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<DIV><SPAN class=101452418-18022009><FONT face=Arial size=2>ODF Private Forests
News members:</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=101452418-18022009><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=101452418-18022009><FONT face=Arial size=2>ODF's Urban and
Community Forests program would like to remind you the Great Oregon Tree Plant
is underway. Additional information is contained in this Oregon Department of
Forestry news release.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=101452418-18022009><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=101452418-18022009><FONT face=Arial size=2>Kevin
Weeks</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=101452418-18022009><FONT face=Arial size=2>ODF Private Forests
Division</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=101452418-18022009><FONT face=Arial size=2>(503)
945-7427</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=101452418-18022009><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=101452418-18022009><FONT face=Arial
size=2>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=101452418-18022009><FONT face=Arial
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=101452418-18022009>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><SPAN
class=101452418-18022009><FONT face=Arial size=2>Oregon Department of
Forestry</FONT></SPAN></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">February 10, 2009 <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Contact: Paul D. Ries
503.945.7391<SPAN class=101452418-18022009> </SPAN>and Cynthia Orlando
503.945.7421<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Governor Kulongoski to help
kickoff <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State
w:st="on">Oregon</st1:State></st1:place> tree plantings<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Gov. Ted Kulongoski and First
Lady Mary Oberst will plant the ceremonial first tree of the "Great Oregon Tree
Plant" this Saturday, Feb. 14, during <st1:State w:st="on">Oregon</st1:State>’s
Sesquicentennial observance at the State Capitol in <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Salem</st1:City></st1:place>. <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Under the banner of "The Great
Oregon Tree Plant," which honors <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Oregon</st1:place></st1:State>’s 150th birthday, the Oregon Department
of Forestry (ODF) is coordinating 150 tree-planting events all across the state,
beginning on Statehood Day, Feb. 14, and ending in April, when National Arbor
Day is celebrated.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">"Planting trees is part of
<st1:State w:st="on">Oregon</st1:State>’s legacy," says ODF Urban Forester Paul
Ries, "but this spring<st1:PersonName w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName>s tree
planting events are extra special because so many events are planned to honor
<st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Oregon</st1:place></st1:State><st1:PersonName
w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName>s anniversary of statehood." <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Between now and late April, some
150 tree plantings are anticipated to take place all across Oregon, in small
cities like Durham (population 1,395) and Echo (population 710), and larger
cities like Eugene, as well as Portland, where at least a dozen events are
planned thus far. <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Many events are also slated for
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Oregon</st1:State></st1:place>’s Arbor
Week, the first full week of April.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Also on hand for the tree
planting this Saturday will be Jack McGowan, executive director of SOLV, a
statewide non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the livability of
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Oregon</st1:State></st1:place> through
volunteerism, and Oregon State Forester Marvin Brown. Saturday<st1:PersonName
w:st="on">'</st1:PersonName>s tree planting event at the <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Oregon</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Capitol</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">State
Park</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> takes place at 11:15 a.m. on the Capitol Mall
lawn adjacent to the State Library.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Planning a tree
planting?<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">ODF is still accepting
nominations of tree-planting events to include in The Great Oregon Tree Plant in
honor of <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Oregon</st1:place></st1:State>’s Sesquicentennial. Tree plantings can
be urban or rural, and involve landscape trees or native seedlings.
<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">If you have a tree planting event
scheduled that you would like to be part of the Great Oregon Tree Plant, ODF
would like to hear from you. The tree planting should take place between
Statehood Day Feb. 14 and National Arbor Day, April 24. The Board of Forestry
will be meeting in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Grants
Pass</st1:place></st1:City> in late April, and will officially wrap up the Great
Oregon Tree Plant. <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">For each tree planting event, ODF
will provide a commemorative plaque that can be placed in the ground nearby,
explaining that the planting was part of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State
w:st="on">Oregon</st1:State></st1:place>’s 150th anniversary
celebration..<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">For more information on the Great
Oregon Tree Plant, contact Paul Ries at pries@odf.state.or.us or 503-945-7391.
<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">To nominate a local tree planting
event as part of the Great Oregon Tree Plant, contact Justin McMinds at
justin.l.mcminds@state.or.us or 503-931-0315.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><o:p> </o:p></P>
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