Tag: trees

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Partners invited to host nature-based events this fall in celebration of trees, bees, butterflies, and nature in our city.

The City of Austin’s Urban Forest Program has begun preparing for the 5th Annual Roots & Wings Festival and invites area nonprofits, City partners and other community groups to participate in this combined celebration of Arbor Day and Monarch Appreciation Day.

Area nature enthusiasts are encouraged to apply to host a Roots & Wings community event. This two-week festival, which is free to participants, offers many opportunities to bring the festival close to home and connect communities. Multiple City of Austin departments and external partners support this annual event. This year’s Roots & Wings Festival will focus on amplifying the efforts of the diverse organizations that help connect the Austin community with nature.

“This year, we’re excited to support events planned by organizations across our community,” said Emily King, the City of Austin’s Urban Forester. “By moving fully into this model, we know that the Roots & Wings Festival will have a greater reach and stronger cultural significance, allowing more of our Austin neighbors to reap the many benefits nature provides.”

Funding is available to help support community-led programming. Additional resources, such as marketing and programmatic support, are available to all accepted applicants. To be eligible for participation and potential funding, partners must submit completed applications by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 5. Learn more about funding to help support community-led programming here. 

Participating organizations must plan to host events between Saturday, Oct. 22 and Saturday, Nov. 5, and proposed events must align with the Festival’s mission of “celebrating Arbor Day and Monarch Appreciation Day and connecting all members of our community to nature by advancing equitable access.” Organizations that traditionally do not offer nature-based programming and those who work with communities in high-priority zones identified in the Community Tree Priority Map are strongly encouraged to apply.

Throughout its brief history, the Roots & Wings Festival has sought to better connect Austinites to trees, pollinators and nature. This year’s festival holds extra significance, occurring months after Austin earned its certification as a Bee City USA Affiliate, recognizing our community’s commitment to conserving pollinators.

Potential participants with questions can contact Jess Wright, Roots & Wings Festival Program Coordinator, at rootsandwings@austintexas.gov.

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What’s the buzz with pollinators? Help nature’s fertilizers at these June events in Ann Arbor

What’s the buzz with pollinators? Help nature’s fertilizers at these June events in Ann Arbor

ANN ARBOR – Birds, bees, butterflies and bats work hard to keep Tree Town green by carrying pollen between flowing area plants.

On Saturday, June 25, the City of Ann Arbor Natural Area Preservation will help local pollinators by clearing weeds and invasive plant species at two parks.

Between 9 a.m. and noon, volunteers will gather at the Dolph Bioswale and remove aggressive non-native plants so as to create a bountiful ecosystem. According to a release, community members can meet NAP workday helpers at the trailhead off Parklake Avenue.

Read: Let’s talk about Michigan’s invasive trees and shrubs: How to identify them and the threat they pose

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Starting at 1 p.m., volunteers can meet at Lakewood Nature Area to clear invasive weeds so that Lakewood pollinators have better access to the nature area’s unique Kentucky coffeetree plants. Volunteers will meet at the park entrance on Sunnywood Drive and will work until 4 p.m.

The two Ann Arbor events are planned as part of National Pollinator Week, a nationwide effort by the nonprofit Pollinator Partnership.

Tools will be provided but participants should plan to wear long pants, gloves and close-toed shoes, says a release.

Online preregister for NAP events is encouraged. Register to help at Dolph Bioswale here, and at Lakewood Nature Area here.

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Read more: What you can do to help prevent spread of invasive pests, protect plant health this summer

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Trees for Guelph returns with tree planting event on Earth Day

Trees for Guelph returns with tree planting event on Earth Day

Rain or shine, volunteers will be out in the Kortright Hills Natural Area from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on April 22

As the last bit of frost disappears, Trees For Guelph reappears with an upcoming tree planting event. 

On Friday, which is Earth Day, participants will gather at Kortright Hills Natural Area to plant native trees, shrubs and wildflowers. The event will take place at 9 a.m. and will run until 5 p.m., or when there are no longer any trees to plant.

Martin Litchfield, vice-president of Trees For Guelph, said pails, shovels, mulch and water will be provided on site for volunteers. 

“We will actually provide specific instructions on how to plant the tree and the depth and how much mulch to put on, how much water to put on, and on the hardwoods, we provide a tree guard to prevent the mice and rabbits from chewing on the bark,” said Litchfield.

For their first event this year, Litchfield warns people who are planning to come out on April 22 to dress warmly.

“The Earth Day one (tree planting event), we’re always cautious about that because the 22nd, 23rd time frame in April, in this geographical area, it could be nice or it could be snowy, and we have planted in the snow before.”

Trees For Guelph sources native trees, shrubs and wildflowers for its events. Litchfield explains they gather a diversity of plants, softwood and hardwood, that are ecologically appropriate for this area.

“These are all trees that have been sourced from the ecological seed zone that we’re in (in Guelph), we’re in seed zone 32,” said Litchfield, “We make sure that even when we buy from the private nurseries, that the trees and shrubs and the wildflowers are all native trees.”

Part of the success of this program is the way that trees are planted and cared for by volunteers, said Litchfield. Returning to some of the same spots after a few years, he mentions previously planted trees are thriving.

“We find we’re getting about 90 per cent survival out there, because there’s so much care and attention to how we put trees in the ground and take such good care of them.”

Litchfield said Trees For Guelph is seeing increasing interest in tree planting initiatives from residents, schools and corporations within the community.

“During COVID, we still had quite a good response to tree planting, but not as vigorous as years past, but now I think there is a pent-up demand,” said Litchfield. “We’re getting a number of companies who are getting their employees to come out, on company time, to plant.”

“It’s going very, very well.”

Between the four planting events this spring and the school planting programs, Litchfield said Trees For Guelph expects to plant over 5,000 trees this season, along with shrubs and wildflowers.

After Earth Day, Trees For Guelph will also host three community tree planting sessions on May 7, May 14 and May 28. In the fall, there are also three tree planting events planned, and information on those events will be available on treesforguelph.ca.

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EARTH DAY: Cleanups, events, festival fill the April calendar

EARTH DAY: Cleanups, events, festival fill the April calendar

EARTH DAY: Cleanups, events, festival fill the April calendar  The Salem News

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There’s more to cherry blossoms than trees. Check out these artful alternatives.

There’s more to cherry blossoms than trees. Check out these artful alternatives.

On view as part of the exhibition “Underdogs and Antiheroes: Japanese Prints from the Moskowitz Collection,” which opens March 19, the work is one of several in the museum’s collection that emphasize not just sakura, or cherry blossoms, but related activities: coming together in celebration of spring. The Japanese tradition of flower viewing, known as hanami, can take many forms. Here are some other artful ways to celebrate the spring season.

In April 2020, Munich-based digital artist Tamiko Thiel found herself isolated in her apartment, longing for the cherry trees that brought joy to her childhood in Japan. Spring was in the air, but so was infection, so Thiel — an engineer, computer artist and one of the key designers of the first supercomputer — turned to technology to bring the blossoms to her fingertips. The result, an augmented-reality, app-based artwork, “Suspended Spring,” uses your smartphone camera to create the illusion that you’re surrounded by fluttering pink petals. Starting March 20, the artwork will be available across the DMV through a mobile app. Thiel hopes it will prompt reflection, noting that cherry blossoms once represented young samurai warriors who were killed in battle. “In Japanese culture the cherry blossom symbolizes the ephemeral beauty of life itself” Thiel said, via email. “The cherry blossom asks us to open our senses and focus intensely on the beauty of the moment.” “Suspended Spring” is a part of “ReWildAR,” a project commissioned for the Smithsonian’s “Futures” exhibition, on view through July 6 in the Arts and Industries Building, 900 Jefferson Dr. SW. aib.si.edu. “Suspended Spring” will be available within a geofence surrounding the D.C., Maryland and Virginia region on the app ARpoise, available for iOS and Android. It will be available through April 17.

You might think social media is a 21st-century phenomenon. But in Edo-period Japan (1603-1867), some woodblock prints circulated so widely, you might say they went viral. Long before Instagram, such popular print series as Utagawa Hiroshige’s “The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido” — which documents his journey along a famous road in Japan — inspired ordinary viewers with wanderlust. And vivid ukiyo-e (or “floating world”) prints provided new ways of seeing everyday life — Kabuki theater, sumo wrestling, pleasure districts — akin to social media posts. Highlighting this connection, the exhibition “Exploring Hiroshige and His Influence on Social Media” features contemporary photography that reflects Hiroshige’s style, paired with work by the printmaker from American University’s collection. March 22 through May 13 at the Japan Information and Culture Center, 1150 18th St. NW, Suite 100. 202-238-6900. us.emb-japan.go.jp/jicc/. Free.

If seeing cherry blossoms with your own eyes isn’t enough, you may want to experience them in the highest pixel resolution ever, as Artechouse promises in its promotional material for “Pixelbloom.” The fifth annual cherry blossom show at the tech-centric art space will take viewers on a journey through digital flowers with a 22-minute, 18-channel, floor-to-ceiling projection, featuring scenes that have as many as 94,000 individually simulated petals per tree. Known for Instagram-worthy installations, Artechouse tends more toward spectacle than substance. But if you’re seeking an immersive virtual experience (or simply a good photo), this is sure to do the trick. Through May 30 at Artechouse, 1238 Maryland Ave. SW, artechouse.com. $17-$26.

For the second year, local artists have been invited to decorate their own large-scale blossom sculptures, which can be found across the city and its surrounding suburbs. Called “Art In Bloom,” the 26 outdoor installations include works highlighting Japanese art, such as Kalia Garcia’s vibrant “Flower Kuties,” inspired by Japanese artist Takashi Murakami, and “Sakura+Seasons” by Tracie Griffith Tso, which mimics Japanese sumi-e, a traditional ink-brush painting technique pioneered by 14th century monks. Other pieces take a more local approach. On “The Real Landmarks” blossom, artists Diane D’Costa and Nia Keturah Calhoun have painted images of Ben’s Chili Bowl and Howard University to challenge what their statement calls the “visitor’s gaze.” The two note that these places, “may not be marble statues or national icons, yet they are what make D.C. home.” March 20 through May 31 at various locations. Map available at nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/art-in-bloom-2022/. Free.

Cherry blossom history and culture

The Library of Congress has a surprisingly large trove of cherry blossom-adjacent prints that show hanami parties, courtesans enjoying springtime and striking Japanese landmarks (meisho-e) enhanced by blooming trees. While these works are too fragile to view in person, you can browse through many of them in an online gallery. The library is also hosting several educational cherry blossom events. A series of three virtual “object lessons,” presented by Mari Nakahara and Katherine Blood, authors of the book “Cherry Blossom: Sakura Collections from the Library of Congress,” will cover cherry blossom varieties (April 6); the history of the 1912 cherry blossom gift (April 7); and seasonal themes in Japanese art (April 8). In April, the library will host its annual Japanese Culture Day, with Japanese drumming and karate presentations, along with arts and crafts from Japan. Japanese Culture Day is April 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Library of Congress, Jefferson Building, 10 First St. SE. 202-707-5000. loc.gov/exhibits/cherry-blossoms/cherry-blossoms-in-japanese-cultural-history. Free. Timed-entry reservations required for building entry.

If you’re looking for reliable spring flowers — available rain or shine, regardless of fickle temperatures — the National Gallery of Art’s rotunda is an annual showcase for the Ames-Haskell Azalea Collection. With 250 azaleas, some a half-century old, the collection is a collage of springtime colors: brilliant whites, lively pinks and eye-popping reds — a warm contrast to the cool, dark marble of the museum’s interior. (In a promo video, the NGA’s deputy chief of horticultural services, Juli Goodman, compares them to “living art.”) The flowers have a tie to Japan: Many evergreen azaleas originated in Japan, including Kurume azaleas, which feature prominently in the collection and are used in bonsai practices. The museum also plans to restart its evening programming — formerly known as NGA Nights — with a flower-themed event from 6 to 9 p.m. on April 14. Titled “Flowers After Hours,” the event will include art and pop-up performances. While at the museum, it’s worth stopping by the Impressionist and Dutch still-life galleries to see some painted flowers, too. Check out Jan Brueghel the Elder’s vivid, meticulous 1615 work “Flowers in a Basket and a Vase” or Claude Monet’s meditative 1899 oil painting, “The Japanese Footbridge.” The Ames-Haskell Azalea Collection is on indefinite view, through at least March 27 at the National Gallery of Art, West Building, Constitution Avenue at Fourth Street NW. 202-737-4215. nga.gov. Free. “Flowers After Hours” requires advance registration by March 21 at nga.gov/nights.

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Ask SAM: Are there any shredding events coming up?

Ask SAM: Are there any shredding events coming up?

Mount Tabor United Methodist Church, 3543 Robinhood Road, Winston Salem, will have a shredding event from 9 a.m. to noon April 23. They will accept monetary donations to benefit food programs serving children in Forsyth County and other missions of the United Methodist Women. Make checks payable to Mt. Tabor UMC-Circle 5. For more information, call the church 336-765-5561 or go to www.mttaborumc.org.

New Philadelphia Moravian Church, 4440 Country Club Road, Winston-Salem, will have a document shred from 9 a.m. to noon April 23. The cost is $5 per box. Enter from Kilpatrick Street. They will unload. You do not have to get out of your vehicle. The shredding is sponsored by the Advent Class. Proceeds will benefit outreach ministries of the Moravian Church. For more information, call 336-972-0494 or visit www.newphilly.org.

Fries Memorial Moravian Church, 251 N. Hawthorne Road, Winston Salem, will have a community shred day from 9 a.m. to noon April 30. Shamrock Shredding will be shredding documents on-site in the church parking lot. Donations of $5 per file box or bag are requested. Paper only, no plastic or non-paper trash will be accepted. Proceeds will benefit local youth and family ministries.

Hopewell Moravian Church will have two shredding events at the Griffith Volunteer Fire Department, 5190 Peters Creek Parkway, Winston-Salem. The first will be 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 30. The second will be 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 25. A $5 per bag or box donation is suggested.