Board Members Present: Kirk Brown, Rich Hauer, Ken Holman, Gary Johnson, Robert Slater, Lorrie Stromme, Jim Hermann, Michael Max
(Attendance: 55)

Call to Order. The meeting was called to order at 9:35 a.m. by President Lorrie Stromme, on March 28, 2002, at the Commodore Hotel, St. Paul, MN.

Introductions of Mr. Mike Carroll, Minnesota State Forester, and Mr. Glen Shirley, past MnSTAC President, were made.

Thanks were made to Lara Newberger and the Awards Committee (Paul Walvatne, Don Mueller, Dave Sundmark, Dave Strootman, and Jim Vaughn) for arranging the Awards Ceremony and reviewing the nominations. 

Thanks were extended to Ms. Peggy Gabriel, for coordinating the logistics of the awards meeting and the Tree City USA luncheon, in addition to her on-going assistance with mailing out MnSTAC agenda packets to members each month.

Approval of Minutes. The Minutes of the 1-17-2002 membership meeting were reviewed. Motion/Second/Carried: Approved 
The Minutes of the 2-21-2002 membership meeting were reviewed. Peggy Booth clarified that WUI stands for Wild land Urban Interface program. Motion/Second/Carried: Minutes of 2-21-2002 were approved, as corrected.

Announcements:
Mr. Mike Max announced that Janet Larson, MnSTAC member, had an article on buckthorn in the April edition of The Northern Gardener magazine.

Agency/Field Reports:
U of MN: Mr. Gary Johnson will be hiring a research assistant soon to take care of the MN/STAC website, among other duties. Publication of the Advocate will resume soon, once the new editor's contract has been completed.

MN Department of Natural Resources: Mr. Ken Holman discussed the coming changes to the DNR website. The changes will include the U&CF page.

MN Dept of Agriculture: Mr. Hauer announced that the Tree Inspector Workshops have started. The Gypsy Moth spray program will be spraying 3,000 acres in south Minneapolis. A questionnaire for Minnesota Community Tree Programs and Activities in 2001 will soon be mailed out to Minnesota communities. Ms. Jenny Juzwik of the USDA will be applying for an LCMR grant concerning Alamo herbicide and its effectiveness on oak wilt.

Motion was made to support the LCMR grant proposal regarding Alamo use for oak wilt control. Motion/Second/Carried: Mr. Hauer, Mr. Shirley. Approved 

Tree Trust: Mr. Kirk Brown discussed a $4.1 million LCMR grant proposal submitted by Tree Trust and the DNR concerning planting grants (MnReLeaf), forest health inventories, and landscape-level oak wilt assessments.
Motion was made to support this LCMR grant proposal. Motion/Second/Carried: Mr. Max, Mr. Johnson, approved 

Legislative Committee: Mr. Mark Schnobrich announced that there will be a 2002-03 Legislative Report in the fall for the next legislative session. Six fact sheets on pertinent tree health topics will be distributed to legislators and city offices around the state each month from April through September, 2002.

MnDOT: Mr. Paul Walvatne announced that the Landscape Inspection Class will be held April 4, 2002, at Arden Hills. Thinning of red pine will occur on TH’s 35 and 10. MN/DOT will be moving 55 oaks on TH 55 this spring.

Feature Presentation: The 2001 Minnesota Shade Tree Advisory Committee Awards Ceremony
Mr. David Larson, who won the MnSTAC photo contest, described the background behind his photographs of the bur oak tree in four seasons. (Mr. Larson developed the series of photos into the 2001 MnSTAC awards plaque.) 

Mr. Walvatne presented the 2001 MnSTAC Awards. The award recipients each gave a brief overview of the award-winning project, accompanied by slides and videos. 

The award recipients are: 
- Innovation Award: Great River Greening
- Outstanding Volunteer Project Award: Diamond Path Elementary School, Apple Valley.
- Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Award: Ms. Paula Jane Denman
- Outstanding Partnership Award: Friends of Wood Lake Nature Center Children’s Forest Community Tree Planting Project
- Outstanding Arbor Day Celebration Award: “Growing Our River Heritage” Edgewater Park, Northeast Minneapolis
- Distinguished Service Award: Mr. Mike Zins
- Stewardship Award: Alexandria Clinic, Alexandria
- Media Award: Minnesota Arbor Month Partnership
- Sponsorship Award: Lino Lakes Community Tree Sale Volunteers
- Achievement Award: Ms. Tracey Benson

Adjournment. Motion/Second/Carried: Mr. Johnson, Mr. Max, Approved. The meeting was adjourned at 11:50 a.m.

Respectfully submitted: Robert Slater

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