TreesAcadiana President Sarah Schoeffler provides instructions on the planting process.

Thanks to a hundred volunteers and the diligent organizing, the corridor between Garfield and the railroad tracks has been transformed into a hammock of 38 native trees.  “I was expecting smaller trees.  These are nice sized trees!” commented Jennifer Sevrendsen, who helped with the volunteer efforts.  “These will be beautiful come spring.”

Additionally citrus trees were planted on the west side of Garfield.  The project saw every tree in the ground within 90 minutes, following instructions given to the group before they started.   Sarah Schoeffler, TreesAcadiana President shared “In keeping with the Building Green Cities Workshop idea of revitalizing older neighborhoods, TreesAcadiana focused its efforts this Arbor Day Trees in the Freetown Port Rico Neighborhood as the beginning of a Linear Park/Buffer Zone along the rail road tracks.”

Volunteers line up and sign in before the tree planting begins.

A few sprinkles did not deter the progress and in fact, more rain would be welcome. The project included watering all the trees after they were planted and mulched.  Care was taken to build shallow levies around each tree to improve the water retention and help along the growing process. The traffic support from the Lafayette Police Department, assistance from Lafayette Fire Department in refilling the tanks  and accommodations offered by Ken and Deborah Simeral by opening their Warehouse at Garfield for helped make the morning outdoors pleasant for everyone.  The banner hung where volunteers signed up, “Building Green Cities, One Neighborhood at a Time.”  That’s what it’s all about.

Freetown residents and volunteers discuss and await their assignments, as the first of many trains roll past on the nearby tracks.

More than 30 volunteers braved the cold with TreesAcadiana, last year, to plant ten live oaks along the median of South City Parkway for Louisiana Arbor Day.

In two weeks or less, TreesAcadiana embarks upon one of its most long-standing projects of the year.  In addition to its massive distribution of over 3,000 seedlings to area schools in time for Louisiana Arbor Day, the group is preparing for its community tree planting on at 9 AM on Saturday, January 21.  In keeping with the Building Green Cities Workshop idea of revitalizing older neighborhoods – also embraced by Lafayette Consolidated Government – TreesAcadiana will be planting the Arbor Day trees in the Freetown Port Rico Neighborhood as the beginning of a Linear Park/Buffer Zone along the Rail Road tracks on Garfield between Taft and the Warehouse on Garfield.

“Volunteers provide an important and rewarding part of TreesAcadiana’s Arbor Day project,” said their president Sarah Schoeffler. “When we plant a tree that will grace our city for generations, it gives us an opportunity to embrace our city’s future.”  She added, “We will be planting 38 Native Trees and will need lots of help. Hopefully we will have most of the holes pre-dug, but bring your shovels to back-fill.”

Last year, ten live oaks were planted along the new boulevard extending from Johnston Street to Robley near the South Regional Branch Library.  That planting was completed within 30 minutes due to the number of volunteers who rallied to the call, despite freezing temperatures.  This year, thanks goes to Ken and Deborah Simeral, who will have the Warehouse at Garfield open for bathrooms and serving coffee and more.

In addition to planting, TreesAcadiana will be mailing education packets, and members will be dividing and sorting seedlings for deliveries to no less than 21 schools participating in this year’s Arbor Day activities.  Tribute for helping make all this possible also goes to Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development- District 3, the AIA South Louisiana Chapter Architects, Corne-Lemaire Group and MBSB Architects, Licensed Arborist Jim Foret, Parish Council President Joey Durel, the cities and mayors of Scott, Carencro and Youngsville, “Keep Abbeville Beautiful”/City of Abbeville, the League of Women Voters, Lafayette Parish Master Gardeners, the Lafayette Garden Club, the Acadiana Group of Sierra Club, Pack and Paddle, Van Eaton Romero, and the publishers of Natural Awakenings Magazine out of Carencro, Michelle and Steve Castille.

To get information, e-mail contact@treesAcadiana.org, call 234-4042 or visit the TreesAcadiana FaceBook page.

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Saturday, January 21st
9:00 A.M.
Freetown Port Rico Neighborhood, Garfield at the Railroad Tracks
between Taft and Lamar Sts.
Meeting at the Warehouse on Garfield
**
Bring Shovels, Gloves and Your Energy

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -

In keeping with the Building Green Cities Workshop idea of revitalizing older neighborhoods, TreesAcadiana will be planting our Arbor Day Trees in the Freetown Port Rico Neighborhood as the beginning of a Linear Park/Buffer Zone along the Rail Road tracks on Garfield between Taft and the Warehouse on Garfield.

We will be planting 38 Native Trees and will need lots of help. Hopefully we will have most of the holes pre-dug, but bring your shovels to back-fill. Ken and Deborah Simeral will have the Warehouse at Garfield open for bathrooms and serving Coffee, doughnuts and Jambalaya !

Thanking you ahead for your participation.
Sarah Schoeffler, Chair

When we plant a tree that will grace our city for generations, it gives us an opportunity to embrace our city’s future.

LUFC president Steve Shurtz presents session titled "The Visual Effects of Green Laws" to the group assembled for the "Building Green Cities" workshop.

Over 100 participants attended the Louisiana Urban Forestry Council’s workshop, “Building Green Cities,” to learn about smart growth and incorporation of urban forestry and its benefits into the scheme of city planning.  Participants included city and community leaders for Lafayette, Abbeville, Carencro, Scott and Youngsville as well as professionals, educators, students and citizens.  Scott Mayor Purvis Morrison and Youngsville Council members Dianne McClelland and Kenny Ritter were impressed with the program.  “We will be trying to share what we have learned today with our other Council members this evening,” McClelland said.  Many cities in the area have been investing a lot of attention to storm mitigation and growth issues such a drainage and traffic.  All of these were discussed during the workshop.

Michael Knobloch, LUFC director, thanked TreesAcadiana for pulling together the largest workshop they had ever held.  President Sarah Schoeffler commented, “We hope to see all that was learned today brought home to table and put into practice as much as possible throughout our communities. “ She added, “Additionally, we can begin thinking, right now, about Louisiana Arbor Day.  It will be here before we know it!”   School principals can contact TreesAcadiana.org and request seedlings and/or a large tree (8-10 foot tree) to facilitate their education programs for Arbor Day.  Louisiana Arbor Day falls on January 21 this year.  TreesAcadiana plants trees that day.  Last year, the site was on the boulevard next to the South Regional Branch Library.  This year, the site is yet to be determined and recommendations can be made on their FaceBook page.

Members of "Keep Abbeville Beautiful" made their own statement by traveling to Lafayette in support of the LUFC program.

The membership of TreesAcadiana reiterates their thanks to their sponsors, which included the American Institute of Architects – S. Louisiana Chapter, DOTD – District 3, Corne-Lemaire Group and MBSB Group Architects, the League of Women Voters, Lafayette Parish Master Gardeners, Lafayette Garden Club, UL’s SPEAK, Pack and Paddle, the publishers of Natural Awakenings Magazine: Michelle and Steve Castille, all the cities mentioned above, Jim Foret – the consulting arborist who had been attending to the Mr. Al oak and Joey Durel, City-Parish President.  They also appreciate the refreshments and food provided by The Coffee Depot in Scott, Edies, Hub City Diner and MelloJoy Coffee and the staff and support of South Louisiana Community College administration and staff.

AOC Community Media recorded the program.  The workshop sessions will eventually be aired on the Open Channel station as a six-part series.

By Theresa Rohloff

Volunteers with the League of Women Voters assisted with registration for the program.

Louisiana Urban Forestry Council Director Michael Knobloch and TreesAcadiana Sarah Schoeffler provide opening remarks for the LUFC "Building Green Cities" workshop for over 100 participants.

The workshop’s six sessions include:

•    Smart Growth: Tomorrow’s Vision: Plan without losing charm and ambiance.
•    Urban Sprawl and Urban Ecosystems: Balance between the built and natural environments.
•    An Affordable Means of Urban Forestry.
•    The Visual Effects of Green Laws: Ordinances as effective tools for preserving nature.
•    Successful Urban Forestry: Examples and Benefits Derived.
•    The Process of Implementing Your Project Ideas: From brainstorming through construction and maintenance.

LUFC Executive Director Michael Knobloch (center) and President Steve Shurtz confer with TreesAcadiana's Sarah Schoeffler about the Building Green Cities workshop at the group’s 2011 General Meeting which took place in March.

Presenters include Stephen Shurtz, Dana Brown, Keith Villere, D. Scott Courtright, Chad Danos and Darren Green.  These experts have served in numerous advisory capacities within and beyond the state, both nationally and internationally, and have received notable awards and recognitions.  They cumulatively offer over 120 years of experience in their field.

Spearheaded by TreesAcadiana, the workshop has been endorsed by the generous sponsorship of the American Institute of Architects South Louisiana Chapter, Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, Natural Awakenings Magazine publishers Steve and Michele Castille, Corne-Lemaire Group and MBSB Group architectural firms, Van Eaton & Romero Real Estate, the cities of Abbeville (“Keep Abbeville Beautiful”), Carencro, Scott, Youngsville and City-Parish President Joey Durel, as well as the League of Women Voters, the Lafayette Parish Master Gardeners Association, Lafayette Garden Club, ULL’s SPEAK and ULL Professor Jim Foret.

“We still have some space available,” Schoeffler notes, “But those who are interested will want to enroll quickly. The workshop is already at 70 percent capacity.” To register, either call 234-4042 or email contact@treesAcadiana.org before November 7.  Registrants will be receiving a confirmation of their enrollment closer to the workshop date.

The workshop is set to take place at South Louisiana Community College (320 Devalcourt, Lafayette, LA)

Thursday, November 10, 2011, from 8:15 AM to 3:45 PM.

The workshop will include six topics of particular interest to city planners, architects, engineers, landscape artists, arborists and more. These will include:

•    Smart Growth: Tomorrow’s Vision: Plan without losing charm and ambiance.
•    Urban Sprawl and Urban Ecosystems: Balance between the built and natural environments.
•    An Affordable Means of Urban Forestry.
•    The Visual Effects of Green Laws: Ordinances as effective tools for preserving nature.
•    Successful Urban Forestry: Examples and Benefits Derived.
•    The Process of Implementing Your Project Ideas: From brainstorming through construction and maintenance.

If you or your group is interested in sponsoring the event, let us know before Monday, October 3.  Those who wish to be acknowledged in communications related to the event and our 2012 Arbor Day project, inquire here or call (337) 234-4042.

Registration deadline is Monday, November 7th.

**Sign up today. Space is Limited.

Register by email to contact@treesacadiana.org. Please include your name, phone number, email address and the number of people attending.  Electronic registrations will receive an e-mail confirmation to bring to the event for entry.

At Youngsville’s Independence Day celebration, Sarah Schoeffler, President of TreesAcadiana, announces the winner of Rodrigue’s Youngsville Heritage Oak print and the ten largest live oaks in Acadiana.

Coming full circle, TreesAcadiana returned to Youngsville to talk about trees on July 3. This time, the group came to celebrate Independence Day with the Youngsville’s community at their festival in Sugar Mill Pond, and draw the winning ticket for Rodrigue’s Youngsville Heritage Oak print. George Rodrigue painted the notorious Youngsville tree in response to efforts to save it. Tickets have been raffled for the past six months to defray costs associated with the diverted road construction necessary to let the tree remain at the historic homestead of Dr. Young, one of Youngsville’s original settlers. The winning ticket of Gina Hanchey was pulled by Hayes, the son of festival organizer Ted Beaullieu.
Schoeffler listed the trees, beginning with the tenth largest, based on their circumference measured at four to four-and-a –half feet from the base. This method is specified for qualification into the Live Oak Society, a registry founded in 1934 by Dr. Edwin Lewis Stephens, the first President of what is now the University of Louisiana – Lafayette. “As a result of saving the Youngsville oak, TreesAcadiana realized how special the live oaks are to our area, and we began looking for the ten largest oaks in Acadiana,” said Schoeffler. All of the largest trees are either registered with names in the Live Oak Society registry, or in the process of being registered as a result of the search. The trees were named as follows:

10.  The Hooper O’Day Oak – 25 feet 5 inches – located in the Saints area of Lafayette
9. The Rhett Butler Oak – 27 feet 2 inches – located off East Bayou Parkway in Lafayette
8. The Robert Earle Oak – 27 feet 10 inches – located in River Ranch of Lafayette
7. The Lady Suzan – 28 feet – located near Cecilia
6. The Robbins Oak – 28 feet 2 inches – located off East Bayou Parkway in Lafayette
5. Pete Broussard Oak – 28 feet 6 inches – located near Cecilia
4. St. John Cathedral Oak – 28 feet 10 inches – located at St. John Cathedral in Lafayette
3. La Belle Collin Oak – 30 feet – located near Grand Coteau
2. The Blanchet Oak – 31 feet 1 inch – located in east Lafayette
1. The Friendship Oak – 31 feet 7 inches – located in Scott.

The live oaks will continually change, as some trees grow and others are impacted by storms and disease. The list identifies the ten largest live oaks identified within the eight-parish region of Acadiana, which includes Acadia, Evangeline, Lafayette, Iberia, St. Landry, St. Martin and St. Mary Parishes. Schoeffler acknowledged, “We hope that others who see the list will say to themselves, ‘I have a live oak that is as large or larger than these’ and share information about it with TreesAcadiana on the internet.“
If your oak exceeds the size of the trees listed as defined by the criteria of the Live Oak Society, please contact TreesAcadiana at P.O. Box 51467, Lafayette 70505 or by a message on the group’s website at www.treesacadiana.org

The two largest oaks identified by TreesAcadiana both measured over 31 feet in circumference.
The St. John Cathedral Oak was fourth on the list of ten.

TreesAcadiana has become a familiar advocate for tree preservation and participant at Lafayette’s signature festivals.

Have you been wondering about what tree to plant in your yard?  TreesAcadiana makes it their practice to provide information and potted seedlings at Lafayette’s most popular festivals.  These days, they are not hard to find.  A new 30-foot banner has become part of their signature marking presence at functions all around Acadiana, whether at volunteer tree plantings, public meetings or festival give-aways.  TreesAcadiana offered information and free trees at the Lafayette Parish Master Gardener Association’s Spring Plant Sale (including a plant swap on Saturday, April 16 from 8 AM until 1 PM, at Ira Nelson Horticulture Center), the Earth Day Festival (at Vermilionville on April 17 from 10:30 AM until 4 PM), and will also provide tree trees to be given out by the Boy Scouts at Festival International, April 28 through May 1.

TreesAcadiana hosted a strong audience interested in preserving and recognizing the value of trees to our community at its annual general meeting.  Steve A. Shurtz, President of Louisiana Urban Forestry Council, also serves as Urban Forestry and Landscape Manager for the City of Baton Rouge and East Baton Rouge Parish.  He addressed the group with many kudos and caveats regarding the care of trees in Acadiana.  He emphasized that the best way to avoid the oversight of any tree’s contribution to the infrastructure is to realize its value on the front end, in the planning stages, and have everyone onboard and thinking about this.

TreesAcadiana aims to embrace this advice and keep the momentum going.  Shurtz applauded the recent community successes, mentioning the Youngsville Oak and the Mr. Al Oak of New Iberia, which is slated for a move from its current location to allow the connection of the DOTD road project.  He shared that free software suite at itrees.com will facilitate the goals of TreesAcadiana to establish a canopy count with ease and reliability.

Shurtz shared that Governor Foster had put into place a policy whereby the state would not cut down significant trees in a right of way.  With this in mind, there exists a rational base for making this a law for public trees and encouraging tree and landscape ordinances to protect this natural part of our state’s infrastructure.  Those who might question this may be surprised to learn of the innate value to health and safety afforded to a community when trees remain in the landscape and are planted wisely.  As Sarah Schoeffler has noted many times, a new tree will take a long time to be the size of one that is 250 years old and that we will never see the trees that we plant, today, reach its heights in character and capacity to protect like the trees that are currently standing.

Along with that, TreesAcadiana has noted that disregard led to the decimation of the giant cypress trees that once existed in Louisiana.  Shurtz shared that in 1939, the bald cypress was chosen as the state tree “about the time when the giant cypresses were hitting the water for the last time.”  TreesAcadiana has been considering this peril and does not want the same fate for the live oak.  George Rodrigue, at the unveiling of his painting of the Youngsville Heritage Oak” told of recognizing their beauty as soon as he returned to Louisiana from California and spent three years painting nothing but the oak trees.  Since Louisiana is one of the best places for live oak and the value they offer us in fortification of our coastline and the habitat they provide to the vast number of songbirds from the Yucatan exhausted from their long migration, there is reason to resonate the importance of this tree for future generations.

The Urban Forestry Council members carry a card worth noting.  It reads, “During a hurricane, the right trees in the right places may be your best friends.”  Shurtz warned, when asked, that every year, especially when hurricane season is near, people are told they are in danger because of their trees by tree cutters who may be misguiding.  Shurtz warned, “Be very careful.  Make sure to have a licensed arborist who is trained and skilled to check your trees and do the work that is needed.”   If you have someone without liability insurance and they drop a branch or tree on your neighbor’s home, or if they have an accident or die in the process, you are liable.”

TreesAcadiana says that many trees targeted by these door-knockers are cut down prematurely.  The group echoes Shurtz’s message “Look up,” and get to know your arborist.   Be proactive to save our trees, to put emphasis in the planning stages to save trees.  Science has proven their ecologic benefit.  Data also supports the need of trees for mental stability and peace of mind, and here, in Louisiana, trees are a part of our culture.  Songs like “Under the Green Oak Tree” by living legend D.L. Menard substantiate this.

The Louisiana Urban Forestry Council offers workshops such as “Building Green Cities” and a host of valuable information on their website, including assistance and information related to hurricane preparation at www.louisianaurbanforestry .org or call 985-686-9391.

TreesAcadiana continues to collect candidates for Acadiana’s Ten Largest Live Oaks throughout the year.  Citizens are encouraged to keep their eyes open within the eight-parish region defined eight-parish as Lafayette, Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, and Vermilion for candidates and to submit these to the organization.  TreesAcadiana also continues its support of the Youngsville Heritage Oak project whereby a landmark live oak was saved from destruction.  At the meeting, TreesAcadiana commended Ginger Rabalais for offering an alternative route around the tree.  Thanks also went to the anonymous contributor of a $200,000 loan to TreesAcadiana for funds required by Youngsville City Council to fund the associated cost of the plan modification and any contingent costs.  TreesAcadiana is selling raffle tickets for one of George Rodrigue’s Youngsville Oak prints for $2 each to help pay back the loan.  More information about TreesAcadiana, check the group’s website:  www.treesacadiana.org.

T-Coon’s with Mello Joy Coffee, Beignets
and Rendezvous with Rodrigue’s
Heritage Youngsville Oak

Saturday, March 19th, 2011

8:00 AM to 10:00 AM

T-Coon’s Restaurant
1900 West Pinhook
Lafayette

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Come, See Rodrigue’s Print to Save Our Heritage Oaks (prints available to purchase)

Plan on joining TreesAcadiana? Come to our General Meeting, March 22, 2011 – 6:00 PM at Pack and Paddle, 601 East Pinhook in Lafayette.

Arborist Steve A. Shurtz of Baton Rouge Department of City Works will present at Pack and Paddle for the TreesAcadiana 2011 General Meeting on March 22.

Steve A. Shurtz, Urban Forestry and Landscape Manager for the East Baton Rouge City-Parish Department of Public Works, will address the group as keynote speaker with his focus on Louisiana’s heritage live oaks.  Steve has twice served as president of the Society of Municipal Arborists (SMA), is a past president of the Louisiana Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), was recently elected to the Board of Trustees of the ASLA, and is currently President of the Louisiana Urban Forestry Council. He recently completed his second term as a member of the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council (NUCFAC), an advisory group to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.

One topic to be addressed is a proposal to change the state tree from the Cypress, a species which has been all but eradicated from the Louisiana landscape due to clear cutting the continuing liberties taken by mulch production.   Had the majesty of Louisiana’s cypress trees been recognized and protected earlier, the trees would compare to the giant sequoias of California.  Just as important, more visible and widely adapted to the terrain and climate of Louisiana, TreesAcadiana sees the change as a positive move to protect a tree that characterizes our hope for the future.  “The Live Oak better symbolizes the heritage of Louisiana,” said Harold Schoeffler, Sierra Club’s Acadiana Group Chairman, Scout Master and board member of TreesAcadiana.

TreesAcadiana and Guardian of the Oaks have been invited to attend the ground breaking for the roadwork to begin near the Youngsville Heritage Oak on March 14 at 1:15 PM.   The event will take place at the junction of Highways 89 and 92, where the proposed traffic circle nearly cost the City of Youngsville a historical landmark with Council’s plans to cut down the tree by the house built by one of Youngsville’s earliest settlers, Dr. Roy Young.  The Youngsville victory, as well as the unfolding chapter in the Master Plan  for the University of Louisiana- Lafayette, as well as the decision by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development to move the Mr.  Al Oak, located east of New Iberia on Highway 90 near Freyou Road, has brought increased awareness of Louisiana’s heritage trees and their importance on many levels.