The best selection of trees are still available for purchase at the MOSAIC Community Garden! Prices range from $20-$40. Garden committee members are available to assist you with the purchase of your tree by appointment all weekend long! A beautiful, locally-grown tree it right at your fingertips! Please take advantage of this great offer. Contact Laura Washington at (484) 300-2410 to arrange an appointment or to find out more!
Tag Archives: Tree
MOSAIC CLT’s Community Gardens Is Holding A Christmas Tree Sale!
Christmas Tree (1) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Please come and purchase your Christmas Tree in support of MOSAIC Community Land Trust Saturday and Sunday, December 7-8 2:00 PM-7:00 PM at the Community Garden at 423 Chestnut Street
We are offering a $5.00 discount for all orders placed prior to our tree sale. Please use the attached order form to purchase your tree by Friday, November 29.
If you cannot complete the form online, please email your selection to Laura Washington at wash5000@msn.com with your payment information and we will reserve your tree!
Or join us at the garden and purchase your tree! We will be at the garden December 7th and 8th from 2 to 7 PM, singing carols, sipping hot cocoa, and getting into the holiday spirit, so please stop by!
Hope to see you December 7th and 8th at the Garden! Thank you for your ongoing support of Community Gardens in our neighborhoods! Happy Holidays everyone!
Pottstown Poised To Loosen Tree Rules
Location of Pottstown in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Editor’s note: What’s that I hear? Is it the sound of wailing coming from the 200 block of Chestnut Street? To say the tree ordinance was “a little bit extreme” is the understatement of the decade.
POTTSTOWN — Borough council is expected to vote Monday on a proposal to lessen the requirements for plantingtrees when a property is developed or re-developed.
Specifically, the vote would authorize Borough Solicitor Charles D. Garner Jr. to advertise an amendment to the borough’s sub-division and land development ordinance, known as a SLDO, and would apply to “open space trees” and to “parking lot trees.”
“This is the result of an ongoing theme at the planning commission,” Garner told council during the Wednesday work session.
“We were calculating a large number of trees and then granting waivers and it was becoming problematic,” he said.
Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130906/NEWS01/130909576/pottstown-poised-to-loosen-tree-rules
Saving The Nation’s Green Giants: Tall, Lush Trees
Walking under his giant white oak tree on his Washington County farm, Paul Karpan appears calm, even meditative, with spirits high. In his 90 years, he’s spent many inspired hours with the green monster.
“This is a landmark on this farm — something you can kind of be proud of,” he said.
The mighty oak, which likely took root in the nation’s earliest decades, provided shade for his beef cows, a site for picnics and a target for a few bolts of lightning, all while serving as an environmental steward of his 51-year-old Blaine Township farm. Hug this tree and your arms barely bend.
Mr. Karpan keeps an eye on the old oak to assure it’s still standing because he knows that “every big tree has to die off.”
Restoring Some Shade To Shillington
Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Editor’s note: Sounds like the good folks in Shillington did some research when selecting their curbside trees and chose appropriate trees with the help of a professional arborist, who is also a tree committee member. Imagine that, Tom.
Despite sunshine and other signs of spring this week, residents of northern Shillington may have found themselves spending a little more time in the shade than usual.
That’s because the borough road crew planted 34 curbside trees on willing residents’ properties as part of an effort by the Shillington’s Tree Advisory Committee. Volunteers will plant eight more trees today.
A state grant and some borough funds paid for the trees. This is the committee’s second round of planting since it formed about 11/2 years ago. The group planted 45 new trees in Shillington Park in October.
The committee now is focusing on different sections of the borough for each round of new trees it’s able to buy. Committee members go door to door to find homeowners willing to accept the trees.
Wyomissing To Replace Red Oak Trees
Editor’s note: Now this is a well thought out street tree philosophy. Imagine the idea that trees have a “life-cycle” and need to be replaced at a certain point. Wyomissing also employs two certified arborists to maintain their trees!
Driving through Wyomissing, one immediately notices the tall, sturdy trees that line the streets, providing shade and suburban character.
But Jim Babb, borough public works and property manager, wants to make it clear that some of these octogenarian red oak trees are nearing the end of their long lives.
Soon, they will have to be replaced by baby red oaks that will take decades to reach the height attained by the current trees.
Tree Pollen Found In Pittsburgh Air In February, Earliest Ever Recorded
Image via Wikipedia
The pollen counter on the roof of Allegheny General Hospital detected tree pollen in the air Thursday, the first time it’s been recorded there in February.
That’s the harbinger of an early season for spring allergy sufferers and the result of a warmer-than-normal winter, said AGH allergist David Skoner.
“Moderate counts of tree [pollen] already!!! Wow!,” Dr. Skoner, director of AGH’s Division of Allergies, Asthma and Immunology, wrote in an email after the pollen count was measured by division research associate Asha Patel.
Tree pollen counts usually start in early April, peak in late April and early May and disappear by Memorial Day.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/12056/1212557-114.stm#ixzz1nQ4er7Nc
Upper St. Clair Couple Create A Christmas Wonderland
Image via Wikipedia
“Everybody comes in and says that they just can’t believe it,” she said proudly.
The trees are a beautiful sight to behold. Every room has a tree that befits the traditional decor of their home. In the entry hall, a spiral topiary-style tree is festooned with red and gold tapestry ribbon, glazed fruit and more. Packaged gifts in red paper and gold foil ribbon surround a classic Santa who is busily checking his pocket watch for the countdown to the big day. Lush swags of dried fruit and ribbon adorn the staircase.
Mrs. Wilson explained that each tree offers a hint of what’s to come in the next room. On her carefully planned tour, the next stop is the family room, whose tree has a woodland theme. Burgundy poinsettias, mini-birdhouses, charming birds, bird nests and tapestry ribbon fill the branches. The creche takes center stage beneath the boughs and an old-fashioned sleigh sits close by, filled with presents. A grand oak mantel is swagged with more ribbon, pine cones and stockings while the fireplace burns brightly within. Even the artwork on the wall is changed out, with holiday scenes of sleighs and Santas.
Read the full article: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11351/1197459-30-0.stm#ixzz1gr0nEICm
Curb Tree Damage Around Pottstown After Weekend Snow
Free lance photographer and occasional Roy’s Rants contributor Jody Rhoads snapped a few pictures around town showing curb tree damage after Saturday’s freak October snow storm. I suppose a certain Citizen For Responsible Government, aka the PAC man, on Chestnut Street is mourning the loss of some of his precious babies.
Pottstown’s $86,602.64 Question
With the recent abolition of the Shade Tree Commission, a lingering question remains. What should be done with the $80,000+ remaining in the Trees Inc. checkbook? There was some debate in council about this money and it was mentioned that since the borough made donations for several years, that money should be returned if it was not spent. The problem is that taxpayer money was commingled with other funds and Mr. Hylton has not provided an itemized list of how the taxpayer’s money was spent.
Council would like to use some or all the remaining money to set up a tree fund. It would seem right that this money be turned over to the borough now that the Shade Tree Commission is no more and the borough will be responsible for tree maintenance in Pottstown going forward. What exactly does Trees Inc. need this money for now? Trees Inc. and the Shade Tree Commission seem, to many people, to be the same entity. For example, by clicking on the Shade Tree Commission link on the borough website, one is redirected to the Trees Inc. website. Mr. Hylton was in charge of both entities, simultaneously.
Trees Inc. received $104,970 from Pottstown Borough between 2003 and 2007, according to what is published on their website. Yet looking at a screen print from the Trees Inc. website there was a paragraph that stated beginning in 2001 the borough began contributing about $21,000 annually. Another curiosity is that under Financial Info there appears to be no record of any contributions between 1988 and 2003? I must admit to being rather mystified that either no records were kept or no fundraising was done to keep adequate reserves for the maintenance of over 2500 trees for more than a decade!
Councilor Rhoads sent emails to former Shade Tree Commission Chairman Thomas Hylton requesting copies of all the original donations to Trees Inc. showing specifically what the money was used for, per contributor. This information would pinpoint what taxpayer money was or was not used for. Councilor Rhoads also requested a copy of the Trees Inc. budgets for 2001 and 2002 regarding the above mentioned paragraph stating Trees Inc. received contributions beginning in 2001 from the borough. Mr. Hylton has never responded to Councilor Rhoads’ request for this information. Also, the paragraph mentioning borough contributions starting in 2001 was removed from the Trees Inc. website.
The Trees Inc. website claims that “Pottstown has among the best maintained street trees in Pennsylvania at no cost to the taxpayer.” Since public funds were contributed this appears to be an inaccurate statement. Having sat through the last several Shade Tree Commission meetings, I can attest to the fact that taxpayers were treated very poorly when they approached the Shade Tree Commission for financial help with shade tree problems. Taxpayers were repeatedly told there was no money to aid them with tree problems. This cavalier attitude left homeowners to make choices like paying their property taxes or having a problem tree removed. I would say there was certainly a “cost” to the taxpayer. Trees Inc. had money available but refused to help residents claiming if we help you we will have to help everyone and then all the money will be gone. Did it ever occur to anyone to raise more money??? Fundraising should have been a continuous process thereby ensuring adequate money was available to maintain thousands of street trees. Again, what went on between 1988 and 2003???
Like the Shade Tree Commission, it would seem there is no longer a need for Trees Inc. Taxpayer money was given to Trees Inc. so unless Mr. Hylton can produce an itemized list showing specifically what the $104,970 was used for, he should give the remaining Trees Inc. money back to the people of Pottstown for the establishment of a tree fund. We are a financially challenged community, so do the right thing Mr. Hylton.
Roy's Rants - For Your Information 