tree with plaque ($1,000+), invitation to donor events Cultivator – Individual $2,500-5,000 Above benefits plus: median sponsorship of choice (based on availability). Visionary – Individual and Corporate $5,000+ Above benefits plus: 2 Green Leaf Gala tickets
Michelle Siegfried Mike White Millie York Naomi Satterfield Odin Perez Paige Melton Patricia SudduthWegrzyn Philip Skoch Rachel Wight Stephens Ray Rodgers Rebekah Herrick Sears, Renata
Rob Franklin Robert Fagen Rodney and Peggy Loyd Rosie Gomez Sammie Clark Scott Malone Stephanie Stone Susan Scott Susan Snodgrass Travis Scott Ty Simmons Willene Leffall
Available Sites
Available Medians
Interested in sponsoring a tree site? Below are some locations that are currently available. In addition to highway and city street locations, we plant in City of Tulsa Stormwater Management recreation sites and trails, City parks, along the Creek Turnpike, I-44 expansion areas, and in many public areas in suburban communities. All donation amounts listed below are for an 8 year sponsorship period; sponsors will be recognized with signage during the 8 year term. Up With Trees is a 501 (c)(3) and gifts are tax deductible. If you are interested in any of the locations listed below (or any we may have available but are not below), please call our office at 918-610-8733. Payment plans are available.
Interested in sponsoring a median? Below are some locations that are currently available. All donation amounts listed below are for a 1 year sponsorship period; sponsors will be recognized with signage during the 1 year term. Sponsoring a median also includes benefits of our membership program including website and newsletter recognition, invitations to special events, and more. Up With Trees is a 501 (c)(3) and gifts are tax deductible. If you are interested in any of the locations listed below (or those not listed) please call our office at 918-610-8733.
Riverside Drive Site 288 377 207-A
Location Riverside Drive Median @ 84th 77th St. – East Side 81st St. Median – East of Riverside Drive
Sponsorship Amount Sold $7,500 $7,500
Highway 169 (South to North) Site 358 125 258 379 111/372 268 171 317 103 329 321 196
Location 91st SE Quad Northbound Off-Ramp 85th St. Southbound 78th St. Northbound 69th St. Northbound 59th St. Northbound 41st St. Southbound Off-Ramp 41st St. Northwest Quad Southbound On-Ramp 35th St. Southbound 31st St. Northbound Off-Ramp 24th St. Southbound 22nd Pl. Southbound 21st St. Northbound Off-Ramp
Sponsorship Amount $6,500 $8,500 $6,500 $7,500 $7,500 $6,500 $7,500 $6,500 $7,500 $7,500 $6,500 $6,500
Broken Arrow Expressway, Hwy 11, Hwy 44, Tisdale Expressway, IDL, I-244 Crosstown Expressway Site 356 257 44 9 135 210 158 68 159
Location Eastbound BA @ 145th Median BA & 145th Southbound Off-Ramp Westbound Median @ I-244 I-44 & BA Expressway Tisdale – West side between Haskell & Latimer IDL – BA @ Detroit IDL – Hwy 75 between 3rd & 4th St. SW Blvd. & 7th St. I-244 Westbound @ Birmingham – both sides of bridge
Sponsorship Amount $7,500 $6,500 $6,500 $7,500
71st Riverside to Highway 169 Site 7103 7104 7105 7111 7115 7122 7128 7129 7130
Location Yorktown Avenue West of Lewis Birmingham Avenue Pittsburgh Avenue West of Yale East of Memorial East of Mingo West of HWY169 East of HWY 169
Sponsorship Amount $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000
15th Street (West to East) Site 1501 1502 1503 1507 1508
Location Indianapolis Avenue Jamestown Avenue Louisville Avenue Urbana Avenue Winston Avenue
Sponsorship Amount $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000
Yale – 51st Street – 61st Street (North to South) Site 5101 5102 5103 5104 5105 5106
Location 53rd Avenue 54th Avenue 55th Avenue 56th Avenue 57th Avenue 60th Avenue
Sponsorship Amount $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000 $1,000
$7,500 $6,500 $6,500 $7,500 $6,500
www.upwithtrees.org
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2013 Tree Recap
Downtown Trees
Before
166 total have been planted to date with a plan to plant 80 additional trees in the upcoming planting season.
Downtown Tulsa Gets a Green Upgrade Over the past few years, Downtown Tulsa has experienced a stunning transformation. Entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and the public sector have come together to revitalize our vibrant city center, which now boasts popular eateries, bustling nightlife, and thriving businesses. It’s time to continue that transformation by adding some green with Tree Downtown Tulsa.
Tree Downtown Tulsa is a collaborative project to plant hundreds of mature trees along downtown streets over the next two years. Like the rest of downtown Tulsa’s revi-
talization, Tree Downtown Tulsa is collaboration among public and private entities— Up With Trees, the Tulsa Downtown Coordinating Council, the Tulsa Beautification Foundation and George Kaiser Family Foundation. Eventually, we hope to plant more than 500 trees along downtown streets. Because of the size of the trees—each weighing up to a ton—and the difficult work of planting in a constrictive downtown setting, the task is labor-and cost-intensive, but the payoff will be huge. Tree-lined streets will not only help beautify downtown, but will bring welcome shade, cleaner air, more people and improved property values. More than 165 of these large trees were planted last winter, completing the first phase of this plan. Throughout the month of April 2013 Up With Trees displayed "tree tags" alongside the newly planted trees, shaped to look like price tags, to prompt passersby to remember their value, with messages featuring many benefits of trees. The Warren Foundation has generously donated a portion of the trees, the Downtown Coordinating Council committed funds to facilitate the first phase of planting, and the Tulsa Beautification Foundation and the George Kaiser Family Foundation pledged a matching grant to help complete the first phase. Every dollar raised was matched by Tulsa Beautification
After
Foundation and George Kaiser Family Foundation! The next phase will consist of planting more than 300 trees during the fall of 2013 through the fall of 2015. Tulsa Community Foundation has agreed to match raised funds in the amount of $240,000 to be applied towards to completion of this beautification project. Up With Trees will raise the initial $240,000 to catapult the next phase of this project. Up With Trees, which has been planting, preserving, and promoting Tulsa's urban forest for 37 years will continue to plant and maintain the downtown trees under the guidance of the City of Tulsa and the Downtown Coordinating Council. All donations will be administered by the Tulsa Beautification Foundation and the George Kaiser Family Foundation. Please join us in supporting this important commitment to our city and to future generations of Tulsans. A wise proverb says “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time is now.”
ReGreen Trees Apache Trees 400 trees were planted in 2013, and 800 additional trees will be planted in the upcoming planting season.
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Up With Trees
In 2013, UWT received 3,000 trees in the spring, 7,000 in the fall and an additional 2,000 trees will be received in February 2014.
Leaf a Legacy The Tulsa Community Foundation Issues Challenge to Up With Trees. The Tulsa Community Foundation will award Up With Trees $20,000 if we secure $100,000 in planned gifts in 2013. More importantly however, the challenge provides an opportunity for every Up With Trees member to “leaf ” a legacy for generations to come. Your support is truly appreciated. As a member, you have already enabled the Up With Trees organization to grow through generous gifts of time, talent and/or treasure. Your support is truly appreciated. With this new challenge, we now ask you to consider designating a planned gift to further secure the future of Up With Trees – for both our children, and our children’s children. Participation in this challenge does not require a financial outlay today. All that is required is a promise. If your estate plan-
ning is already in place, a designation can be added with a simple no-cost codicil to your existing will, or by naming UWT as a beneficiary to life insurance, retirement accounts, etc. If you have not yet considered planned giving, The Advancement Group (contracted by the Tulsa Community Foundation) will provide a host of complimentary services and guide the process of
designating a future gift to Up With Trees. Also, if you are 70 or older, you may be able to take advantage of an important incentive for charitable giving. There is a great opportunity for giving out of your IRA as a result of the Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012. You can make a gift to your favorite charity and receive a benefit. This gift counts towards your Required Minimum Distribution and is not taxable income. Please consider a planned gift to Up With Trees in 2013. It’s as easy as a phone call or email: Chris Miller, The Advancement Group, (918) 491-0079 or chris@tagpg.org.
Calendar Upcoming UWT Events November 2013 Wednesdays and Saturdays 12:00-2:00 – Apache Tree Giveaway - PSO Tulsa Power Station located on the west bank of the Arkansas River
November 9th – Pruning Party 84th St & HWY 169, 8:40-11:00
December 2013 Wednesdays and Saturdays 12:00-2:00 – Apache Tree Giveaway - PSO Tulsa Power Station located on the west bank of the Arkansas River December 14th – Pruning Party 71st St South and HWY 169 Northbound, 8:40-11:00 December 14th – UWT Float Parade of Lights
Upcoming 2014 Events (Dates TBA) February – Citizen Forrester Class March – OKC Survivor Tree Event April – Trivia Night June – UWT Family Picnic September – Green Leaf Gala 40th Anniversary Celebration
! e t a D e h t Save la
f Ga a e L n e e r G 4 1 0 Fall 2 n io t a r b le e C y r a s r 40th Annive www.upwithtrees.org
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NONPROFIT ORG
Up With Trees 1102 S. Boston Avenue Tulsa, OK 74119
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If your contact information has changed, please take a moment to fill out this card and return it to us, or email your information to trees@upwithtrees.org.
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Thank you! _________________________________________________________________ Name _________________________________________________________________ Address _________________________________________________________________ City, State, ZIP _________________________________________________________________ Phone _________________________________________________________________ Email
Who speaks for the trees? You can, by granting a wish! Wish List available at www.upwithtrees.org/get-involved/wishes. PRINTED ON RECYCLED-CONTENT PAPER. HELP SAVE TREES, PLEASE RECYCLE!
Up With Trees 1102 S. Boston Avenue Tulsa, OK 74119