SMA Iowa Liaison

SMA Liaison Todd Fagan Iowa

Todd Fagan

 [email protected]
 

State Coordinators: 

Emma Hanigan, Urban Forestry Coordinator

(515) 249-1732

[email protected]

http://www.iowadnr.gov/Conservation/Forestry/Urban-Forestry

DNR updates: Hiring: The DNR will be adding a contract position with Trees Forever located out of their Cedar Rapids Office.  The agreement is still in draft form. Two seasonal positions were hired this summer.  One is focused on forest health pest trapping and another urban tree inventories, plans and GIS. District Forester Randy Goerndt retired leaving another vacant position, but a different vacant position was filled in NE Iowa by Alex Hoffman.  Additionally, a WMI position is being added in Chelsea Iowa.The DNR received clarification on our Federal Reporting system which will result in an update to the reporting system beginning Oct 1st. For the Tree City USA program, Arbor Day foundation will be waving Arbor Day Celebrations this year.  The District Foresters and I will be working to build capacity for those communities that have fallen off of the Tree City USA program list the last 10 years and providing assistance. The DNR has 3 existing LSR grants related to urban forestry and one that just got funded.  Some items will need amendments and extensions due to the pandemic. The council is a partner in the Block by Block grant and this grant will have the required urban wood reuse speaker the following year with the luncheon being cancelled. The DNR has been partnering with the Urban Wood network, with them speaking at the next luncheon, but also Iowa Public Television to cover this work and with Habitat for Humanity to utilize urban wood. Additionally, we need to plant many seedlings in Iowa communities.  Please contact Aron Flickinger or Emma Hanigan for more on how you can be involved. The new LSR grant Tree-mendous growth will partner with the council as well for a luncheon speaker on canopy cover. This project is focused to optimize public benefits from trees and urban forests for communities that would benefit most from increased canopy.  The State Forest Action Plan is now extended to December and will be doing public comment this fall. This could be an item for the next meeting.  Trees for Kids had 13 projects in the spring and 6 of them still had projects using creative ways of planting including a zoom tree planting and sign up slots for students and their families to plant.

Sharing:

Dr. Jeff Iles- Shade Tree Short Course, with support of all partners will be virtual.  If you have suggestions for speakers or virtual field presentations please let Jeff know.  Tour de Trees is virtual this year.  Donations go straight to the TREE Fund for important research (not to riders like Jeff).  Additional support will be a need when Tour de Trees comes to Iowa. This was not part of Jeff’s update but I am going to plug his page https://tour-des-trees-2020.everydayhero.com/us/it-s-tour-des-trees-time

People you should know:     (Who’s who in your State?)

US Forest Service:               Jill Johnson            (651) 649-5253    [email protected]

Iowa State University:         Tom Harrington    (515) 294-0582    [email protected]

                                                 Jeff Iles                  (515) 294-3718    [email protected]

                                                Jesse Randall         (515) 294-3221    [email protected]

                                                Mark Shour           (515) 294-5963    [email protected]

Iowa DNR                               Jeff Goerndt     (515) 725-8452   [email protected]

                                                Emma Hanigan      (515) 249-1732    [email protected]  

Tivon Feeley         (515) 725-8453    [email protected]

Iowa Agriculture                  Robin Pruisner     (515) 725-1470    [email protected]

                                                Mike Kintner         (515) 745-1470    [email protected]   

 

Coming Events in State

National Events of Interest

Links of Interest

Iowa DNR Grants                  http://www.iowadnr.gov/About-DNR/Grants-Other-Funding

IA State Forestry Nursery   http://www.iowadnr.gov/Conservation/Forestry/State-Forest-Nursery

ISU Forestry Extension        http://www.extension.iastate.edu/forestry/

Trees Forever                       http://www.treesforever.org/

Biography
I have been the city arborist for Cedar Rapids, Iowa since June of 2010. Prior to that I spent a few years as the city forester/city arborist for Park Ridge, Illinois. After receiving a degree from Western Illinois University, I spent ten years in the field pruning and removing trees in the Chicago area. I also spent some of that time performing plant health care work as well as consulting and sales. I am TRAQ qualified, a board member of the Iowa Urban Tree Council and a past president of the Iowa Arborist association, having proudly helped establish Iowa as its own separate ISA chapter.
 

The Benefits of Membership

Together, we are working to grow and care for trees in towns large and small. The members of the Society of Municipal Arborists are dedicated urban forestry and municipal arborist professionals from around the world who work hard to ensure we have livable cities for all. Members receive opportunities to learn from and network with others who do the same work. This leads to greater understanding and greater impact in the thing we're all trying to accomplish - more trees for people and planet! We invite you to join us, and over 2,000 members from across the world, today. 

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SMA's Urban Forest Foundation (UFF)

The Urban Forest Foundation (UFF) provides funding for SMA programs such as the Municipal Forestry Institute and the Arborist Exchange Program as well as the development of new programs designed to improve education of municipal forestry professionals.

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