In the midst of the holidays, JP Trees has managed to meet and make plans for the the future. We are currently brainstorming ideas for a city-wide tree ordinance to protect existing trees. This will not happen overnight. As arduous as this journey may seem, all laws started somewhere with ideas brewing in compassionate minds.

The path seems promising, as staff in the Mayor's office have already been responsive to initiating talks. If anyone has been through this process once upon a time, we could surely use your experience and/or words of wisdom. Our team is working hard to do the research in the bits of "spare time" we have.

Hearing Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Wangari Maathai speak in October was a motivational push in the right direction. Mayor Thomas Menino being a "fanatic for trees" can only serve to better protect our urban forests. If Dr. Maathai suggests each person needs 10 trees to offset our carbon output, then we do have a long way to go in these parts.