SMA Iowa Liaison
State Coordinators: Emma Hanigan, Urban Forestry Coordinator (515) 249-1732 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 robin.[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 |
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