The City of Fall River held an educational workshop, "Building Partnerships for Urban Forestry," at Government Center on December 8, 2011, in an effort to provide information about the value and stewardship of the City's urban forest. The workshop was led by Andrew Hillman, a certified arborist and urban forester from the Davey Resource Group consulting firm, which was hired by the City with funds from an Urban Forestry Challenge (UCF) grant. Eric Seabor, UCF Program Coordinator from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) was the keynote speaker. Victoria Wolff of the Urban Ecology Institute also gave a report on the City's tree inventory. City officials, including Community Maintenance director Kenneth Pacheco, Mass In Motion coordinator Julianne Kelly and Street Tree Planting coordinator Mary Ann Wordell. Several neighborhood association leaders and volunteers were also in attendance. Click here for photos of a pruning workshop. For more information about the Street Tree Planting program, contact Mary Ann Wordell at 508-679-8887.

(Top row, left) Keynote speaker Eric Seaborn talks with Mass In Motion coordinator Julianne Kelly and Green Futures member Jim Hornsby. (Top row, center) Julianne Kelly and Consulting Urban Forester Andrew Hillman pose for a photo. (Middle row, left) Lower Highlands Historic District Neighborhood Association president Steve Camara and Community Maintenance Director Kenneth Pacheco listen as Brian Curt talks. (Middle row, right) Steve Camara, Jim Bartley, John Sylvia and Sandy Dennis talk during the break. (Bottom row, center) Trustees of Reservations education director Linton Harrington and Mr. Hillman talk with tree expert Emily Hamilton of Davey Resource Group. (Bottom row, right) City Councilor elect Dave Dennis, Toosie Margolis, Linton Harrington, and City Forrester Mike Labossierre applaud the presentation by Mr. Hillman.