Trees

Starting Nov. 22, you can get cut down your own Christmas tree for free at the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. Trees are for personal use with a limit of one per household. In the refuge, trees can be cut with hand tools anywhere, except within 150 feet of a road, lake, stream, trail, and campground or picnic area. Trees are also not allowed to be cut in the refuge headquarters, visitor's center, or along ski hill road. Refuge managers ask that anyone taking a Christmas tree in the area cut the stump as close to the ground as possible.

by Channel 2 News staff and The Associated Press Monday, March 15, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- A small commercial aircraft crashed into trees near a runway at Kodiak Airport just after 12:30 p.m., state officials said. There were no fatalities, and all three of the plane's occupants were conscious, according to the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. The extent of their injuries was unknown, and two of the people onboard were taken to a hospital. The plane clipped the tops of trees off to the side of Runway 25 while trying to take off, officials said.

In Southeast Alaska, you can find fish even in the trees.   A few years ago, Washington State-based wildlife photographer Amy Gulick read that in the wet, temperate Tongass National Forest salmon plucked by bears from streams often ended up decomposing on the forest floor, leaving trees to drink up fertilizing nutrients through their roots.   “The forest and the sea are so intertwined you really can’t separate the two,” says Gulick. “There are actually salmon in the trees.

A Tanacross woman says locals are working to clear downed trees, as well as restore power, after the town near Tok was hit by a strong windstorm over the weekend. Colleen Denny says the winds hit Tanacross at about 7:30 p.m. Sunday, peaking overnight. She says many homes in the area lost parts of their roofing materials, while power was knocked out to the town. Alaska State Troopers who responded to the area late Sunday said no injuries were reported after the storm, but it caused power lines and trees to fall on houses in both Tok and Tanacross.

by The Associated Press Saturday, May 15, 2010 JUNEAU, Alaska -- Seedling sales and giveaways, tree plantings and children's projects are planned across the state around Alaska's observance of Arbor Day on Monday. The state Division of Forestry is encouraging participation in the annual celebration of trees. At the Eagle River Nature Center on Saturday, a naturalist will give a free presentation on trees, planting and care. At Fort Wainwright on Monday, Cub Scouts will give away seedlings and plant trees.

The Anchorage Woodlot is closing for the year at 7 p.m. Sunday. The Anchorage Soil and Water Conservation District woodlot is a transit point for natural woods, including trees and branches but no lumber or construction materials. The public can pick up firewood and mulch for free or drop off trees and brush by the truckload for $10. Manager Ryan Stencel said the woodlot still had a large pile of trees, towering about four stories high, on the last day of operations, after people dropped off thousands of them because of recent wind storm damage.

As the weekend windstorm approaches, the roar of chainsaws was actually a comforting sound to many today. It meant trees damaged by last week's storm were coming down by choice and not by the wind. Tree removal services were working hard to clean up from the last storm, and as a preventative measure for this upcoming storm. The slogan for Tony's Enterprises is 'you name it, we do it' as of lately that's meant a lot of wood work. "Yeah we were doing fence repairs and roof cleaning, stuff like that.

Downed trees and broken branches from Tuesday's strong windstorm are still scattered across Southcentral, and many Alaskans are taking the debris to wood lots. The Anchorage Wood Lot had an emergency opening on Wednesday since so many people needed a place to drop off storm debris. On Thursday, many drivers waited in line to bring in truckloads of storm remnants. For Shelly Laws, it was the first of a few trips to the lot as she cleared her yard from what was left of her ruined trees.

Alaska State Troopers have identified the pilot who died Friday afternoon in a plane crash near Willow. Neal Burgess Burleson of Willow, 58, died when his Piper PA-18 Super Cub landed upside-down in some trees at the end of Susitna Landing Road at about 2 p.m., troopers spokesperson Beth Ipsen said. Officials say Burleson was the plane's only occupant. A witness reported seeing the plane clip a tree before crashing, troopers said. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading an investigation into the cause of the crash.

The State of Alaska is teaming up with Anchorage officials to recover from the devastation of Tuesday's massive windstorm. While an official emergency declaration hasn't yet been issued, the state is providing its largest city with assets to aid with the cleanup. State Rep. Lance Pruitt and Anchorage Assembly member Adam Trombley held a press conference Saturday morning to announce the new efforts to help residents now and in the future. The roar of a chainsaw is a tough sound to escape anywhere in East Anchorage.

The European Bird Cherry Tree, also called the Mayday, has invaded Anchorage and biologists say it's taking over Alaska's landscape. On Saturday at Airport Heights, about 90 volunteers along with two master gardeners took part in the third annual Weed Smackdown - an attempt to remove invasive species. "A lot of people know about dandelions as weeds of course, but they don't know about that these trees are invasive are a weed of ecological concerns," said Tim Stallard, coordinator for the city invasive plant program.

An Anchor Point man is in critical condition after his vehicle collided into a tree, according to Alaska State Trooper officials. Shortly after 7:05 p.m. Wednesday, troopers responded to a motor vehicle collision injury at mile 163 of the Sterling Highway near Anchor Point. Troopers wrote in a dispatch report that Phillip Jainese, 69, "lost control of his vehicle, ran off the road and hit a tree on the east side of the highway. " Medics transported Jainese to South Peninsula hospital where he was flown to Providence Hospital in Anchorage in critical condition.

Sex trafficking. It's a crime that goes under reported and now its victims are represented on a tree that symbolizes hope. "I think most people in Alaska don't realize it's a very significant crime in this state," Susan Sullivan, executive director of Victims for Justice, said. "It isn't a new crime, but it certainly has received new attention and new focus.” On Monday, victims of crimes, along with their family and friends, stood together and hung ribbons on a tree in on the park strip in downtown Anchorage.

Christmas tree recycling is back again this year in Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley, with Anchorage's pro hockey team accepting paper gift wrap recycling at home games this month. Tree recycling will start Friday, as Alaskans for Litter Prevention and Recycling says it will begin taking live Christmas trees at Carrs Safeway locations in Palmer and in Anchorage. Tree recycling will continue through Jan. 15, with all trees being made into wood chips for use on local trails. Tree decorations and wreaths are not being accepted for recycling.

It's time to spread some holiday spirit and early Friday evening Anchorage celebrated the holiday tree lighting in Town Square. The festivities started at 5:20 p.m. with the Salvation Army Band followed with a holiday welcome parade and plenty of singing. At 6:20 p.m., Santa and his reindeer lighted the holiday tree and will stick around for a brief meet and greet for kids at town square. Here was the full schedule of the AT&T Holiday Tree Lighting Event: 5:20 p.m. - Salvation Army Band 5:30 p.m. - Opening Remarks: MC Holiday Welcome Parade featuring: Dancing Holiday Tree & the TBA Elves Seymour of Anchorage, Buddy Beaver, ACVB Rat King (Anchorage Concert Assoc)

The day before Thanksgiving, students at Government Hill Elementary helped light up the community. A 157-foot Christmas tree display sits atop an AT&T communications tower in Government Hill. 14 students were picked in a drawing to help light up 850 colorful bulbs. The tree lighting was accompanied by holiday carols and AT&T volunteers go over and serve juice and cookies in the classroom. “The whole thing is just amazing the kids are so excited, they all have a good time,” Cathy Opinsky, AT&T Marketing & Comm., said.

Starting Nov. 22, you can get cut down your own Christmas tree for free at the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. Trees are for personal use with a limit of one per household. In the refuge, trees can be cut with hand tools anywhere, except within 150 feet of a road, lake, stream, trail, and campground or picnic area. Trees are also not allowed to be cut in the refuge headquarters, visitor's center, or along ski hill road. Refuge managers ask that anyone taking a Christmas tree in the area cut the stump as close to the ground as possible.

The Anchorage Woodlot is closing for the year at 7 p.m. Sunday. The Anchorage Soil and Water Conservation District woodlot is a transit point for natural woods, including trees and branches but no lumber or construction materials. The public can pick up firewood and mulch for free or drop off trees and brush by the truckload for $10. Manager Ryan Stencel said the woodlot still had a large pile of trees, towering about four stories high, on the last day of operations, after people dropped off thousands of them because of recent wind storm damage.

A Tanacross woman says locals are working to clear downed trees, as well as restore power, after the town near Tok was hit by a strong windstorm over the weekend. Colleen Denny says the winds hit Tanacross at about 7:30 p.m. Sunday, peaking overnight. She says many homes in the area lost parts of their roofing materials, while power was knocked out to the town. Alaska State Troopers who responded to the area late Sunday said no injuries were reported after the storm, but it caused power lines and trees to fall on houses in both Tok and Tanacross.

As the weekend windstorm approaches, the roar of chainsaws was actually a comforting sound to many today. It meant trees damaged by last week's storm were coming down by choice and not by the wind. Tree removal services were working hard to clean up from the last storm, and as a preventative measure for this upcoming storm. The slogan for Tony's Enterprises is 'you name it, we do it' as of lately that's meant a lot of wood work. "Yeah we were doing fence repairs and roof cleaning, stuff like that.