Commemorative Tree Planting Information Package for Local Governments

This Package Contains:

I. Letter to Board/Council II. Media Kit III. Local Government Awareness Week IV. About the Tree Planting Campaign V. BC Hydro’s Community Regreening Program VI. Tree Suggestions for Different Climate Zones VII. Information About Plaques VIII. Information on LGMA100 Legacy Projects

Contact:

If you have any questions about this LGMA100 Legacy Project, or any upcoming LGMA centennial initiatives, please contact:

Ryan Hunt LGMA Communications & Membership Engagement Coordinator Email: rhunt@lgma.ca Telephone: 250.383.7032 ext. 0019

Letter to Board/Council:

Please use the following information to form your letter to Mayor and Council regarding a commemorative tree planting in your community.

Background

The purpose of this letter is to seek Council’s approval to join other local governments across BC and plant a commemorative tree in recognition of local government professionals and their ongoing commitment to serve their communities.

At the 1919 Union of BC Municipalities Conference, a resolution was adopted establishing the Local Government Management Association of BC (then called the “Municipal Officers Association of BC”). For the past 100 years, the LGMA has worked to support the learning, leadership, and growth of local government professionals across the province.

To mark its 100th anniversary, the LGMA is encouraging all local governments in BC to plant a tree in celebration of a century of dedication, hard work, and innovation by local government professionals during Local Government Awareness Week, May 19-25, 2019.

The LGMA has partnered with BC Hydro’s Community Regreening Program and will offer every local government in BC up to $50 to purchase a tree of their choice in their climate zone. Local governments can choose one of two options:

1. Purchase a tree from existing suppliers and have the LGMA provide a reimbursement of up to $50.
2. Select their preferred tree and place an order through LGMA for a cost of up to $50. LGMA will arrange shipment of the tree to their community.

Selected trees will need to meet BC Hydro’s requirements for planting near powerlines. As well, a small, metal, weather-resistant commemorative plaque will be provided by the LGMA to be mounted near the tree. Plaques are made of a substrate coated in an aluminum composite and will be able to live outside in a variety of weather conditions.

Recommendation

That Council authorize staff to proceed with selecting a tree to plant in a location recommended by staff and hold a commemorative tree planting ceremony in recognition of the local government profession and ongoing commitment to the community.

Media Kit

The Media Kit contains resources that you can use to promote your tree planting to local media. Please repurpose the resources below as needed.

MEDIA RELEASE

(Add your logo here)

(City/Town/Village) to Join Communities Across the Province in Planting a Tree Commemorating the Work of Local Government Professionals

Date: For Immediate Release

Local Government professionals contribute to the well-being of their communities in a variety of ways, and May 19-25, 2019 marks Local Government Awareness Week. This year, local governments in BC are planting a tree in recognition of local government professionals and their ongoing commitment to community service while also celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Local Government Management Association of BC (LGMA).

[Placeholder quote, please feel free to modify or change] “Our local government staff do so much great work behind the scenes, and we are happy to have the opportunity to recognize their contributions to our community,” said [Mayor/Chair].

At the 1919 Union of BC Municipalities Conference, a resolution was adopted establishing the Local Government Management Association of BC (then called the “Municipal Officers Association of BC”). For the past 100 years, the LGMA has worked to support the learning, leadership, and growth of local government professionals across the province.

LGMA is dedicated to supporting excellence in local government by providing high-quality practical training and resources. Every year the LGMA trains upwards of 1,500 local government professionals and has a membership of nearly 900 members.

To mark its 100th anniversary, the LGMA is working in partnership with BC Hydro’s Community Regreening Program to provide all local governments in BC with a tree they can plant to recognize the dedication, hard work, and innovation by local government professionals during Local Government Awareness Week.

For more information, please contact: (Contact Name, Position, Contact Information)

Media Advisory Template:

(Add your logo here)

MEDIA ADVISORY

(City/Town/Village) to Join Communities Across the Province in Planting a Tree Commemorating the Work of Local Government Professionals

Date: For Immediate Release

To celebrate Local Government Awareness Week 2019, (insert community name) will join communities across the province and plant a tree on (insert date and location) in recognition of the local government profession and the essential services they provide to the community.

Media and the public are invited to join staff at the tree planting ceremony on (insert date and time).

PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: WHAT: Commemorative Tree Planting WHO: Join representatives from the (town/city) and members of the community to plant a tree in (insert location). WHEN: (insert date and time) WHERE: (insert location and address)

Funding and support for this event has been provided by the Local Government Management Association of British Columbia (LGMA) and the BC Hydro Community Regreening Grant.

The LGMA is a not-for-profit organization that supports the professional development of local government professionals across BC. To mark its 100th anniversary, the LGMA is working in partnership with BC Hydro’s Community Regreening Program to provide all local governments in BC with a tree they can plant to recognize the dedication, hard work, and innovation by local government professionals during Local Government Awareness Week. To learn more about the LGMA’s centennial, visit www.lgma.ca.

For more information, please contact: (Contact Name, Position, Contact Information)

Media Advisory Tips:

The advisory below is intended to inform local media in your area about the tree planting ceremony and encourage their attendance at the event. Please feel free to customize the advisory below to best meet your local government’s communications needs.

We suggest sending the media advisory to your local media contacts 3-5 days before your event. If you wish to send out your media advisory earlier than one week before the event, we recommend sending a follow-up advisory shortly (2-3 days) before your event.

In addition to sending this media advisory to your local media, we encourage participating local governments to follow up with the media after sending this media advisory. A follow-up phone call and/or email can be a good way to ensure that the media advisory has been read and that the media is aware of the event.

If you are interested in promoting your media advisory, CivicInfo BC also allows you to share news stories to their website: https://www.civicinfo.bc.ca/news-submit.

Information About Local Government Awareness Week

Local Government Awareness Week is a program of the Union of British Columbia Municipalities, working in partnership with a number of other public sector organizations, including the Local Government Management Association of BC; CivicInfo BC; the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing; the BC School Trustees Association; the Ministry of Education, and the Public Works Association of British Columbia.

The Province of British Columbia has proclaimed that Local Government Awareness Week will be held May 20-26, 2019. The LGMA encourages participating local governments to hold their tree planting ceremony during Local Government Awareness Week. If a local government is unable to hold a tree planting during this week, please contact the LGMA with the alternative date for the tree planting.

About the Commemorative Tree Planting Campaign

To mark its 100th anniversary, the LGMA is encouraging every local government in BC to plant a tree in celebration of a century of dedication, hard work, and innovation by local government professionals. As part of this campaign, the LGMA will offer every local government in the province funding to purchase a tree, support to hold a tree planting ceremony, and a small, weather-resistant plaque to mark this momentous occasion.

The LGMA encourages all local governments to hold a tree planting ceremony in recognition and celebration of the work of local government professionals during Local Government Awareness Week, May 19-25, 2019.

Funding for the tree comes from BC Hydro’s Community Regreening Program. Through our partnership with BC Hydro, every local government in BC will be offered up to $50 to purchase a tree of their choice. Local governments can choose one of two options:

1. Local governments can purchase a tree from existing suppliers and have the LGMA provide a reimbursement of up to $50.
2. Local governments select their preferred tree and place an order through LGMA for a cost of up to $50. LGMA will arrange shipment of the tree to their community.

To help local governments select the perfect tree for their community, the LGMA has created a document with suggested tree varieties for BC’s different growing zones.

About the BC Hydro Community Regreening Program

Funding for the trees comes from BC Hydro’s Community Regreening Program. This program works with tree planting partners across the province to help with the regreening efforts of municipalities, regional districts, and First Nations communities. Regreening grants are designed to assist in planting appropriate trees with an awareness and sensitivity to the proximity of power lines.

Trees planted as part of the LGMA Commemorative Tree Planting must adhere to BC Hydro’s Planting Near Powerlines guidelines, to learn more about the Community Regreening Program visit BC Hydro’s website.

Tree Suggestions for Different Climate Zones:

While your local government is welcome to plant any tree that adheres to BC Hydro’s requirements for planting near powerlines, the LGMA has researched a list of suggestions for popular trees that grow well in each climate zone in the province.

If your local government is looking for different options for your region, this list could be a good starting point:

Extreme Winter Areas:

Example Cities: Atlin, Burns Lake, Chetwynd, Dawson Creek, Fort St. John, Fort St. James, Fort Nelson, Mackenzie, Smithers, Vanderhoof

• Prunus Virginiana, (chokecherry)
  • Attractive foliage and white flowers with showy red fruit turning to dark purple. Excellent for jellies and wines.
• Syringa vulgaris, (lilac)
  • Beautiful and aromatic lilac is a favorite the world over. Choose a variety adapted to your planting area.
• Acer Ginnala ‘Compactum’ (compact Amur maple)
  • Excellent fall colour (yellow to brilliant red).
  • Good spread, very hardy.

Cold Winter Areas:

Example Cities: Cranbrook, Golden, Invermere, Kimberley, McBride, Merritt, 100 Mile House, Prince George, Quesnel, Tulameen, Whistler, Williams Lake

• Acer tataricum ‘GarAnn’ (Hot Wings ® Tatarian maple)
  • Attractive tree produces fiery red seeds in the late summer and turns an outstanding scarlet in the fall.
• Cornus mas, (Cornelian cherry; dogwood)
  • This hearty dogwood has clusters of yellow flowers in early spring before leaves are on the tree. Adaptable, hardy and showy.
• Syringa reticulata, (Japanese tree lilac)
  • Growth up to 6 metres. Small tree, exfoliating bark on short stem. Oval crown with highly scented yellowish white flowers.

Moderate Winter Areas:

Example Cities: Cache Creek, Fernie, Grand Forks, Hope, Lillooet, Lytton, Kamloops, Kelowna, Nakusp, Nelson, New Hazelton, Revelstoke, Salmon Arm, Terrace, Trail, Vernon

• Cornus ‘Eddie’s White Wonder’ (Eddie’s dogwood)
  • Very resistant to the dogwood leaf-blotch blight which affects the native “nuttallii”. The choice for coastal planting of dogwood.
• Malus ‘Jewelcole’ (red jewel ™ crabapple)
  • A small tree with white flowers in the spring followed by cherry red fruit. Best grown in full sun.
• Styrax Japonicus ‘Japanese Snowbell’
  • A flowering tree which typically grows to 20 – 30 ft.
  • Noted for its pendulous clusters of bell-shaped, mildly fragrant, 5 petaled, waxy white flowers that bloom in May June.

Mild Winter Areas:

Example Cities: Bella Coola, Fraser Valley, Kitimat, Lower Mainland, Powell River, Prince Rupert, Sandspit, Sechelt, Squamish, Vancouver Island

• Cercidiphyllum japonicum, (katsura tree)
  • An excellent shade tree with leaves that turn from reddish purple to blue green, and finally, to yellow in the fall.
• Cornus ‘Eddie’s White Wonder’ (Eddie’s dogwood)
  • Very resistant to the dogwood leaf-blotch blight which affects the native “nuttallii”. The choice for coastal planting of dogwood.
• Syringa vulgaris, (lilac)
  • Beautiful and aromatic lilac is a favorite the world over. Choose a variety adapted to your planting area.
• Koelreuteria paniculate ‘Goldenrain tree’
  • The tree grows 30 to 40 feet tall with an equal spread, in a broad, somewhat irregular globe-shape.
  • Some trees appear vase-shaped. Flowers are yellow.

Information About Plaques

Plaques will be mailed to participating local governments by the LGMA by March 29, 2019.

Plaque Materials:

Plaques are made of a substrate coated in an aluminum composite. The plaques will be able to live outside in a variety of weather conditions.

Plaque Dimensions:

Plaques will be 8” x 5” (203 x 127 mm.) and will be 1/8” (3 mm.) thick.

Mounting the Plaque:

Mounting the plaques will be left to the discretion of participating local governments. The backs of the plaques will be left blank. The plaques are light-weight and can be mounted in a variety of methods ranging from screws, to adhesive, to welded studs. General information about hanging plaques can be found here.

Example Plaque:

The final design of the commemorative plaque is still being determined, but an example of a plaque made from the same material can be seen below:

Please note: This plaque is mounted on a wooden door, the commemorative plaque sent to your local government will be unmounted

About the LGMA100 Campaign

As the Local Government Management Association of BC (LGMA) prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary year in 2019, the LGMA has launched several campaigns designed to celebrate the impact of its members, as well as legacy projects designed to lay strong foundations for member success over the next 100 years.

To learn more about the LGMA100 campaign and our legacy projects, please visit www.lgma.ca.