[Durham INC] Pilot Tree Planting Program; live Christmas trees

[Laura Drey]

General info on live Christmas trees

When buying a living Christmas tree, or other plant you would like to keep
indoors, there are a number of factors to follow. A cautionary measure is to
ask a nursery staff person if the species of tree you are considering will
do well in our growing zone. I have been told that potted plants are easier
to work with ­ are lighter weight. Live Christmas trees, whether living or
cut, require care in their watering. It is recommended that you keep living
trees inside the house for no more 10 days. Having a live tree inside the
house for a short period of time will help it survive once it is planted in
the ground because the plant will less likely to have become acclimatized to
the warmth of a home.

I have a list of recommended nurseries and a description of my favorite
plants, including ones that have winter interest. If you are interested in
either of these documents let me know.

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Pilot Tree Planting Program in Durham

Over the last month I have been communicating with Durham city staff and
others I feel might be interested in having people donate their Christmas
trees to be planted in parks here in Durham.

The staff of Urban Forestry and Parks and Recreation determined the second
week of December that

³Any trees that are not taken by ³recyclers² will again be handled by KDB
(Keep Durham Beautiful) and disbursed to interested parties for placement
and planting. We will provide planting and maintenance instruction as well
as oversight for planting on city-owned property. KDB may place restrictions
upon who may pick up the material and under what conditions.
Toward that end I would suggest that there be a plan submitted as part of
the process that would detail where, how and when it will be planted as well
as a plan for long-term maintenance.  Triangle J Council of Governments has
a similar program....

This year, those persons who have a live tree to donate can do so by
delivering them to the General Services Dept. at 2011 Fay St. on Saturday
January 10th 2009 from 9:00 to 12:00.²
Alex Johnson, Urban Forestry Manager

My interpretation of what Alex wrote is that the trees contributed to Durham
as part of the pilot tree planting project will be available to Durham
residents to plant in their private yards. Any plants that are left will be
available to other ³interested parties.²

I foresaw that the pilot tree planting project would have portrayed Durham
in a positive light if the plants were only designated to public places. I
believe that Durham residents would have been pleased if the pilot tree
planting program consisted of volunteers putting plants in public locations
(such as parks, schools, recreation centers, libraries, cultural centers and
the Farmers Market.) The members of the Urban Forestry and Parks and
Recreation staff and I also discussed the possibility of plants being used
in yards of Habitat for Humanity homes. In an additional note I mentioned
the option of yards of homes associated with the Self-Help Credit Union or
the Durham Community Land Trustees. These organizations also work with low
and moderate income families.

A third alternative my opinion that would be better served the Durham
community would be if the donated plants were located in the yards of the
offices and shelters of nonprofit organizations that work with needy people..
I have contacted the following organizations to see if groups I am familiar
with would be interested in
plants. These organizations are consist of homeless shelters (Housing for
New Hope, Genesis Home, Durham Urban Ministries and the Durham Interfaith
Hospitality Network), the battered women¹s shelter (Durham Crisis and
Response Center), a clubhouse for mentally ill adults (Threshold) and TROSA
(an alcohol and drug rehabilitation program.) Thus far I have received
interest from a number of these groups.

I have concluded for a number of reasons that I will not participate in the
pilot tree planting program as it now stands. If I my understanding of the
city¹s priorities is correct ­ that the program currently includes homes of
people that can afford to buy their own plants. I cannot agree to support
this aspect of the program. I am not interested in donating a tree that may
be planted in a yard of middle and upper class household.

If you would like more information about how you may participate in the
pilot tree planting program and/or an explanation about the city staffs¹
decision contact Kevin Lilley, Facilities Operations Manager of Landscape
and Urban Forestry, at <Kevin.Lilley at durhamnc.gov>.


Laura 
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