Posters and Proclamation - Arbor Week 2016

It's Alabama Arbor Week! 

Sign up for Wednesday's Arbor Week Tree Seminar at City Hall Hall - 5:15 p.m. 

View Pictures from City Council Meeting - Feb 22, 2016

City of Madison students with winning posters of the annual Alabama Arbor Week Poster Contest were recognized at the Monday, February 22nd  Madison City Council Meeting.   Mayor Troy Trulock read the Arbor Week proclamation and presented it to Madison Beautification and Tree Board President, Karen Lawler.

This year's contest was led by Beautification and Tree Board member Marsha Harris.  Harris and Mayor Trulock presented the certificates and prize awards to each of the winners from the four participating elementary schools located in the City of Madison.  The fifth grade teachers who led the in-class room Arbor Week learning materials were also on hand for the ceremony.

Following the presentations, Mayor Trulock and the students stepped outside the chamber to pose for photos with the posters, students and teachers.

The MBTB thanks all students and teachers who participated in this year's poster contest. The contest serves to raise awareness about the importance of trees in our communities.  The first place posters were sent to Anniston, Alabama to compete in the state wide contest.  No winner has been announced publicly.  The MBTB makes the poster contest materials available to all elementary schools in the City of Madison. Participation is voluntary. Parents interested in having their 5th graders participate next year should contact their school's principal.   Interested educators may contact the Madison Beautification and Tree Board next fall.  Email the board at keepmadisonbeautiful@gmail.com

Arbor Week Poster Winners Take City Hall

Local fifth-grade participants in the annual statewide Arbor Week Poster contest will be presented with certificates and prizes at Madison City Hall at the start of the Monday, February 22nd City Council meeting which begins at 6:00 p.m.  The event is part of Alabama's annual Arbor Week observances.

Madison Beautification and Tree Board member Marsha Harris coordinated the contest and will be presenting, along with Mayor Troy Trulock and other members of the Madison Beautification and Tree Board, the top four posters from each of the four City of Madison elementary schools participating this year.   Winning student entries have been notified.  First place posters from around the state are sent to Aniston, Alabama for consideration at the state level. This year's winners have not yet been announced.

"Can I get a drum roll, please?"  

Here are the top finishers in this year's City of Madison contest.  Congratulations to the students and their teachers for supporting this program.

Columbia Elementary - Poster by Jenna Velez

Columbia Elementary

First Place - Jenna Velez
Second Place  - Mikel Booth
Third Place - Courtney Lin
Honorable Mention  - Mollie Prang

Heritage Elementary -  Poster by Sachi Ranachandran

Heritage Elementary

First Place - Sachi M Ranachandran
Second Place  - Ava Penland
Third Place -  Ella Thomas
Honorable Mention -  Giavanni Fuller

Madison Elementary - Poster by Luke Mitchell

Madison Elementary

First Place -  Luke Mitchell
Second Place  - Emma Kate Lindsey
Third Place  - Madison Thornton
Honorable Mention  - Jayla Evans

St. John Catholic School-Poster by Audrey Groger

St John Catholic School

First Place Audrey Groger
Second Place Ella Stott

Third Place Claire Persaud
Honorable Mention Evelyn Detwiler

The Alabama Arbor Day Poster Contest originated in 1997 and is organized by David West,
County Extension Coordinator, Calhoun County through the Alabama Cooperative Extension System office in Anniston, Alabama.  Information about the Alabama Arbor Day Poster Contest is available online at www.aces.edu.  The contest includes guided classroom activities to foster appreciation and education on the importance of trees in our community and the environment. This year the poster's theme was "Trees are Terrific….Inside and Out!!”    View past winners of the state winners here.

Biographies of Arbor Week Seminar Presenters

Get to know our Feb 24th Arbor Week Seminar Presenters

Dr. Douglas Aitken

Dr. Douglas Airhart

Douglas teaches horticultural production and management courses in the School of Agriculture at Tennessee Tech University, in Cookeville. He is a Certified Arborist and Municipal Specialist with theISA, and developed the Coorts Memorial Arboretum at TTU. He is active with the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council, and previously coordinated the state arboretum certification program. He was a Charter Member of the Cookeville Tree Board, and is a Current Member. He has numerous articles on consumer horticulture and tree care technologies, and has coordinated many grant projects about
tree care and maintenance. He invites you to visit his website at www.tlcfortrees.info.

Marc Byers (no photo available)

Marc is a Huntsville native and the 5th generation in the nursery and tree business. He grew up in the wholesale part of a family business, Byers Nursery, where he spent 23 years growing and selling nursery stock. He closed the nursery and became the Supervisor of Forestry and Horticulture for the City of Huntsville in 2007. 

As Forestry/Hort Supervisor he is responsible for all trees, shrubs, and annuals on City property, as well as all trees on Rights-of-Way throughout Huntsville.

Marc has served on the board of the Land Trust of Huntsville and North Alabama and the American Red Cross. He is currently active in the Kiwanis Club of Huntsville.

Joe McPhail

1989 Graduate of The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. B.S. Resource Management, Minor in Environmental Law Enforcement. 

Joe is a certified arborist with ISA for 19 years with a Utility Specialist certification for the past 11 years, also have (traq, tree risk assessment qualification) thru the ISA. Works for City of Florence Electricity Dept. He is in  his 17th year as Title of Line Clearance Supervisor.

Arbor Week Observances and Activities Announced

ARBOR WEEK POSTER CONTEST WINNERS TAKE CITY HALL

On Tuesday, February 23, the winners of the annual Arbor Week 5th Grade Poster Contest will be presented at City Hall and receive their certificates and prizes.

PLANT A TREE WITH MAYOR TROY TRULOCK

February 24th
Madison City Hall Lawn at NOON
Members of the Madison Beautification and Tree Boad will plant additional trees until approximately 3:00.  Members of the public welcome to volunteer and assist.

FREE ARBOR WEEK TREE SEMINAR

Madison City Hall
100 Hughes Road, Madison, AL 35758

Wednesday, February 24th From  5:15 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Attend one or all of the sessions as your time permits.

Free Refreshments
Sign Up Online Greatly Appreciated!

SEMINAR AGENDA: THREE GREAT WORKSHOPS!

5:15 - 5:30   Welcome Remarks

Mind your P’s & Q’s of Tree Care

5:30 - 6:30   Dr. Airhart - Mind Your P's and Q's of Tree Care: Maintenance, Pruning & Disease Control
6:30 - 7:00   Snack break (refreshments provided)

Right Tree, Right Place

7:00 - 7:50   Marc Byers - Right Tree Right Place:
          Site and Species Selection for Home Landscapes
    7:50 - 8:00   Break

Tree Safety (updated 2/15) 

8:00 - 8:45  (Joe McPhail) Tree Work Safety

8:45 - 9:00  Closing Remarks

AN INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF ARBORICULTURE CEU ELIGIBLE EVENT

ISA is the International Society of Arboriculture  | www.isasouthern.org

First Session (Tree Planting at Madison City Hall)
Certified Arborist: 3 Utility Specialist: 0 Municipal Specialist: 3
BCMA - Science: 0 BCMA - Practice: 3 BCMA - Management: 0
TW Climber Specialist: 3 TW Aerial Lift Specialist: 0

Second Session (The Arbor Week Seminar)
Certified Arborist: 2.5 Utility Specialist: 0.75 Municipal Specialist: 2.5
BCMA - Science: 0 BCMA - Practice: 0.75 BCMA - Management: 1.75
TW Climber Specialist: 0.75 TW Aerial Lift Specialist: 0