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1. Please email your Representative: Alice Wolf [ Rep.AliceWolf@house.state.ma.us ], Alvin Thompson  [Rep.AlvinThompson@house.state.ma.us ], Tim Toomey [rep.timothytoomey@state.ma.us ] to request support of Rep. Jim Marzilli (Ariington) has submitted a 1999 state budget (GAA) "amendment for urban forestry' totaling $740,000 to create a first-ever line-item for urban forestry in the state budget.  These funds would be split as follows: $300,000 for tree-planting grants to municipalities,, $400,000 in tree pruning grants to municipalities; and $40,000 to create a statewide storm response protocol with technical assistance from UMass-Amherst.  The Department of Environmental Management, Urban Forestry Program, would manage the grant funds that will enable municipalities to purchase trees from nurseries and hire Certified Arborists and Landscape Contractors to care for them. The funds would become available on July 1, 1998. Senator Durand (Marlboro) will submit a similar request in the Senate's draft budget.

Recommended Actions in -the House:

1 . Write, fax, email or call your state representative before April 24th.  Request that they contact Rep. Jim Marzilli to learn more about this budget Item. (You do not need more information to act on this Alert).
2. Ask that your state representative quickly prepare and send a letter of support for the Marzilli amendment to Rep. Paul R. Haley (Weymouth), Chairman of House Ways and Means, and to Rep. Thomas Finneran, Speaker of the House, AND copy you on the letter (this is your confirmation that the letter was sent).

2. Greenspace: Tuesday April 28, 7- 8:30 p.m. Senior Center, 806 Mass Ave.Spring Forward: Join friends and neighbors interested in creating and preserving greenspaces, community gardens and parks in Cambridge. Learn how community gardens and greenspace in Cambridge compare to open space through the Boston area. Share stories and brainstorm  about what more can be done in our neighborhoods..

3. Sat. May 2 and 3rd, Tree and Bird Celebration at Mount Auburn Cemetery. 617-547-7105 x 821. Show of works produced by artists from wood at Mount Auburn Cemetery in memory of the blizzard of last year 547-1413

4. Tree Walk of Central Square/ Cambridgeport Sat. May 9.
Cambridge Tree Project, Concilio Hispano, Cambridge Community Development, Friends of Magazine Beach, Cambridgeport Neighborhood Initiative, Brookline Street Neighborhood Initiative, Hastings Square Committee, Central Square Business Assoc., Cambridge Community Center, Morse, King, Cambridgeport & Graham & Park schools, Cambridge Conservation Commission, and Department of Urban Forestry invite you to a
Tree Walk of
Central Square/ Cambridgeport
Sat. May 9
Demo at 9 a.m.; Walk 10-12 a.m.
 Meet at Green & River St in center of Central Square

with Larry Acosta, Cambridge City Arborist, our Urban Forester. If you cannot make a walk in your neighborhood, you are welcome to join other walks. Walks will include neighborhood tree care demonstration at 9 a.m. and a tree identification and common problem analysis walk 10-12 a.m.

Sat. March 21  Area 4: Sennott Park on Broadway
Sat. April 4   Strawberry Hill/ Fresh Pond: Red House Huron & Park
Sat April 18  Agassiz: Playground on Oxford St next to School.
Sat. May 9  Central Square/ Cambridgeport: Meet at Green & River St.
Sat. May 30  East: Cambridge St. at Sciarappa St.
Sat. June 13  North: Massachusetts Ave
Sat. June 21  Along Charles River towards Weeks Bridge
Sat. Sept 19  Mid Cambridge (proposed)
Sat. Sept. 26  Porter Square and Area 9
Sat. Oct.3  Riverside (proposed)
Sat. Oct. 24  To be determined

Our goals are to teach you to 1.) provide basic care for trees and identify “green teams” around the city who will help care for trees; and, 2.) identify some common trees and tree problems so you can help us be the eyes and ears for our city’s trees. For information, to register for a walk, or to join a green team to care for our street trees or a tree inventory team or to help develop policies and plans to protect and maintain our trees in Cambridge, call 547-1413 or fax 876-8991 or email. Please don’t forget to give us your name, address, telephone number, email if you have it, and interests. Thanks!

CALENDAR OF TREE EVENTS

Tues. April 28 Greenspace: 7- 8:30 p.m. Senior Center, 806 Mass Ave. Spring Forward: Join friends and neighbors interested in creating and preserving greenspaces.

Wed. April 29 Identification of Temperate Woody Plants, series begins. Arnold Arboretum 524-1718 x 162

Sat. May 2 and 3rd, Tree and Bird Celebration at Mount Auburn Cemetery. 617-547-7105 x 821. Show of works produced by artists from wood at Mount Auburn Cemetery in memory of the blizzard of last year .547-1413.

Sat May 2, 9, 16. Tree Identification. Arnold Arboretum. 524-1718 x 162

Sat. May 9 Tree Walk in Central Square, Cambridgeport. Meet at Green & River Streets. Demo at 9. Walk 10-12 a.m. 547-1413

Sat. May 14,21,28: Framework Trees of New England. . Arnold Arboretum. 524-1718 x 162

Planting and Transplanting Trees, . Arnold Arboretum. 524-1718 x 162

Sat. May 30 Tree Walk in East Cambridge meet at Cambridge St. and Sciarappa St.
begins 9-12. 547-1413

May 31 Deadline for Community Tree Plating applications to the National Tree Trust. Contact Todd Nelson, 1800-846-8733 x 19

Sat. June 13 Tree Walk in North Cambridge. 547-1413

Cambridge Tree Project is an organization composed of citizens’ groups and individuals working together with the City of Cambridge in building support for the protection and management of community trees.  http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/DoanePerry/homepage.htm, Partial funding by MA Dept. of Environmental Management. &  USDA Forest Service.
1657   Cambridge    Street,     Suite  # 3,      Cambridge,   MA       02138-4316
E-mail: doaneperry@compuserve.com or 617-547-1413 or fax: 617-876-8991