From flora@flora.comSun Jan 28 20:35:09 1996 Date: Sun, 28 Jan 1996 20:11:31 -0500 (EST) From: flora@flora.com, flora@flora.com Reply to: Community_Forestry_Discussion To: Community Forestry Discussion Subject: TH: 17th Annual Community Gardening Conference / Sep 96. (fwd) Hi Fellow Forestry Fanciers - Their 17th Annual ! Good golly, we haven't gotten through our 1st year yet, & I feel exhausted already. Ok, our friends over at ACGA (American Community Gardening Association), one of our premier grass- roots (vegetable-roots, wildflower-roots, tree-roots) urban ecology initiatives, whose declared objectives are very much in harmony with our own, has announced its 26-29 Sep 1996 Conference in Montreal Canada. This year's theme, which reads like we could have written it our- selves, is _Branching Out: Linking Communities Through Gardening_. Call For Presentations And Papers The American Community Gardening Association is a national non- profit membership organization of professionals, volunteers, and supporters of community gardening as a means for improving the quality of life in both urban and rural areas. Community gardening does this by providing a catalyst for neighborhood and community development, stimulating social interaction, and encouraging self- reliance. As a result, people begin beautifying their neighborhoods, producing nutritious food, reducing family budgets, and conserving resources. Gardening also creates opportunities for recreation, exercise, therapy, and education. [Prune] ... People encouraged to submit: Any individual working for a group, school, organization (like Tree-House Discussions International :-), or university concerned with community gardening, conservation, landscape design / architecture, wildlife enhancement, government leaders of environment agencies, *elders* in the community garden realm, *youth* involved with gardening, and any other people with experience in gardening and greening in their community. => Proposal Deadline: Postmarked by March 15th, 1996. (From USA) - ACGA Conference c/o (From Canada) - ACGA Conference San Francisco League Of Urban Gardeners c/o Michel Confortate Gerant 2088 Oakdale Ave. Module Des Services Regionaux S.F. Ca. / 94124 / US Region Administrative No. 2 (415) 285-7584 5319 Av. Notre-Dame-De-Grace (Fax) 285-7586 2E Etage / Montreal / H4A 1L2 / CA (514) 876-6363 / (Fax) 872-4585 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Said Call-For-Submissions doesn't seem to make any references at all to Trees or to Community Forestry. But here's a thought of mine which has never been verbalized on-list before, one that could be a powerful strategy toward sustaining Community Gardens. Plant More Trees. Of course, you knew that's what I was going to say, but consider this rationale. If a neighborhood grows trees on its abandoned lots today, that is all the more disincentive against the powers-that-be from gutting out those Gardens in the future. It can be much more effective to chain your volunteers to a 10-year-old Red Maple than to a raspberry patch. This chilling scenario, unfortunately, will be playing itself out several times in the next couple of years in New York City - in the gardens, in the courts, and in the media. And *this* brings up yet another serious question of whether or not communities should invest in heavy mechanical 'tree-spades', both for acquiring exiled, refugee trees in the 1st place, and then for transplanting them at a later time in the future. I say Yes! It is possible that a Community Tree Spade could be hired by 'discriminating gentry' for removing unloved trees - earning (us) some cash while simultaneously adopting some healthy trees. Hmmm ... -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- | R. Tryzno Ellsberry | Coming To The Web - Spring '96! The Tree-House FAQ: | Richard@Flora.Com | _Planting Native Trees Vs. Exotics: Guidelines For | Baltimore US Zone 7 | Selecting Ecological Varieties_ - Get 'Em In Folks. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-