forthcoming…
The series begins June 5th and will continue throughout the month
The Delaware Tree Stewards, based under the Delaware Forest Service’s Urban and Community Program, offer a four-part training course aimed at participants living in Sussex County, Delaware. Participants will be equipped with the skills to work with neighbors, organizations, and local public bodies in their own communities to organize and lead tree planting projects, assess new potential tree planting sites, maintain existing tree canopies, and access a variety of technical and financial tools funds to support their efforts. This training will be conducted by Craig Highfield, Forestry Program Director for the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, and Heather Titanich, Community Forester for the Delaware Center for Horticulture. (Photo by Filip Stepien, creative commons/flickr.com)
DOVER, Delaware – The Delaware Tree Stewards, based as part of the Delaware Forest Service’s Urban and Community Program, are offering a four-part training course aimed at participants living in Sussex County, Delaware. Participants will be equipped with the skills to work with neighbors, organizations, and local public bodies in their own communities to organize and lead tree planting projects, assess new potential tree planting sites, maintain existing tree canopies, and access a variety of technical and financial tools funds to support their efforts. This training is conducted by Craig HighfieldAlliance for the Chesapeake Bay Forest Program Director, and Heather Titanich, Community Forester for the Delaware Center for Horticulture. The training covers topics such as:
Discussion of the anatomy and physiology of trees and their interaction with the soil. This session provides the foundation for understanding how trees grow and respond to the challenges of urban and suburban planting sites.
- Site assessment and tree selection
The right tree for the right space. This session will provide the steps to properly assess the growing conditions of a planting site, as well as tools to help you select the trees that will grow best in that site.
- Proper planting techniques
Proper tree planting and tree care are essential to a successful project. Various planting techniques are covered to meet the challenges of urban sites and the care required to establish new trees.
- Organization of community planting events
Discuss how to bring your site assessment, tree selection, planting requirements, and other logistical elements together into one comprehensive plan.
The Delaware Forest Service’s Urban and Community Forestry program offers a four-part training and certification program year-round that brings together a group of passionate volunteers from across the state dedicated to tree science, tree care techniques and project development. The dates and times of each session are as follows:
Sessions with Craig Highfield, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
- June 5 | 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m
- June 7 | 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m
- June 12 | 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m
- June 14 | 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m
All four sessions are virtual.
Register here: Allianceforthebay.org/TreeStewards
Sessions with Heather Titanich, Delaware Center for Horticulture
- June 8 | 18:00-20:00
- June 13 | 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m
- June 20 | 18:00-20:00
All three meetings will be held at the DCH Founder’s Room, 1810 N Dupont St, Wilmington DE 19806.
Register here: https://thedch.org/events/?eid=14135
Tree Stewards Volunteer Event
- June 25 | 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Banning Regional Park, 102 Middleboro Rd, Wilmington DE 19804
Kesha Braunskill, Delaware Forest Service city forestry coordinator, commented, “The Delaware Forest Service is pleased that our partners are helping to deliver such an important program to Delaware citizens who are interested in learning how to keep our community trees healthy We hope more people will be interested in becoming Certified Delaware Tree Stewards so we can continue to grow Delaware’s tree canopy.”
Launched in the fall of 2020, the Delaware Tree Stewardship program connects Delawareans to their landscape through planting and caring for trees. Delaware Tree Stewards is an excellent opportunity to connect with experts and learners. By completing the training and networking with other administrators, graduates will be able to identify opportunities and coordinate tree projects where they are needed most. Visit www.gov/treestewards Find out how you can get involved!
About the Delaware Center for Horticulture
The Delaware Center for Horticulture promotes greener communities by promoting environmental appreciation and improvement through horticulture, education, and conservation. Established in 1977, the center’s Trolley Square headquarters in Wilmington is an oasis in the city. As a DCH Community Forester, Heather Titanich is committed to maintaining a safe and equitable canopy landscape throughout Wilmington. This includes coordinating tree plantings, securing sources of funding for tree care and educating the public about the importance of trees in the built environment through leadership of DCH’s Neighborhood Tree Steward program. She has a background in public gardening, where she worked to connect people with plants and promote the diversity of native species. Heather holds a bachelor’s degree in Forest Resource and Environmental Conservation from Virginia Tech.
About the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay’s mission is to pursue innovative strategies and collaborations that improve the health of the region’s forests, create new forests in locations important to water quality, and extend the benefits of forests and resource management to private landowners and publicize decision makers and the general population of the Six State Bay watershed. Craig Highfield is Forest Program Director for the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. Craig leads the forestry team based at the Alliance’s state offices in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania. He received a BA in history and secondary education from Westminster College and moved to Maryland to teach in a public middle school. Craig has an MS in Environmental Sciences from Johns Hopkins University.
About the Delaware Forest Service
The mission of the Delaware Forest Service (DFS) of the Delaware Department of Agriculture is to conserve, protect and protect the forests of Delaware and its resources to the public through education, management, demonstration, advertising, and the provision of technical services in a timely and efficient manner to improve. DFS offers a wide range of services to help Delawareans manage and improve their forest resources. These services are divided into three categories: conservation, protection and education. Visit the website for more information Agriculture.delaware.gov/forest-service/ and connect with DFS on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
—Sophia Curran, Delaware Forest Service
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