About Tennessee Urban Forestry Council

Board of directors

PRESIDENT

Karla Kean

VICE PRESIDENT

Josiah Lockard

TREASURER

Scott Johnson

PAST PRESIDENT

Patrick Haller

BOARD MEMBERS

Tara Armistead

Chris Armour

Tammy Buchanan

Brian Campbell

Karen Davenport

Marti Foster

Derrick Lynch

Jon Nessle

Betsy Porter

Todd Snackenberg

Lydia R. Wiggins

ONE-YEAR APPOINTMENTS

Dalia Abbas

Jim Duncan

Sonya Erickson

Justin Stefanski

Jimmy Weyant

TREE CLIMB CHAIR

Scott Winningham
Arbor Medics
c) 931-261-1967
sawinningham@tnaccess.com

ARBORETUM COORDINATOR

Douglas Airhart
Horticulture Professor
Tennessee Technological University
w) 931-372-3288
c) 931-510-4067
dairhart@tntech.edu

TUFC's state and national network

Arboretums Statewide
American Forest
American Planners Association, Tennessee Chapter
American Public Works Association, Tennessee Chapter
American Society of Landscape Architects, Tennessee Chapter
Alliance for Community Trees
Arbor Day Foundation
Cheekwood Botanical Gardens
Colleges and Community Colleges Statewide
Cumberland River Compact
Cumberland Region Tomorrow
Forest Legacy
Forever Green Tennessee
Garden Clubs of America
Green Industry Field Day
Horticultural Association of Tennessee
International Society of Arboriculture
Keep Tennessee Beautiful
Land Trust of Tennessee
Memphis Botanic Garden
Memphis Horticulture Society
Memphis State University
Middle Tennessee Nursery Association
Nashville Civic Design Center
Nashville Tree Foundation
National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council
Nine Counties, One Vision
Professional Grounds Management Association
Scenic Tennessee
Society of Municipal Arborist
Southern Chapter, International Society of Arboriculture
Southern Council Cooperative
Tennessee Conservation Voters

Tennessee Department of Agriculture
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
Tennessee Department of Transportation
Tennessee Division of Forestry
Tennessee Environmental Council
Tennessee Environmental Summit
Tennessee Federation of Garden Clubs
Tennessee Forestry Association
Tennessee Forestry Commission
Tennessee Forest Resource Assessment and Strategy
Tennessee Historical Commission
Tennessee Municipal Electric Power Association
Tennessee Nursery and Landscape Association
Tennessee Turfgrass Association
Tennessee Pollution Prevention ParTennesseeership
Tennessee Renewable Energy and Economic Development Council
Tennessee State Legislature
Tennessee State University
Tennessee Valley Public Power Association
Tennessee Women in Green
Tennessee Municipal Technical Assistance Service
Tennessee Municipal League
Tree Boards – Statewide
Trees Nashville Chapter of TUFC
Trees Nashville Coalition
TSU Extension
United States Congress
University of Tennessee
Urban Land Institute
US Green Builders Council
UT Gardens
UT Extension
West Tennessee Chapter of TUFC

The Tennessee Urban Forestry Council suffered a setback in 2011 when the organization lost it’s executive director. In spite of this setback, the council continued to work toward meeting its educational mission by accomplishing 3 objectives.

Notable Trees Display. This photographic display continues to be popular across the state. This exhibit consists of large, poster size pictures of some of Tennessee’s Champion trees and the Landmark and Historic trees. The display’s purpose is to help raise awareness of the importance of trees and the benefits they provide. The display was shown at the Oak Ridge Science and Energy Museum, Woodland Tree Service in Memphis, and the City of Lakeland.

State Urban Forestry Conference and State Arborist Tree Climb Competition. The conference was held in Nashville September 29 & 30, 2011. Attendance was approximately 115 and consisted of tree care professionals, tree board members, and professional city foresters, horticulturists, landscape architects and related professionals. Presentations included insect and disease topics, the science of arboriculture and other educational topics that helped keep attendees abreast of current information in the field. The tree climb was a competition, but within the competition were educational elements of safety in working in trees.

Arboreta Recognitions. The Council continues to support the recognition of sites that qualify for arboretum status according to the standards set by the Council. Sites include school grounds and college grounds, museum grounds, parks, cemeteries, and commercial and industrial grounds. Sites must be open to the public so that individuals may view labeled trees and learn how to identify them. Currently, 66 sites are recognized. The council contracted to administer the program to catch up on re-certification of sites, and also updated the recognition sign.

Other activities include our continuing electronic newsletter which goes out to both members and a larger audience of individuals interested in urban forestry, and our Landmark and Historic tree register that records information about trees that may have been landmarks or wiTennesseeessed historical events.

The following are the significant accomplishments of the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council for 2010.

Held an annual urban forestry conference to help educate attendees about trees, tree care, and urban forestry. Attendance was approximately 125 individuals.

The Council also sponsored the State Tree Climbing championship for the State’s arborist to compete. Approximately 15 climbers competed.

Two trees were added to the Council’s Landmark and Historic Tree register, bringing the total to 27.

The Council sponsored its Awards of Excellence, giving nine awards to individuals and organizations who have helped improve the urban forests of Tennessee

Secured a grant from Athens Distributing which in turn planted 17 trees at several locations across Nashville.

Provided assistance to the Tennessee Environmental Council in developing and hosting the Tennessee Sustainable summit

Continued the Arboreta certification program, certifying various sites across the State. 11 new applications were received and 7 were certified, while 4 remain pending. 4 sites that had applied in previous years were also certified, along with 2 re-certifications.

The Council held its annual planning retreat for the board

The Council held Town Hall style meetings in Jackson and Crossville.

6 presentations this year (including Master Gardeners classes) where talks were conducted (classes) on urban forestry and tree care practices.

Celebrating 20
years of serving our community trees

• Hosted 19 annual Urban Forestry Conferences bringing together diverse stakeholders
• Hosted 12 annual Tennessee Tree Climbing Championships promoting safety and professionalism in the arbor care industry
• Created two comprehensive websites: tennesseetrees.org and tennesseegrove.org
• Certified 54 arboretums, setting the standard for arboretums for public tree education
• Formed a new partnership with the state Department of Transportation to present the Tennessee Groves memorial, honorarium and environmental landscape program
• Created the traveling Notable Trees of Tennessee educational exhibit, featured in 28 locations statewide
• Hosted 35 Town Hall meetings in cities statewide to bring together city elected officials and employees and tree board members to focus on local issues
• Provided an urban forestry tie-in with the Governor's Three Star economic program