Tree Bagging at the Muttart Conservatory

Tree Bagging at the Muttart Conservatory

1:00 p.m., Sunday, May 2, 2021
Greenhouse Entrance (back of pyramids)

(NOTE:  Newsletter says Saturday.  It's actually Sunday.)

JFW members are invited to participate in this annual JFW event.  The event will follow City of Edmonton COVID protocols, so expect to be working at family grouped tables outside in the parking lot rather than in the greenhouse.  

This year, we have 20,000 trees to put into bags for the Grade 1 and Grade 2 students.  Since everything was closed for COVID last year, the current Grade 2 students didn't receive their trees. With lots of hands, this should not take more than a few hours, so please come and help if you can! 

Some clubs have used this event as part of their community service hours.  Check with your club if this is their option.  In the past, we were able to spend time in the pyramids after our task was completed, but with the Muttart closed this year for renovations and COVID restrictions, that will not be a possibility.  

Root for Trees, the group responsible for Arbor Day in the City of Edmonton, would like to video some of our tree bagging operations and interview a few people as to why they are helping. They want to have a history of Arbor Day on their website.  They will provide the necessary waivers.  

Thank you in advance for your help.  This program was near and dear to the heart of our former Chief Warden, Ernst Klaszus, and I am proud we are continuing in his legacy.

Submitted by Terry Garrett, Chief Warden Emeritus

Blast from the past --- Article from March 2014 Tree Mail:

TREE BAGGING FOR ERNST

This project held a special place in the heart of our former Chief Warden, Ernst Klaszus. Each year his family, friends and Junior Forest Wardens gather at the Muttart Conservatory in Edmonton to bag seedlings for the Grade One students in Edmonton and surrounding area schools. Usually, there is a challenge to see if we can bag the seedlings (17,000 – 20,000) faster than we did the year before. Often there are side challenges to see who can bag the most trees too! Wear your red JFW t-shirt (it is hot in the greenhouse), bring a friend to help and let’s show everyone that Junior Forest Wardens can get a big job done! After we have completed our task (in under an hour), we are allowed to view the beautiful Muttart Conservatory. Please mark Sunday, May 4th at 1:00 on your calendar to be at the Greenhouse entrance (on the north-west side of the building) to come and help bag trees. See you there!!

April 24, 2021 Update -- 

Information from Lydia Fialka, Community Greening Coordinator, City of Edmonton

Arbor Day seedling bagging is around the corner! With that in mind, I'd like to share some event details with you:

Date: Sunday, May 2 2021

Time: start at 1:00 PM

Activity: this year we will be bagging ~23,000 seedlings for Grade 1 students!

Location: Muttart Conservatory Greenhouse - West Parking Lot (map pin)

Directions: follow 98Ave NW heading westbound towards the Muttart Greenhouses, turn left after they pass the LRT station on the left-hand-side (green arrow below). Please ask volunteers to follow the large blue "Muttart Delivery Signs" as pictured below. 

    

Parking: is available along either side of the service road west of the Muttart Greenhouse (see highlighted area below). We will also reserve 2-3 stalls for accessible parking. 

 

Health & Safety: 

• Outdoor Activities: All volunteer activities will take place outdoors this year; access to the Muttart Conservatory is not permitted this year. Volunteers are encouraged to dress in layers and be mindful of weather conditions. We ask that all volunteers please wear close-toed shoes.
• COVID-19 Safety: Volunteers are required to wear masks when working within 2m of another person. We will set up physically distanced work stations, and will provide further direction on-site. There will also be extra masks, hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes onsite.  
• Volunteer Sign-in & Prescreening: Upon arriving onsite, volunteers will be asked to check in with a Root for Trees staff member to fill out a sign-in form and complete COVID-19 prescreening.  
• Washrooms: There will be an accessible portable toilet available onsite. 
• We will provide water bottles and snacks for volunteers. 

Arbor Day Video Filming: There will be a film crew onsite. During sign-in, volunteers will be asked to sign a model release form if they consent to being in the video. Those who do not wish to be caught on camera will be asked to wear a visible marker.

Final Message from Terry Garrett, Chief Warden Emeritus

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you to everyone who came up to Edmonton from across the Province to participate in the annual Tree Bagging event.  There were 52 participants from across the province including about a dozen members of Ernst's family (we were so happy they could join us).  This was no small task as we had double our normal amount of trees to bag.  When you call out to JFW members for volunteers, there are always members who are willing to help out. It usually takes a little over an hour for 10,000 trees to be bagged - we did 20,000 in three hours.  The Root For Trees program and the City of Edmonton are very grateful for the contribution of the Junior Forest Wardens for this event.  Hope you can all come back to join us next year in the first part of May!