Tree Board

Tree Board Minutes August 12th 2020 @ 2:30 pm Zoom Meeting Attendance: Wes Powell, Dottie Mann, Ron Erb, Eddie Combs and Kathrine Killebrew 1. Wes Powell had to log off due to recent flooding of an APSU area. Kathrine continued leading the meeting. 2. Dottie made a motion to approve the minutes from July. Ron seconded and the motion passed. 3. City Forester update. The Mayor has requested that we fill 15 of the empty tree wells on Riverside and N2nd with new trees as the old ones have either died or need replacing. Kathrine submitted last fall a plan of action to the Mayor and Parks & Recreation and recommended Ginkgos for that area due to the carbon monoxide levels that have killed the willow oaks that currently reside there. She is awaiting a response to go ahead and order those trees to plant this fall from Deputy Director Michelle Austin and the Mayor. 4. City Arbor Day/ Arboretum grand opening. Due to the Covid virus there has been recent problems in contacting Hazelwood school in reference to sponsoring Arbor Day. Also, in order to uphold the Executive Order passed by the State and the Mayor in reference to social distancing the tree board feels that it would be better to plant another Arboretum tree in the Liberty Park Arboretum and hold a grand opening for the Arboretum at the same time. Dottie seconded the motion and the motion was passed. A date will be made at the next Tree board meeting. 5. Citizen Forester program. Kathrine explained the new eLearn Urban Forestry website that preexists for everyone to possibly utilize to educate our Citizen Foresters due to the Covid restrictions. Everyone on the board agreed to look at the site and we would discuss it next meeting. 6. Recognition of service for Tracy Jackson our Board Member. The Mayor would like to recognize the time of service for Mr. Jackson. We will discuss at the next board meeting how and when this would take place. 7. New Board member nominations. Dottie has a couple of people in mind for replacement for Tracy Jackson. She will ask them and get back with us at the next meeting. Also suggested would be to contact Karla Kean at UT Extension as she is over the Master Gardeners to possibly find someone that would like to join the Tree board from there. Katy will send an email to Karla to ask. 8. APSU Forestry update. (Wes I tried to read your mind on this). Kathrine advised that she was contacted by TN Urban Forestry Council to view the 130 trees for Austin Peay to be a certified Arboretum. She advised that out of the 130 trees that 127 of them were ready to be certified and she would send in the paperwork to the state for certification. Next meeting: 9th, September at 2:30pm - Zoom Meeting