Executive Council Meeting
MDC Runge Nature Center, Jefferson City MO
August 11, 2016
10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Minutes
Welcome & Introductions – Scott Skopec welcomed everyone to the meeting, and the following were in attendance: Sarah Crocker, Jon Skinner, Gene Brunk, Cindy Garner, Dean Alberty, Ron Lumb, Martha Clark, John Ebeling, Austin Lampe, Nancy Underhill, Samantha Cook, Jacob McMains, Jason Pratte, Tom Ebeling, Ann Koenig and Russell Hinnah.
Minutes Read and Approved – Scott asked if anyone had changes to the minutes from the June 9, 2016 meeting. Gene Brunk made a motion to accept the minutes as presented. Ron Lumb seconded the motion. The minutes were approved.
Treasurer Report – No Report.
Old Business
Update: Items of Statewide Interest – Group
· The Springfield region presented the mulching publications and signs that have been made. The group worked with Holly Dentner with MDC on the samples that have been produced. They are looking at a test load to get out in region posting them at Lowes, Hansen’s in Springfield, and a place in Joplin as well. The group has created an interest throughout the region to test before doing a mass distribution. Cindy took recommendations from the floor. The goal was to make them mobile incase the businesses needed to move them around. Cindy mentioned they decided to go with a local printer. The executive board approved last meeting to approve to print three signs. The first one was a 3’x3’ banner costing $63.00. The next sign was a ground sign with the stake included costing $74.00. The last sign was a large metal sign costing $160.00 to print. All signs are made with UV protection. The group will go back periodically to check the signs making sure they everything looks good and get feedback from the businesses. Jason Pratte made a motion to not exceed $2,000.00 in creating more signs with changes mentioned. John Ebeling Amended to not to exceed $2,500.00. Jason Pratte seconded motion John’s motion; motion carried. Tom Ebeling mentioned to take the test banner to Forest ReLeaf and place at the nursery. Other regions are interested in having some sets as well.
· Tree Topping is still around but not as bad as volcano mulching. The group suspects volcano mulching makes it easier to mow around. The see it mostly from lawn care companies that are causing the volcano mulching. Generally they are not aware of how trees grow.
Update: 2017 Conference Planning – Springfield Region
Cindy passed around an update. Conference will be held March 7-9, 2017 at the Ramada Plaza Hotel Oasis Convention in Springfield. Information will be added to the website as soon as it’s available. The theme for this year will be “Living on the Edge of the Community Forest”. There was a save the date email that went out August 2nd through constant contact. Ben Kellner is the conference chair this year. The group suggested adding a topic about mulching based on the signs made from that region. Another idea mentioned was developing a hospitality group for those who attend the conference that are new to the group. The tour will be held at Lovett Pinetum with a 5k fundraiser immediately following. There will be a social held at the hotel with exhibitors and silent auction items. The estimated conference registration will be $175.00.
Update: Plant More Trees Initiative – Tom Ebeling gave the following update:
Still waiting to hear if he has been approved for a TRIM grant he submitted through MDC for the following improvements:
ü Extended hosting/maintenance
ü Creation of a “public” organizations (so individuals can plot trees without username/account)
ü Ability to upload/import existing shape files and spreadsheet information (i.e. existing inventory data)
ü Ability to see planting site on google street view
Tom stated he has been charting trees for the most part. Heartland Tree Alliance has charted 2,000 trees themselves. He still needs to contact Gayle Fry with the Federated Garden Club to log all of the trees they have planted. Tom commented that Joe Fern has basically adopted it as his new inventory tool.
Coordination of Legislation Day in April of 2017
Ann Koenig was emailing Donna Coble to get an update on the Legislation Day. Per Donna, FWAM met August 10, 2016. It looks like they are going to make it happen in 2017. Each organization gets a two page spread in the program to talk about their organization. MCFC can partner up with them or we can do something on our own.
Update: Champion Tree Fund
Mike was absent during the meeting but in June he mentioned a blue ash in Booneville. The Central region reported that blue ash is dead.
New Business
Check/Renew Website Subscription
· Scott mentioned it was time to look into renewing the website subscription and would email Casey. Tom Ebeling made the motion to renew the subscription. John Ebeling seconded the motion; motion carried.
· John Ebeling made a motion that Martha Clark be provided compensation for conference and hotel registration in lieu for providing MCFC website updates and website leadership; Martha agreed. Jason Pratte seconded the motion; motion carried.
Summer CityScape – Brett O’Brien
No Report.
Status of the New Contract with MDC
Sarah Crocker commented that Russell Hinnah had updated the contract renewal and it was currently being reviewed by the Department. Once the Department completes their review the contract renewal will be ready for MCFC to review.
Letter to State Forester
· Scott asked everyone to get with their regions and come up with any state recommendation on the needs they see so Scott can write the letter to Lisa Allen.
· Be sure to thank the Department for TRIM Grants and for keeping the program going.
Member State List Update – Officers and Representatives
Let Sarah know of any changes so Martha can post to the website.
2016 – 2017 Missouri Arbor Day Poster Contest for 5th Grade
Jacob McMains passed around the curriculum final draft. The theme for this year is Trees Work for Your Family. The curriculum has a 3-tier approach with three different activities. If you have any suggestions please send to Jacob. The committee also decided to create coin purses for the first 500 participants for the poster contest. Sarah will send out last five years of poster contest participant lists.
2018 Conference Update
Josh Behounek sent an email stating that Central region decided to step up to the plate for 2018 conference. The region is excited about hosting again. They are leaning to hold it in Columbia. A suggestion was made to incorporate a champion work day on the McBaine, however discussion was made that the McBaine Oak is doing very well.
Regional Outreach – What can MCFC do to help?
Scott mentioned that Northeast, Ozark and Southeast regions are lacking interest and asked for suggestions on how MCFC can help them out. Gene Brunk suggested that MCFC gets support through MDC. Utilize the MDC regional supervisors and get them more involved to helping reach out. They should be able to give ideas on core groups and where to start them up at. Another suggestion was to designate chapters among the regions.
Poster Contest Calendars
Tom Ebeling made the motion to spend $2,500.00 on this year’s calendars for 400 in quantity and for Sarah to mail out to a new group of 50. Jason Pratte seconded the motion; motion carried.
Program Reports
Communications Committee
· No Report
Education/Outreach Committee
· No Report
Membership Committee
· The last thing mentioned was Constant Contact update and the tree topping mailing.
Missouri Arbor Award of Excellence Committee
· No Report
Poster Contest Committee
· Previously updated in Old Business
Liaison Reports
Utility Arborist Association – Scott Skopec
· UAA is going to start doing their own administratively paid events away from ISA. They are partnering back with Arbor Day Foundation to do a Trees and Utilities Conference in 2017.
Missouri Department of Conservation – Russell Hinnah
· The Department received 49 TRIM Grants this year. As of right now they will be funding 38 of those. Currently they are waiting for them to be signed off by state forester.
· MDC will be hosting a Tree City USA 40th Celebration and Reception in September in St. Louis County at Missouri Botanical Gardens. Each tree city community will be allowed to bring up to five people.
Forest ReLeaf – Tom Ebeling submitted the following report:
Project CommuniTree:
With all the extra rain this summer we in the midst of a great growing season at the nursery. We hope to have many thousands of free trees and shrubs available of more than 50 native species. Some new or returning species include: shortleaf pine, downy serviceberry, pecan, butternut, and three species of viburnum: arrowwood, nannyberry, and blackhaw. Look for the program to be announced in early-September when we will begin accepting applications. If you have any questions about sizes, numbers available, or anything else please contact Mike Walsh or Tom Ebeling. Forest ReLeaf will be delivering trees to Kansas City this fall; next spring a delivery will be again made to Springfield/Joplin.
Priority ReLeaf
We received a couple of large grants to reforest areas of the City of St. Louis that will be hit the hardest by EAB. We plan to replace 1,200 trees in Ward 1 alone. With the scope of the project there will not be as many larger trees available for other planting projects or for purchase. We are looking at options to expand the nursery once again to accommodate the current and expected need for more trees lost to EAB. We plan to purchase hundreds of larger container trees this fall to fill the gap in the interim.
ReLeaf Sales:
Despite our need to utilize most of our 15-gallon stock for EAB projects we still expect to have on hand more than 400 7-gallon container tree and shrub species for purchase. In addition to some 15-gallon species, we will continue to sell our 3-gallon trees/shrubs and wildflowers for public and private property.
Other Updates
We have begun working on our new ½ are prairie at the nursery. Right now we are treating with herbicide and plan to seed the prairie in the fall. If you have a resource for seed and want to share please let us know!
Our Third Annual ArborMeisters Homebrew Festival is scheduled for Saturday, September 17th, at CommuniTree Gardens Nursery. In addition to tastings of homebrewed beer, there will be five craft breweries on site providing samples; games, tours, live music and a food truck will be featured as well.
Mo. Dept. of Transportation – No Report
Mo. Forest Products Association- No Report
University/Extension – No Report
Missouri Parks & Recreation Association – Jan Neitzert/Gary Gates – No Report
Federated Garden Clubs – No Report
NRCS State Forester – Nate Goodrich – No Report
SMA – No Report
MWISA – No Report
MOFRAC – Gene Brunk gave the following report.
The group has not met since June. The next meeting will be September 7th. He has not received an agenda yet for the upcoming meeting.
Region Reports & Volunteer Hours
· Kansas City – No Report
· Northwest – Martha Clark reported their region has not been doing anything in particular. They are going to have a workshop in October on tree pruning and other things to teach the community.
· Central – The region reported that Jacob McMains and Dave Dittmer are the new regional representatives. Ryan Russell has become the new chair. Austin Lampe has become the new state vice president. The region also reported they are going to take advantage of Midwest ISA Scholarship $1,000.00 for an organization who wants to put together a training. Also looking at doing a climbing training for anyone interested in the industry.
· Northeast – No Report
· East Central/St. Louis – The region elected new officers. For the St. Louis chapter Jason Pratte and Mike Walsh are the new regional representatives. For the East Central chapter Tom Ebeling and John Ebeling are the new regional representatives. Jim Mitchell is the new Interim Chair. The last Tap Root Series was last month talking about trees in cemeteries. The next topic will be Woody Edibles for Your Yard and Your Beer on August 16th. Ben Grossman and Mark Bowers will be speaking at the event. St. Louis County Parks had their first Arbor Day event.
· Southwest – The region reported they had 2,000 people attend Butterfly Day. Wayne Parker taught a Wood Tech class. The group has been working on the conference, mulching signs and on November 5th there will be a pruning workday in Joplin at the parks. The region reported they had 88 volunteer hours.
Adjournment – with no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
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