City Trees

4 CityTREES President's Message Rachel Habig-Myers Executive Director's Message Leslie Berckes As I write this, I am busily preparing for the Municipal Forestry Institute (MFI) at the end of February. It's exciting to think that by the time you read this, our MFI alumni community will have 68 new folks adding their energy to it. They will have boosted their skills and confidence and will bring renewed energy to their work. MFI is our leadership training course, and preparing for it means major decisions, like core tenets and learning objectives—down to what dessert we'll have after each meal. (Banana pudding is on the list, in case you were wondering.) It's a lot of work, as anyone who's ever organized a large-scale event can attest. I had never attended MFI prior to starting this job. Honestly, since the word "municipal" was in the title, I wasn't sure if it applied to me. Sure, I was working with my city forester each day to plant and care for trees across the entire community, but I still didn't see myself as "MFI material." It wasn't until recently that I looked back at what I was doing in my last job—working for a statewide tree non-profit—that I said, "Wait a second! I was an urban forester!" All that work to grow healthy trees where people live was more than program management or field coordination; it was a career. I hope that more practitioners appreciate this about themselves now. MFI attendees are at various stages of their careers. Some are established and recognized urban foresters, some give themselves the title "urban forester" when the city won't, and others still don't see themselves in that way. UCFS invests in each one of these MFI participants because we know that they are the ones who get us to our tree canopy goals. They are the people who are going to help our profession meet its goals of healthy and abundant urban forests that generate critical ecosystem services for all. If you read this and think, "I'm just a person who plants and waters trees," try on the term "urban for- ester" and see how it feels. If that feels right, and you're ready to become a leader in this growing pro- fession, let us know of your interest in MFI 2025! As p c fo Th Th Th ill h There are so many colorful sayings and nicknames for winter, spring, and the transition between the two. "April showers bring May flowers" is one that I never understood because I grew up in the southern U.S., where spring flowers bloomed in April. The thaw between winter's end and spring's beginning is known as "Mud Season" in many places. I feel compelled to write about this because I am uneasy about seeing the first signs of life from maple trees early … even earlier than last year. The realization that we could already be in Mud Season elicits two thoughts; the first is that I am already behind on planning for the next field season, and the second is that if the plants are waking up, then so are the forest pests. As an urban forester specializing in forest pests, I will need to be ready a little earlier than expected. Even though it still feels like planning season and early days, we already have some UCFS accomplishments to share. The Board met at a two-day retreat in January to take a fresh look at our strategic plan and to decide our priorities for the year. We all agreed that committees are a critical aspect of our society. Joining a committee is a great way to learn, meet new people, and contribute to the organization. Leslie Berckes writes about committee oppor- tunities in this issue, where she also, significantly, invites us to celebrate the organization's 60-year anniversary! The 2024 UCFS Mentoring Program is underway, with 12 mentor/mentee partnerships. I often hear mentors share that they got just as much out of the experience as did their mentees. I can't imagine a better outcome than that; UCFS must be doing it right if everyone finds it to be a win-win. The Municipal Forestry Institute (MFI) will have just completed when this issue is released, sending 68 of our colleagues back into the world full of new ideas, examples, connections, and insights about themselves, our industry, and our purpose. It will be amazing to see how the 2024 graduates use this week of high-level training to find better ways forward in their careers. The participants deserve a huge round of applause and congratulations, as does the instruction team that worked so diligently to reshape MFI into a leadership program that will weather well, no matter what the seasons are called. w of your interest y in MFI 2025! Th a u sp Th Th Th th b t

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