April 2012
Dear Friend of Trees: In Minnesota, May is Arbor Month. Arbor Day, April 27, marks the beginning of an entire month of celebrating trees. A Department of Natural Resources (DNR) 2010 Community Forest Survey showed that more than 50 percent of community trees are ash, maple, and spruce. With the 2009 discovery of emerald ash borer in Minnesota and the potential arrival of Asian longhorned beetle, we could stand to lose a large percent of our community forest trees to these devastating pests. With this in mind, the 2012 Arbor Month theme is “Creating a Healthy Community Forest.” The idea is to encourage planting a wide variety of native trees to create a diverse community forest that is more resilient to large-scale devastation from tree pests. To celebrate Arbor Month, the DNR created A Homeowner’s Guide to Creating a Healthy Yard. The guide provides an overview of how to transform a traditional yard to one that provides wildlife habitat, environmental benefits, increased property values, and landscape diversity using native plants. Please distribute this guide to local homeowners on our behalf via the city hall, nature centers, libraries, government centers, nurseries, garden centers, local businesses, community events, etc. You can order quantities of 25 or 50 of this free guide by contacting the DNR Information Center at info.dnr@state.mn.us, 651-296-6157, or 888-646-6367. Visit the DNR’s Arbor Month Web page at mndnr.gov/arbormonth for more information on creating a healthy yard and diversifying community forests. A copy of A Teacher’s Guide to Arbor Month, a 142-page book that provides ways to easily integrate knowledge of trees, shrubs, plants, and the natural world into school curriculum for grades K-8, is available at mndnr.gov/arbormonth/teachersguide.html or can be ordered from the DNR Information Center. Remember! Arbor Month and Arbor Day are great times to celebrate trees and go outside to explore nature in your community and yard. Sincerely,
Jennifer Teegarden Forestry Outreach Specialist
Ken Holman Community Forestry Coordinator