April 3, 2013
Hello Urban Forests Friends,
Here’s what’s happening in urban and community forestry:
Homage to the Blossoms
Can Trees Talk and Hear?
USDA “StrikeForce” Initiative to Boost Rural Economic Growth
Thanks for all you do for urban forestry!
Regards,
Sonali Shah
Communications Manager
California Urban Forests Council
Homage to the Blossoms
It’s that time of year when in California and around the country, our trees are springing to life—beautiful blossoms bless our cities. There are many fruit trees responsible for the flowers, but in this week’s newsletter we pay special attention to cherry blossoms.
Learn about the Yoshino and Kwanzan cherry trees varieties
Ever wondered about the history of the cherry tree? In 1912, Japan gave 3,020 cherry blossom trees as a gift to the United States to celebrate the nations’ then-growing friendship and to replacing an earlier gift of 2000 trees which had to be destroyed due to disease in 1910.
So enjoy the cherry blossoms and don’t forget to practice “Hanami” – the centuries-old practice of picnicking under a blooming cherry tree!
Scientists first recognized in the 1960s that listening to leaves revealed the health of plants. Recently, Monica Gagliano, a plant physiologist at the University of Western Australia in Crawley showed corn seedling’s roots lean toward a 220-Hertz purr, and the roots emit clicks of a similar tune. Read more.
Gagliano said: “We have identified that plants respond to sound and they make their own sounds.”
So what do we think the trees are saying? Well, we at CaUFC, think they are probably saying, “please take better care of us”. We should listen to the trees!
Secretary Vilsack Launches USDA “StrikeForce” Initiative to Boost Rural Economic Growth and Opportunity
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced on March 26th that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will launch its “StrikeForce” initiative to increase partnership with rural communities and leverage community resources in targeted, persistent poverty areas.
- See the Video
- Fact Sheet: StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunity (PDF, 455KB)
- Press Release: Secretary Vilsack Launches USDA “StrikeForce” Initiative to Boost Rural Economic Growth and Opportunity (March 26, 2013)
Free Fruit for All!
California’s first public orchard blossoms in L.A
The renovated Del Aire Park in Los Angeles County, with 27 fruit trees and eight grapevines, officially opened to the public at the start of the year.
The county paid $4 million for the improvements — and used a little creative financing as the fruit trees were paid for from funds designated for civic art. The purpose was to blend food and aesthetics into ‘edible art’.
“Community gardens and farmers markets are truly the town centers of our communities. These are the places where people gather and get to know each other” said County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas.
UF Poster Contest for 3rd, 4th and 5th Graders
Know any 3rd, 4th, or 5th Grade Students interested in Trees or Art? Check out the California ReLeaf Arbor Week Poster Contest
Students are asked to create original artwork on the theme “The Trees in my Community are an Urban Forest.”
Submission deadline: Feb 15, 2013
Winners will be featured at the State Fair and awarded cash prizes provided by the California Community Forests Foundation.
Contest rules, classroom curriculum, and prize list are available here.