Tree Rodgers Forge News

TREE RODGERS FORGE COMMITTEE:

• SEEKING VOLUNTEERS
• STATUS REPORT
• Meeting January 19, 9am @ 401 Murdock Rd.

The Tree Rodgers Forge Committee (co-chairs Ryan Cosgrove and Larry Fogelson, and members Stu Sirota and Christine Stutz) wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year. We thank all of our neighbors for their interest and participation in our fledgling (perhaps that should be “seedling”) program. We made great progress in 2012 with the Spring and Fall plantings of several dozen new trees with the support of Blue Water Baltimore, Baltimore County agencies, and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. We look forward to even greater success in 2013.

We plan to meet at 9 am on January 19 at 401 Murdock Rd. to start developing plans for a 2013 Spring planting program. We are in great need of new members, no special expertise required, and hope we will hear from a few of our neighbors to help us accelerate and expand our efforts. Please contact Larry (fogie@mindspring.com) or Ryan (rpcosgrove@gmail.com) to discuss your interests and to let us know if you would like to attend the meeting.

 

We are very excited by an opportunity offered to us by Vince Gardina, Director of the County Department of Environmental Protection and Sustainability. He proposed a pilot project that would thoroughly evaluate conditions and needs on a couple of blocks in RF followed by planting substantial new trees in the easements shared with the County. If this is to succeed, an outreach and organizing effort will be required.  We encourage interested residents to step forward to help us bring this offer to fruition. We would also welcome a volunteer who is willing to focus on community education.

 

The economic, aesthetic, and environmental value of trees to the County and to our community may be evident to members of the committee. However, we understand that many owners have concerns about trees and how they may adversely affect sidewalks, utilities, and lawns. Others, have expressed concerns such as safety, cleanup, or the work and expense involved in maintaining a healthy tree. We believe the benefits for both individual properties and to the community greatly outweigh these concerns. We hope residents will take the time to better educate themselves on these issues.

Unfortunately, the County has continued to cut down healthy mature trees in our community despite our efforts to encourage them to review their policies and practices. Baltimore County's still needs a comprehensive, progressive, and modern street tree program such as those that have been developed in many other Maryland jurisdictions, most notably in Baltimore City. There are supporters inside County government, but it would require a strong and vocal citizen's campaign for improvement from all areas of the County to make that happen.

We thank RFCA and all the residents of Rodgers Forge for their past support of our efforts and we look forward, with your support, to continuing and expanding this important work in 2013.