Tabling is a way in which many people can be reached in just a couple hours. JP Trees tables at both local events and specific locations. The events we have participated in include Wake Up the Earth, JP World's Fair, JP First Thursdays, and Neighbors for Neighbors organizing expos. Stop & Shop is one of the businesses that allows us to table in front of the store, and Saturdays between 10-12 tend to be a good time. We are open to tabling at any local event or business, as long as the organizers or owners agree to allow us.


Information to share with people:
Generally, we tell a little about JP Trees and the Setback Trees project, which goes a bit like this, "JP Trees began in the spring of 2006 to try to protect and restore the urban tree canopy. We were noticing lots of big, beautiful old trees being cut in JP, mainly because of development. This year, we have been working with Earthworks, planting trees in front yards for ‘free’.”
Sometimes an explanation of the benefits of trees is needed. If they are interested in getting a tree, they need to live in JP or Roxbury (a new addition for Earthworks) and the tree has to go in a front yard for greater public benefit. If they are the owner and are sure they want a tree, they should fill out the Setback Trees inquiry form. 
Tell them that we received a grant for the one staff person (Gretchen), but we didn’t get a grant for the trees, so we ask people to donate if they can for the cost of the tree. Wholesale, small trees cost around $20.00. When people give more it lets us plant more trees where people can’t afford the cost.
    If someone is interested in a tree, or in volunteering, make sure they give us their contact info! Don’t let them take an inquiry form to “fill out and send in” because most people forget. Put the ball in our court!
If they rent, have to talk with others in the house/condo association, or are a bit unsure, they can sign up on the front yard tree sign-up sheet. Follow-up with them will take place later. Try to make sure there is a brief description of their hesitation (e.g. renter, condo association, etc).

If people ask about sidewalk trees:
1.    If they have one—If they have one by their house, tell them why it needs their care: very little water absorption space, roots baking under hot concrete in the summer. Extra water is needed! 20 gallons per week in warm season, May – Oct., is optimal. 10 gallons will also help survival rates when it’s dry. Only a serious, long rain helps a street tree.
2.    If they want one—The Boston Parks and Rec. Dept. is in charge. We can’t plant street trees. They can take a pamphlet, “Boston’s Green Streets,” with contact info. The waiting list is a year or two, and they only plant if the sidewalk is 6 feet wide (ADA rules interpretation), even if there was a tree there in the past.
3.    We plant in front yards because—a) we can’t legally plant in sidewalks, b) young trees and sidewalk trees are vulnerable so they need to start pretty big and c) trees have a much, much bigger chance of survival in a yard, with water, more rooting space, no car doors, less vandalism, no salt, on and on. Plant a yard tree!

If they want to think about it more, give them one of the information sheets (i.e. the flyer or JP Trees info, which has our website and more info on it).


Volunteering:
We need volunteers! Engage interested people in conversation, and try to get at what their interests are. Tell them about different opportunities, enthuse them. We need people to plant trees. We also need people to do art (committee forming soon) about trees, people to work on education and outreach to homeowners and developers, and to put up flyers and even go door-to-door to help us find tree stewards for new front yard sites.

We may also be working on something policy related, but the setback trees project is the main tabling focus.


Tabling Coordinator: Things to Do
Secure the spot
•Neighbors For Neighbors events (Melissa usually gets notices of these):
    - the Community Organizing Expos (only two so far--February and October 2007)
•First Thursdays: We’ve setup by JP Licks, next to the Post Office. It  hasn’t been an issue, but it’s good to check with JP Licks
•Stop & Shop: 522-4300. Call to speak with the general manager for approval. They will only let us if no one else is signed up at the same time
• Wake Up the Earth (Lauren receives mailing): Spontaneous Celebrations, 524-6373. We need to pay to reserve a spot (non-vendor)
• World’s Fair, early September (Lauren receives mailing): We need to pay $30.00 (non-vendor) to the JPNDC to reserve a spot. 522-2424
• There are summer evening activities in Mozart Park that would be a great place to table. Hyde Square Task Force runs it, 524-8303


Get volunteers to staff the table!
    In general, it’s great to have two experienced volunteers at the table. If there’s a newcomer, they should be paired with an experienced volunteer who they can learn from.
• First Thursday is just a few hours in the evening, one “shift.” It’s always more fun and you reach more people if there are two volunteers, but Stina has done this one on her own and it went fine. There are not swarms. The same thing goes for Stop & Shop for a few hour stint.
• For a festival where there are more hours and more people around, aim to sign people up in two hour shifts. If they can only do one, we can usually make it work.
PUT THE WORD OUT to other volunteers—contact Rachael for a list of people who have tabled before, and ask them via email first. Also, send Rachael the text of an announcement about where we are tabling and a request for volunteers, with the hours. She will send it out or ask you to go ahead and send it out, to the yahoo group, jptrees@yahoogroups.com


Get the materials:
Lauren has many of them. Call her at 983-2242 or email lockene@mac.com
Tabling supplies (whereabouts in parentheses):
1.    Table (Lauren)
2.    Pens
3.    Clipboards for sign-up sheets (Lauren)
4.    Signs (Lauren)
5.    Parks & Recreation pamphlets for street trees (Lauren)
6.    Info about JP Trees (attached)
7.    Info/flyer about Setback Trees project (attached)
8.    Sign-up for a front yard tree (attached)
9.    Binder with photos and press clippings (Lauren)
10.  Setback Trees inquiry form (Lauren)