In the fall of 2005, SDEV was awarded an Urban and Community Forestry grant through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Working in partnership with the Greening of Detroit, last spring we got started on implementing an exciting new project at Clark Park with the funds raised by this grant.

With the help of some dedicated volunteers and Joe Sulak from the Greening of Detroit, we were able to get all 500 trees at Clark Park marked with a numbered metal tag and surveyed for species, size, and condition. METCO Services, Inc., a consulting, engineering, architectural and surveying firm, generously donated time and resources estimated at $3,000 to help us with this project. METCO Services recorded the geographical coordinates for each tree in Clark Park. METCO has been able to combine their coordinates with a database that Greening of Detroit generated to create a new educational instrument.

This information is available in map and interactive disk formats for educational and enrichment opportunities to be used through the local schools., Clark Park Recreation Center and SDEV Staff presentations. A workshop for teachers will be held this year to introduce them to the resources developed and purchased for their use as part of this project. This includes educational kits available on loan form SDEV to learn more about urban forestry.

This database and its associated maps will then serve as a reference point over the long term and allow future studies on the park's "forest community" regarding the life cycles of the trees, tree ID exercises, orienting and other urban forestry topics. In additional, the public can use the tree ID information to help them view and select the types of trees they want to plant in their own yards.

If you are interested in learning more about this project or would like to borrow any of SDEV's educational materials on trees, please contact Janelle at 313.872.1961 or janelle_swdev@flash.net