Summit Utilities has been such a great supporter. When Frank Olinde asked for a sponsorship for BioBlast, they said that doesn’t fit our guidelines for grants, but please ask us again for support for your tree project.
So… We Did It! 14 days and 26 messages later, between Frank, Audrey, Kate and Pres.John, we submitted our application, for 100 more water bags, 25 more native fruit trees, and 400’ of fencing and poles. The last is because Rose Creek Park and The School for the Deaf and Blind both have lots of deer and our trees will need some protection. We have been hearing from Community Garden leaders about their interest in planting native fruit trees and we only have 4 of the 9 natives available and only some of each of those.
Downy Serviceberry (native Amelanchier Arborea), my favorite front yard tree, is available from Pine Ridge Gardens in Dardanelle - $12. Brent Baker had some at Pollinator Palooza and told me he has about 30 available. I bought two and planted them in GrowinBags to keep them for Fall planting at an already promised site. My yard is pretty full of trees right now, but if someone else has some nursery space, we could buy more. A nursery space would need irrigation and late afternoon shade. Serviceberry will grow in full sun eventually, when its canopy shades its trunk and branches, but, like a Pawpaw, needs partial shade when young.
Hope you had a chance to hear Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer's seminar on Tree Equity. She emphasizes gratitude and appreciation for the individual gifts offered by everything in the natural world. She talks so intelligently about the reciprocity among all beings, including us. What a more peaceful and useful way to approach the world, and everyone else around us.
Anyone can help with watering at SJCA.
Contact Dauphne Trenholm for the schedule and instructions. 501-749-7786
Martha, Cindy and Kate spent several workdays moving our growing seedlings/saplings into bags or larger pots. This spring has been great for tree growing! Even last year’s little seedlings are suddenly 2 and 3 foot saplings. They all need more root space now.
Does anyone have extra 2, or 3, or 4-gallon pots? We can put them to good use.
Text or call Kate at 501-500-3434, or email at katetree.CAMN@gmail.com
Events coming up:
July 15, Tuesday - 6 pm - Present the Tree Replacement at the Sierra Club Meeting
July 17, Thursday workday 9-11– 28 Talmage Drive – Move more seedlings to pots and/or bags. Root-prune some saplings still in the ground.
July 23, Wednesday workday 9-11– 28 Talmage Drive – Move more seedlings to pots and/or bags. Dig up some seedlings to fill the 1 gallon pots recently vacated.
July 24, Thursday noon – Present Water Conservation program at Cabot Library
July 29, Tuesday - workday 9-11– 28 Talmage Drive – Move more seedlings to pots and/or bags.
Dig up some seedlings to fill the 1- gallon pots recently vacated.
July 30, Wednesday 9 am – Meet with Roy DePriest, Director of Facilities at Arkansas School for the Deaf to tour the campus and discuss workable Tree plantings for this Fall, and possible future additions.
August 27, 5 pm – North Little Rock Community Gardens leaders meeting – Arkansas Native Fruit Trees
We are working with some groups who will be ready this Fall for trees to be planted – Rose Creek Park, The School for the Deaf & Blind, UALR, several Community Gardens, and the street in front of Wilds Birds in the Heights.
More Work days scheduled for:
August 8, 14, 20, 26 September 12, 18, 24, 30
Days of the week vary to make at least one day a month a possible fit for anyone’s schedule.
Getting the word out
Thanks to Tom Utley, we will be presenting the Tree Replacement Project at the Sierra Club meeting – July 15 6 pm at Star of India.
John Sommer arranged for us to present the Tree Replacement Project, and talk about Oaktober celebrations and Arkansas native Fruit Trees at BioBlast in October.
Speaking of October, or rather Oaktober, Audrey Cobb is already hard at work making plans for this year’s celebration. Thank you to Denise and Jodi for volunteering to help with planning and coordination on this project.
You can help spread the word about planting trees. Project information and the application are on the CAMN website. We can speak at any neighborhood meetings, or churches that have environmental interest groups. We have 3 PowerPoint presentations available - Tree Replacement Project about the creation and activity of the project, Arkansas Native Fruit Trees about the 9 fruit trees native to Arkansas, and Watering Techniques for Gardens about conserving and using water wisely.
When we speak at meetings, we can bring trees in pots to give away as door prizes.
Do you know of a group that might let us come to speak to members about having trees planted?
Kate Spontak Katetree.CAMN@gmail.com 501-500-3434