#new trees

Autumn forest path 7/? - Belgian Ardennes, November 2018

On the day of September 12, 2015, while hurrying to evacuate from the Valley Fire, first-time Harbin Visitor John Isom performed a wise and brave rescue. In the midst of his rush from Mainside to the RV parking lot to retrieve his vehicle, with fire advancing down the hill before him, John stopped to gather acorns.

Standing at the edge of the Meadow, John took the time to fully appreciate and connect with one of the grandmotherly valley oak trees there – a huge, spreading tree that has graced Harbin property for hundreds of years. And in a moment of deep caring for the land and foresight for its future, John – an Environmental Studies teacher with a self-described passion for “botanical midwifery” – took the risk of pausing in his evacuation, and carefully gathering seeds for what he hoped would be a Harbin forest to come. He collected several dozen acorns and brought them home to take care of – with the hope that at least a few of them might actually germinate. And much to his delight, several of them did! For nearly a year, John nurtured his seedlings in his kitchen refrigerator, hoping someday bring them back to Harbin for us to plant – and recently he did.

Native trees like these are among our most precious resources. And as we plan, rebuild, and recreate Harbin, we’ll be sure to select just the right locations to showcase John’s saplings… with much gratitude to him for his caring, his love, and his very special gift of life from Harbin’s past to Harbin’s future.

John’s oak seedlings – significant as they are – are just a small portion of the new trees we’ve begun to plant on Harbin property. As of this writing, we’ve planted 750 new hardwood trees around Mainside alone. These new hardwoods are all native species, and including black, blue, and live oaks, bigleaf maples, alders, gainswillows, redosier dogwoods, toyon berries, redbuds, and more. We purchased these trees from Putah Creek Restoration Nursery; and through our contract with National Resource Conservation Services (NRCS), we’ll be largely reimbursed for their cost.

We’re also about to begin planting 50,000 faster-growing conifers: a mix of ponderosa pine and Douglas fir. These are trees we contracted for before the fire (again, with reimbursement from NCRS), but hadn’t yet decided where to plant. Now, with more than 90% of Harbin’s land burned by the fire, we have clearer need for them than ever. As soon as the snows begin to melt in El Dorado county where they are being grown, these year-old saplings will be dug up, shipped to us, and planted throughout the road into Harbin, up the road to Mainside, and on parts of Diamond D.

Inspiration for a large, contemporary, concrete-paved driveway in the spring.

NEW TREES

The Garden Club and the Tree Commission planted ten trees and added three benches to Library Park last week. Stop by to see them today, or wait until the weather is a bit more agreeable. While it seems like summer is far away, these new additions will be around for us to enjoy through many warm seasons to come.

BUILDING UPDATES

The ramp on the western side of the building had to be removed for safety reasons, and the front stairs are currently the only way into the library. We are entering the final phase of arranging for a replacement, and we ask your forgiveness and your patience. If you cannot enter the building because of this, please contact us and we will try to make arrangements to renew or check out books for you.

COMPUTER HELP

Need help writing letters on the computer, navigating the internet, or using your new eReader? Drop in during our open hours and get personalized help. Upcoming sessions are tonight from 6 – 7, this Saturday from 11 – 12, and next Tuesday from 6 – 7.

MUSIC AND MOVEMENT

Toddlers are invited to shake out their sillies every Tuesday at 10 AM. We’ll have music in the air, instruments to play along, parachutes to hide under, and more. Meet other area families and come dance with us!

STORY TIME

Every Wednesday at 10:30 AM we share a picture book (or two) and do a simple craft. This week’s theme is a surprise. All children ages 3 – 6 are welcome.

JUST ARRIVED

For history buffs, we’ve added two books about the Revolutionary War: Fighting Over the Founders and Liberty’s First Crisis. You can learn about plants in The Triumph of Seeds, or money in Coined. Feeling brave? Check out The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook – we’re pretty sure you can’t be poisoned if you make the food yourself. If you’ve never heard of a quatrefoil or a curvilinear triangle, don’t worry – just read Have You Seen My Monster? with your child, and you’ll both know more about some unusual shapes. Older children can pick up Shivers!: The Pirate Who’s Afraid of Everything to read for themselves. Lastly, in the teen section, we have many new selections. Read about two girls in prison and one on her way to Juilliard and how their stories intertwine in The Walls Around Us. For a touch of something supernatural, R.L. Stine brings back Fear Street with Don’t Stay Up Late. Stop in to check out these and more, and visit our website for more details (and free eBooks.)

We welcome your QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS, PURCHASE REQUESTS, AND PROGRAMMING IDEAS. Contact us at 312 Washington Street, [email protected], 393-4325, or any of our social media sites (you can do a search for Ogdensburg Public Library, or find the links on our website at ogdlib.org/social.)

WEEKLY HOURS

Now available at ClampArt: New Trees by Robert Voit From Steidl Verlag (Hardcover, 12.5 x 10.25 inches, 150 pages). $68 + shipping.