City Trees is a premier publication focused on urban + community forestry. In each issue, you’ll learn how to best manage the trees in your community and more!
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/1366741
4 CityTREES President's Message Scott Altenhoff Executive Director's Message Jerri J. LaHaie Congratulations to Paul Johnson, who many of you know from his years of service with the Texas Forestry Commission, on his appointment as the new Director of Urban and Community Forestry at the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI). We are excited to be involved with the work Paul will be doing and to see how we can build upon SMA's Forestry Department Accreditation. Look for more information as we continue to explore this. Following our Municipal Forestry Institute (MFI) Reunion and Putting MFI to Work Day earlier this year, we have expanded our corporate/organizational diversity scholarship program to include donations from individuals. This is at the request of MFI grads who want to "pay it forward." Several have already made donations to help fund additional diversity scholarships for MFI. If you want to help promote diversity in leadership, you can contribute via the donation form on our website. While this year's MFI in Bowling Green, Ohio, isn't until September, the registration deadline is July 15. Encourage your fellow urban foresters to get signed up! Another new initiative is the exploration of the Urban Forester Credential. You may have received a survey asking your opinions about this; the next step will be a deeper dive via an online Town Hall meeting in the next few months. We want to hear from our members directly and will be inviting you to join in the conversation or just listen in and hear what your fellow members think about credentialing in general and the Urban Forester Credential in particular. Your thoughts will help shape not only your professional pathway but also the growth and direction of the industry. These Town Hall meetings have been a great way for our members to share dialogue on topics of interest to them, while also helping us to better understand the needs of our members. If you haven't attended one yet, this would be a great time to jump in (keep an eye out for email announce- ments). And if there is a topic you would like to discuss in a Town Hall, let us know and we will get one scheduled. While we would like to see you in person (hopefully in Louisville in November for the annual conference), virtual meetings are a great way for us to stay connected in the meantime. As a tree fanatic and someone with a strong connection to the natural world, late spring/early summer has always occupied a special place in my heart. It's a magical time of year when every- thing comes alive and light, warmth, renewal, and hope are all around and just about at their peak. This year the vibrant possi- bilities of late spring are more pronounced than ever. In stark contrast to the dismal time warp that was 2020, we now have so much to look forward to, especially with regard to getting the global pandemic under control and our communities back to some semblance of normal. Our organization and industry also have a lot to look forward to. After an extremely challenging year, things are really springing back to life, major opportunities and partnerships are developing, and it seems like the whole world is abuzz with discussions about the importance and benefits of urban trees. Based on what I'm seeing, I can't help but think that we are on the cusp of a real renaissance within our profession. At all levels, public awareness/support for our work appears to be growing. More and more people seem to understand that urban trees and forests are not just niceties but rath- er necessities for community livability and sustainability. Current and future funding allocations for urban and com- munity forestry programs at the national, regional, and local levels are a testament to this fact. I truly believe that over the next few years, we will experience a very positive urban forestry revolution and paradigm shift for the better. A few of the opportunities that I am most excited about relat- ed to this paradigm shift involve working in a collaborative and interdisciplinary manner with various industry partners to: 1) help develop and refine urban and community forestry sustainability standards, 2) explore the requirements and pos- sibilities for creating a professional Urban Forester Credential, and 3) expand upon our current diversity, equity, and inclu- sion efforts to close the opportunity gap and to promote green workforce development and social/environmental justice. I can't wait to see everyone in person at our annual confer- ence in Louisville in November. Program planning is well underway and it's going to be great. Please stay connected and be well. We have a lot of great things on the horizon!