THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 5, 1995 TAG: 9503030190
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 08 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
The Chesapeake Division of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, the Chesapeake Environmental Improvement Council and the Virginia Dare Soil and Water Conservation District will conduct a conference next week to discuss ways to preserve trees.
``Building Among the Trees in Hampton Roads'' will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday at the Holiday Inn-Chesapeake, 725 Woodlake Drive.
Gail Bradshaw, coordinator of special programs for the Environmental Improvement Council, said the conference will demonstrate that economic development and city beautification can go hand in hand.
``We want to inform people about the economic benefits of trees in the city,'' she said.
The conference will be financed by grants from the Virginia Department of Forestry's Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Program, according to Julie Bright, manager of the soil and water conservation district.
``We held one of these conferences in 1988,'' Bright said. ``Since the area has undergone many changes since then we thought it was time to bring it back.
``Now, it's time to really delve into how to implement these methods at the local level. We're now hoping to give those who attend more practical methods to preserve trees on building sites, give tips and ways to preserve them and offer success stories and ways areas can increase profits by preserving trees.''
Bright said a good way to implement these ideas is by listening to experts.
She said the conference will feature Don Zimar, principal forester with the Herndon-based private consulting firm, The Care of Trees; James Urban, a landscape architect with Urban & Associates, a site development private consulting firm out of Annapolis, Md.; and Bonnie Appleton of the Agriculture Extension Service.
``They're all tops in their field,'' Bright said.
Zimar will discuss ``Design, Utility, Infrastructure and Site Development''; Urban will talk about ``Challenges In Tree Preservation: Are We Saving the Right Trees?''; and Appleton will address ``The Latest Research: Tree Production, Planting & Maintenance.''
The keynote speaker will the Don Willeke, a Minneapolis-based lawyer and president of American Forests, who spoke last year at the Chesapeake Environmental Improvement Council's Arbor Day Breakfast. Willeke's topic will be ``Cool Communities.'' MEMO: The registration fee of $35 includes all conference offerings, lunch and
reference materials. Tickets can be obtained through the chamber office
by calling 547-2118. For more information, call the chamber office or
the Virginia Dare District office at 427-4775.
by CNB