Davey Tree Flipbooks

B rown Memorial Weekday School is not your average preschool or kindergarten: it incorporates composting initiatives, a butterfly garden and, more recently, a natural playground. The school recently celebrated its 50th year and has remained committed to spending time outside. However, in more recent years, the school has noticed a troubling new trend. "There is a real decline in the time children spend outside," says Alice Wetzel, nature coordinator at Brown Memorial. Wetzel says today's parents often believe it is too dangerous for kids to play outside, causing children to stay in. But Brown Memorial's mis- sion is to bring nature and outdoor education back to the early childhood curriculum. "We really feel that it is our responsibility to get children outside and reconnect them to nature," Wetzel says. The Brown Memorial Play Space Project began in summer 2014, when the school decided Bringing Children Back Outdoors Idea submitted by: Kevin Mullinary, district manager, South Baltimore R/C to rip out the existing traditional playground to make room for the new, unique plan. Wetzel and the school playground committee came up with a vision board for the project, including logs and trees as the fundamental structure for the playground. Wetzel then contacted Davey's South Baltimore R/C office District Manager Kevin Mullinary for help. "She was very proactive and got us to help out," Mullinary says. Not only did Davey employees step in with great advice, but they also helped remove the unwanted trees from the neighborhood surrounding the school, as well as deliver the trees to the cleared play area. The community and children love the new playground, which includes a tree climbing structure, balancing logs and a mud kitchen equipped with a stump table and chairs. Wetzel says the project is nearly complete; there are just a few things left to do once the weather is nice again. Naples, Florida: Arbor Day Event No. 1 "This year's turnout was incredible." Dan Powell, district manager of Davey's Naples R/C office, helped facilitate the Naples Zoo Arbor Day event for the third consecutive year in February. The event reached record attendance, with more than 8,000 community members celebrating Arbor Day. The day was jam-packed with tree-related activities for the whole family, including Davey's tree climbing demonstration in the Rainforest Grove exhibit, next to the lions and bears. Davey attracted many visitors with questions and a desire to learn proper tree- climbing techniques. Davey employees also distributed eco pens, drink holders and green Davey wristbands while they answered tree- or landscape- related questions. "We had two employees in the tree, while one greeted the visitors," Powell says. "The kids loved that." According to Powell, the Naples Zoo Arbor Day event is important because it helps spread awareness of the trees' value and educate individuals on tree maintenance and planting. Naples R/C Jump Starts Arbor Day Bonita Springs, Florida: Arbor Day Event No. 2 Every year, Bonita Springs, Florida, hosts an Arbor Day Festival to promote awareness of the care and value of the urban canopy. This year, the city wanted to change up its usual festival activities—city officials called Davey's Naples R/C office to help bring something new and exciting to the mix. The Bonita Springs Tree Advisory Board came up with the idea to include a tree climbing exhibition at the festival. Eager to help out with Arbor Day events, Davey agreed. "We volunteer at Arbor Day events every year," Powell says. "It's just a fun thing to do." Davey employees demonstrated proper climbing techniques and safety precautions at the event, which was also held in February. As Davey's first time volunteering for the Bonita Springs event, it was a great opportunity to celebrate Arbor Day with more tree fans. Brown Memorial Weekday School students hop from log to log during recess time. Below: Children play log drums in their new natural playground space. 8 | May/June 2015 Rich Wiland, Oscar Ruiz, John Jaques, Dan Powell and Dylan Jaques (pictured from left to right) enjoy their time at the annual Naples Zoo Arbor Day event.

• Cover