CONTACT: Caitlin Lenahan: Caitlin@pittsburghforest.org, 412-362-6360 Register online at: http://www.pittsburghforest.org/treetendercourse *Become a Tree Tender in 2010!* *Join over 600 Pittsburgh Residents Greening the City, One Tree at a Time* January 11, 2010--Friends of the Pittsburgh Urban Forest (Friends) announces the return of their popular Tree Tender Course, with six opportunities to participate city-wide in 2010. Friends of the Pittsburgh Urban Forest is an environmental non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the City's vitality by restoring and protecting the urban forest through tree maintenance, planting, education and advocacy. The course trains residents in basic tree biology, structure & function, and teaches the basics of tree planting, pruning, and tree care. Local tree professionals provide instruction. After completing the course, Tree Tenders work in their communities to plant, care for, and prune young trees with Friends, and can participate in upcoming workshops that cover tree identification and pruning in more detail. The course will be held in 5 different areas of the city in 2010, with the following schedule: · Wednesdays February 17, 24, & March 3 at Rothschild-Doyno Collaborative, 2847 Penn Ave, Strip District · Wednesdays March 24, 31, & April 7 at the Kingsley Association, 6435 Frankstown Ave, Larimer · Tuesdays May 11, 18, & 25 at the CitiParks Magee Senior Center, 745 Greenfield Ave, Greenfield · Thursdays September 16, 23, & 30 at the Riverview Park Activities Building, Riverview Drive, Perry North · One Day Course: Saturday June 19th, 9am-4pm, Rothschild-Doyno Collaborative, 2847 Penn Ave, The Strip District · One Day Course: Saturday July 17th, 9am-4pm, St. Mary on the Mount Church, 403 Grandview Ave, Mount Washington According to the 2005 City of Pittsburgh Street Tree Inventory, the city has approximately 30,000 street trees, and over 3,000 of those trees have been removed due to disease, vandalism or neglect. Thousands more trees are at risk of being removed if they do not receive much needed care. FPUF and the City Forestry Division are working to improve the urban forest, but residents can play an important role in increasing its health and reversing its decline. Registration is open now at http://www.pittsburghforest.org/treetendercourse. The cost of the course is $40 and includes materials, a meal at each session, and a t-shirt upon completion. A reduced rate option is available for those on a limited income—Contact Caitlin for details at Caitlin@pittsburghforest.org. ### -- "Time is how the trees grow. I will fall asleep for a thousand years and a mighty spruce will have raised me high, high into the sky."