>Dear Mexican War Streets neighbors,

>

>Under the umbrella of the Streetscape Committee of the Mexican War Streets

>Society we have three very important initiatives underway: the Neighborhood

>Clean-Up/Anti-Litter Initiative spearheaded by John Engle, the Mechanics

>Retreat Park and Community Gardens spearheaded by Nick Boardman and Lynette

>Wright and John Engle, and the Street Tree Project, still to be launched.

>

>I have talked throughout the cold winter months with many people who wish

>to see more trees planted along our streets. I am after two or three

>individuals to coordinate this project by organizing meetings, developing

>plans, communicating with Department of Public Works/Forestry Division in

>the City of Pittsburgh, etc. Randy and Cheryl Casiola and Greg Spicer and

>Craig Worl have expressed interest in this. This would be a wonderful and

>BIG project. John Engle began some of it last year, but you can only bite

>off so much of the pie.

>

>Here is what needs to happen:

>

>1) Send out an announcement to gather interested individuals to meet and

>plan the street tree program.

>

>2) Send out disciples two by two to conduct a survey of our neighborhood a)

>where street trees used to be (stumps), b) where street trees exist that

>are dead or diseased, c) where holes are cut but never where planted, and

>d) where neighbors wish to see trees planted in virgin sidewalk.

>

>3) Confer with the City of Pittsburgh as to how to go about preparing a

>neighborhood plan to take on the planting of city-approved street trees.

>Can we speed up the process/backlog of street tree planting by having a

>neighborhood initiative to saddle the PLANNING, LABOR, COST, etc.

>

>4) Using the prescribed City waiver form, gain the permission of

>neighborhood residents to plant trees in the sidewalk in front of their

>home and to waive the responsibility of the planting from the City of

>Pittsburgh and the Mexican War Streets Society.

>

>5) Prepare a list of approved street trees that would be appropriate for

>planting in our neighborhood. Find out where to obtain these trees.

>

>6) Contract with a company(s) to make the cuts, dig and prepare the holes

>for planting, and to plant the trees, cabling them for the first years of

>establishment. We can do this ourselves with some training, guidance, and

>equipment donation.

>

>7) Establish a watering and maintenance plan for the success of the trees

>until they are established enough to take care of themselves with good ol'

>mother nature.

>

>8) Celebrate this great initiative with much merrimaking as this is a

>long-in-coming desire of all of us!!!

>

>Hope this is some help and inspiration. The Board of Directors and many,

>many residents support this initiative and look forward to working with

>you.

>

>Peace, and HAPPY SPRING!!

>

>David R. McMunn, President

>Mexican War Streets Society