2006 National Arbor Day Awards
Marcie the Marvelous Tree, El Segundo, CA
Marcie the Marvelous Tree was written as the imagined story of a real tree. Thirteen Girl Scouts planted Marcie, a California Sycamore tree, on May 9, 1987, and that planting began their quest to do more for the earth. The Girl Scouts became the world’s first youth environmental organization. They created Tree Musketeers, a non-profit youth environmental group whose decisions are made solely by the group members.
The story of Marcie the Marvelous Tree follows Marcie from the time she was in the nursery to the time when her owners, the Girl Scouts, were all grown up. Marcie starts out in the nursery wishing someone would choose her, fearing that customers will always choose the younger trees. The Girl Scouts choose Marcie, and then they began the Tree Musketeers group. Marcie experiences the love of the Tree Musketeers, lives through vandalism and finally reaches maturity. Kids reading the book learn about such topics as global warming, what it means when a tree is rootbound, and basic tree care.
A Society of Pines by Robert Schutes, Woodbury, MN
A Society of Pines is a creatively written book that describes different varieties of pine trees, only this book is not a scientific book. This 86 page introduction to the secret society of pines contains no Latin names, with the exception of a page on pineology basics where Mr. Shutes, after writing the formal names of yellow and white pines, writes, “This is absolute nonsense to the pines themselves, who know full well that they are green and don’t speak Latin in any case.” Author, Robert Shutes, describes the book as a guide to “provide a cure for IDD (imagination deficit disorder).” In the society of pine trees, each pine tree plays a role, and the categories include Gum Drop Pines, Shouting Pines, Fencing Pines, Pom Pom Pines and more.
The inspiration for this book came from a pine tree Mr. Shutes calls Lydia, the Ballerina Pine, whom he says introduced him to the society of pines. Robert Shutes owns his own rehabilitation company, providing in home rehabilitation services to home bound residents of northern Wisconsin. He wrote A Society of Pines in 2003, and he is currently accepting suggestions and nominations for his next book.
This year’s winners are:
- Tony Dorrell, Woodstock, VA
- James R. Matz, Harlingen, TX
- Casey Trees Endowment Fund, Washington DC
- Sharon Black-Anderson, Crown Point, IN
- Charles Daughtery, Crossville, TN
- Christofferson family ranch, Malad ID
- Thomas Thomson, Orford, NH
- Oakdale Tree Board, Oakdale, MN
- Champaign County Design and Conservation Foundation, Urbana IL
- Kennywood, West Mifflin, PA
- Nellis Air Force Base, NV
- Earl Newman, Perland TX
- Nicolet College, Rhinelander, WI
- San Crisanto Sustainable Development Project
- Citizen Forrester program, Covington LA
- United Anglers of Casa Grande High School, Petaluna, CA
- Sapling in the City by Denver Digs Trees, Denver CO
- Marcie the Marvelous Tree
- A Society of Pines by Robert Schutes, Woodbury, MN
- City of Allen, TX
- Nancy Racich, River Vale, NJ
- C. Garret Rappazzo, Castleton, NY
- Nebraska City, NE
- Briggs & Stratton