Tree Board Identifies Education, Social Media as Areas to Pursue

MOSCOW – Education via social media, regular online newsletters, workshops and school presentations were directions and projects generally agreed upon for the next year or two by the Moscow Tree Commission at its regular meeting Tuesday.

“We have so much knowledge and expertise on this commission to share with the community,” noted Chair Ellis Eifert, adding that the board would continue the discussion and planning at future meetings.

David Schott, city parks and facilities manager and staff liaison to the commission, asked the group to use Tree City USA Growth Award categories as a guide, “not to pursue awards, but to help us consider our direction.”

The commission agreed that some of the award categories are the kinds of big-picture things that city staff might do – such as a city tree inventory and replacement program. But the education categories were more within commission scope.

Developing and making presentations in the Moscow School District, perhaps to fifth-graders for example, about trees, pollinators or other topics was one idea mentioned. 

In the aftermath of windstorms that toppled trees and broke limbs across town, a workshop on what to plant that isn’t shallow-rooted or brittle might be helpful, said Commissioner Mary Jo Hamilton. Commissioner Pam Brunsfeld, who is completing a book about native shrubs to attract pollinators, offered to do workshops on that topic. 

A theme of “trees for the future” was suggested by new Commissioner Gina Taruscio in light of climate, weather and water table changes that make plants that once thrived in Moscow perhaps not the best choices going forward. 

Quarterly or twice-yearly newsletters containing planting guides and other helpful information could be disseminated via social media in order to reach more readers, Schott said. If those could be presented in a two- or three-minute video, they would draw even more attention, added Evan Holmes, City Council liaison to the commission.

Hamilton floated the idea of soliciting videos from the community, and perhaps hosting an exhibit of the best. 

Brunsfeld also reported that the seedling giveaways at the April Earth Day ceremony and the May Farmers Market table were busy, with all seedlings gone within the first couple of hours. Recipients were limited to one seedling, she said, and more people seemed interested in the shrubs than the trees. 

The next regular meeting of the Moscow Tree Commission will be July 7.