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Fall Issue 2024 Vol. 11, No. 4
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Lillich Lectures
Please join us for this fall’s Lillich Lecture on Thursday, November 7, 2024, at the John R. Dennis Wellness Center. Registration starts at 9:30 a.m. There will be a welcome, two lectures, question time, refreshments, and closing remarks. The program will run from 10:00 a.m. to noon.
Cliff Sadof, our first speaker, will discuss new approaches for managing pests that threaten the health of urban forests. Cliff is a West Lafayette Tree Friend and Professor Emeritus in the Purdue Entomology Department and a Pest Management Specialist.
Bill DeBoer, our second speaker, will explore how native trees can be used to create a more ecologically balanced urban landscape. Bill is the production manager and grower for the native tree nursery, Woody Warehouse, in Lizton, IN.
Seating is limited, and reservations are currently being accepted online. Registrations will be accepted at the door for cash or check on the day of the lectures, but only if space is available. There is a $10 registration fee for the general public and a $20 fee for Arborists and Certified Pesticide Applicators seeking continuing education credits. This series has been approved for 2 Arborist CEUs and 2 CCHs for Category 2, 3a and RT license holders.
The lecture series is named in honor of Helen Lillich, the founder of the West Lafayette Tree Friends.
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What it Means for Our Urban Landscape
The latest USDA Plant Hardiness Zone map (November 2023) shows that Indiana has been getting warmer. When this occurs above the ground, it can kill flower and leaf buds, as it did to the star magnolia. Based on the last 30 years of weather data, the yearly average coldest temperature is 5 degrees warmer than when the last map was released in 2012. This could be good news for gardeners yearning for plants like azaleas and crape myrtles that thrive in warmer temperatures. However, cold hardy varieties of these species are likely to do better. Warmer zones do not guarantee that plants will be protected. Plants respond to actual temperatures, not averages.
Cold temperatures kill plant parts when ice crystals form and burst plant tissues. When this occurs above the ground, it can kill flower and leaf buds. When these temperatures occur below the ground, it can freeze roots and kill plants. Fortunately, most plants can make their own antifreeze that prevents formation of damaging ice as the days get shorter and temperatures gradually cool.
Rapid changes from balmy to blustery temperatures can leave fragile plant parts unprotected. Unfortunately, the polar vortices that cause intermittent cold snaps and warm periods have become more common and more likely to result in winter injury to above ground plant parts. Although soil can insulate roots from rapid temperature shifts, an extended deep freeze can harm roots.
Protect marginally hardy plants by:
- Planting where they are protected from temperature extremes caused by late afternoon sun and cold winter nights.
- Watering in the fall to keep them healthy and ready to produce antifreeze.
- NOT fertilizing plants after July 30 to prevent new growth that needs more time to harden off for winter.
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Thanks to your generosity, our cityscape is adorned with thriving trees that provide shade, enhance air quality, and contribute to the overall well-being of our community. Your support has enabled us to organize tree-planting events, conduct educational lectures, prune and water trees, and implement innovative programs aimed at fostering a deeper connection between our residents and the environment.
THANK YOU!
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Tree Friends Were Busy in the Summer
Thank you to everyone for coming to see us at our various outings around town!
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West Lafayette Tree Friends Tribute Trees
To Honor and Remember
My father introduced me to nature through hikes, camping, and birding. He especially loved digging in the dirt and planted an extensive vegetable garden each year. Bags of vegetables with recipe cards were left in department offices, allowing countless Purdue students to enjoy the bounty of his garden. When Dad died in 2014, it seemed only appropriate to honor his memory with a living tree. My sister arranged to purchase a Tribute Tree.
Ten years after its planting, Dad’s tree is thriving near the New Chauncey house that he lived in. His flowering tribute tree provides pollen for insects, beauty, and shade, for the community he loved.
What is the Tribute Tree Program? The WL Tree Friends’ Tribute Tree program allows people to provide a lasting gift to the community. The 70 tribute trees currently growing in West Lafayette represent the lives, celebrations, and events that we all share.
Tribute trees have been planted for:
- Retirements and Accomplishments
- Births and Anniversaries
- Honoring an Individual and Celebrating a Friendship
- Remembering a Loved One
How Does it Work? Participants in the program are asked to donate $400 to cover the cost of the tree, site selection, tree selection, and planting.
Tribute Trees must be planted on public property. A commemorative inscription will be engraved on a plaque that is attached to the tree.
All tribute trees are maintained and cared for by the WL Tree Friends.
Get involved! Contact the Tribute Tree coordinator at tribtreecoor@wltreefriends.org for more information.
Lise Schools
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Upcoming Events
General Meetings of the West Lafayette Tree Friends.
These meetings are open to everyone! We gather at noon on the second Tuesday of each month in the Bean Room at the West Lafayette City Hall. Meetings are listed on the City of West Lafayette website (LINK) and can be accessed virtually. Please join us!
Tuesday, November 12 Tuesday, December 10 Tuesday, January 14, 2025
Lillich Lectures
Please join us Thursday November 7, 2024, at the John R. Dennis Wellness Center.
For detailed information, please see the first article in this newsletter.
Pruning
Fall pruning continues on Friday mornings from 9:00 to 11:00 through November 8. There are many kinds of tasks involved, and on-the-spot training is provided, along with the necessary tools. To see our pruning schedule and for more information about the pruning program, click here.
Annual Fund Drive
Our annual Fund Drive to support our urban forest will begin in late October or early November. Please keep your eyes open for more information on how to contribute.
Follow WLTF on Facebook and Instagram!
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