Ames, Iowa -- Twenty-two north central Iowa residents recently completed the Iowa Community Tree Steward Program that was offered in Hamilton, Humboldt, Webster and Wright counties.

This educational program involves 24 hours of intensive community forestry instruction designed specifically for citizen volunteers, community forestry and park staff, tree care professionals, utility company representatives and county conservation board staff.

Course instruction focuses on various aspects of community tree management including tree and shrub identification, basic tree biology, species selection, pest management, value assessment, tree planting, inventory techniques, program planning, funding and implementation.

The Iowa Community Tree Steward Program is sponsored by Iowa State University (ISU) Extension, ISU Forestry Extension, the Forestry Division of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the Iowa Community and Urban Forestry Council and Trees Forever. To date, 645 individuals have graduated from this program since it started in 1992, and nearly 22,000 public service hours have been contributed. For more information, contact Tivon Feeley, extension forester, Iowa State University, 339 Science II, Ames, Iowa, 50011, phone (515) 294-6739 or e-mail cfeeley@iastate.edu.

The following individuals have completed the course:

Gale Draves, Clarion

Julie Ehresmann, Stratford

Barb Grabner-Kern, Fort Dodge

Bill Kern, Fort Dodge

Jan Jorgensen, Humboldt

LeRoy Jorgensen, Humboldt

Kay Kollmorgen, Humboldt

Joan Kollmorgen, Humboldt

Troy Lee, Des Moines

Carrie Markert, Manson

Darcy Maulsby, Granger

Clint Miller, Ames

David Moody, Fort Dodge

Peggy Moody, Fort Dodge

Yvonne Niles, Webster City

Alyce Seaba, Goldfield

Darrell Seaba, Goldfield

Danna Rae, Manson

Kathy Rose, Pomeroy

Linda Jenny, Stratford

B.J. Ukena, Manson

--30--