Trees

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- In recognition of Missouri State University's conservation and forestation efforts, the Arbor Day Foundation recognized MSU as a Tree Campus USA.   That's a national program created in 2008 to honor colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and for engaging staff and students in conservation goals. “Becoming a Tree Campus USA member doesn't only show our commitment to campus but also our community,” said John Clark, MSU assistant director of facilities management.  “It creates a healthier community, reflects our pride, makes the campus more inviting to the public and increases its usage.” MSU achieved the title by meeting Tree Campus USA's five standards, which include maintaining a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures toward trees, an Arbor Day observance and student service-learning projects.

Ingredients         * 2 1/2 cups of finely shredded unsweetened coconut         * 3/4 cup of granulated sugar         * 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten         * 5 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract         * Pinch of salt         * Confectioners' sugar, for dusting Directions         1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly combine coconut,  granulated sugar, egg whites, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl using  your hands or a wooden spoon.  Form 2 tablespoons of the mixture at a  time into 2-inch-tall trees with your hands, using your fingertips to  make pointed tops.  Transfer each tree to a parchment-lined baking sheet,  spacing them 1 inch apart.

SPRINGFIELD-- There are several options for recycling your Christmas Tree, beginning on Sunday, December 26th. Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World at Campbell & Sunshine: For the 24th consecutive year, Bass Pro Shops will be utilizing their employees, property and resources to collect Christmas trees for use by the Missouri Department of Conservation and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers as fish habitat. Christmas trees, with stands and decorations removed, can be taken to the area at the northwest end of the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World store parking lot facing Sunshine starting Sunday, December 26th and continuing through Saturday, January 1st from noon until 6:00 p.m. each day. The Ozarks Trail Council Boy Scouts Wa-Sha-She Lodge Order of the Arrow will man the collection area helping unload trees and loading trailers with trees to be hauled to habitat area sites.

SPRINGFIELD,  Mo. - The winter and snow are finally gone.  Now there's a different show of white signaling spring is in the air. It's hard to miss the Bradford Pear trees in yards and lining streets, their white flowers lighting up the landscape.   Experts say the trees are popular because they grow fast- up to two feet a year.  In recent decades they've become one of the most popular landscaping trees in the Ozarks. But their beauty may lie in the eye of the beholder.

LACLEDE COUNTY, Mo. - Its feeding time on the Atkinson farm.  Instead of a bale of hay, or a bucket of grain, Danny carries a chainsaw as he trudges through his drought stricken pasture. Because of the lack of rain, drain and grass is harder to come by.  However, Danny Atkinson has come up with a way to keep his livestock fed. “We have resorted to cutting trees,” explained Atkinson. Since there's nothing green on the ground to eat, he's turning to the green growing on trees.

FORSYTH, Mo. - Taney County Sheriff Jimmie Russell has received several reports of damage after Saturday night's strong storms. The worst of the damage is along Highway 176 north of Walnut Shade.  Deputies found numerous trees down and damage to one home.  The homeowner suffered minor injuries, but refused medical treatment. A barn collapsed in the strong winds near Bradleyville in eastern Taney County.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo.-- If you're looking for a way to make a little extra money this fall, now is the time to start picking black walnuts.  Brian Hammons, president of Hammons Products Company of Stockton, says many of the walnuts are still on trees.  He expects the harvest to pick up in another week or two. Growers say a windy, rainy spell with some hard freezes will help bring the walnuts off the trees.  Hammons says last year's price to pick walnuts was $9 per 100 pounds.

SPRINGFIELD -- A student from Field Elementary is the citywide winner of the Springfield 2011 Arbor Day Poster Contest. The contest asked 5th grade students to create a poster reflecting the theme: Trees Are Terrific and Energy Wise. Noah Henkle won the contest for best overall poster out of nearly 300 entries from Springfield area 5th graders. Noah receive a gift from the Missouri Department of Conservation, a framed certificate from Springfield City Council and the Tree City USA Citizens’ Advisory Committee, a one-year pass to Dickerson Park Zoo for his family and a tree coupon from City Utilities.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Autumn weather normally brings vibrant foliage to the Ozarks, but this year's colors may end up being a big disappointment.  After the third hottest summer on record and below average precipitation since spring, trees across the Ozarks are stressed. Peak foliage season normally occurs in the first few weeks of October, but many leaves are already changing and even falling off. “Prior stressors are causing a lot of trees to change early.  It's really fairly early for any trees to be changing, and so all of the changing trees you see now and all of the leaf litter you see all over the ground is probably in indicator of the heat stress from this summer,” said arborist Noel Boyer, owner of All About Trees . Even if we get a significant amount of rainfall before the peak season, it is likely that the damage to the trees is already done and this fall won't show its vibrant colors.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- It's the busy season at recycling centers across the Ozarks.   At Springfield's Yard Waste Recycling Center, the rush holds remnants of the last few months, spent raking, shopping and merry-making. This is the busiest time of year for recycling centers, as the Christmas rush coincides with the end of leaf season.  "All of the new stuff coming in from Christmas inspires everything going back out!" said Kathleen McNaughton, who was dropping off bags of leaves that her family swept up a few weeks ago. They took advantage of downtime and good weather to get them to the recycling center.

SHERWOOD, Ore. - A truck that was lodged 10 feet up a tree has authorities scratching their heads, trying to figure out how it got up there . Firefighters with Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue found the pickup just off Oregon Route 99 near Sherwood after receiving a 911 call at 7:33 Monday morning. They brought out thermal imaging equipment to check for anyone inside, but that equipment and an electric company lineman confirmed no one was there. A local hospital confirmed there were no patients there around that same time frame in relation to a crash.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo.-- Springfield's Victory Mission is wanting your used clothing, in exchange for a free Redbud tree for you to plant. The clothing will then be distributed to people in our community who are in need. You can drop off your clothes at Second Baptist Church, 3111 E. Battlefield, Springfield.  Watch the interview with Victory Mission Executive Director Jim Harriger to learn more about the mission.

BRANSON, Mo. -- City police are investigating a fatal motorcycle accident on Saturday on Cliff Drive, just east of Pocahontas Street.  A motorcycle operated by Jonathan W. Brooks, 30, of Hollister, struck a tree. Police say excessive speed likely was a contributing factor in the accident.  Brooks received medical attention at the scene but died there.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- While we're loving the springtime weather, it can also bring some unwelcome pests.  Termites sprout wings this time of year in search of more dead trees or homes to devour. Bug Zero says the temperature and the moisture during the spring are ideal for swarming termites to emerge.  The winged visitors at Cathy Neville's house apparently came under the front door, uninvited.  "I walked through the living room to get to our bedroom,and there were, I swear, a thousand of them crawling around," said Neville.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - A Wilson's Creek tree planting event planned for this weekend, March 22-23, has been postponed until April 5 to 6 due to the impending winter storm. This storm has the potential to drop several inches of snow and rain on the Springfield area over the next 48 hours.  Event location, start and end times and all other details will remain the same.  Volunteers will received any updates via email. "We regret the necessity of rescheduling this event.  However, the potential for below average temperatures, ice covered roads and possible flooding makes it difficult toprovide for the safety of our wonderful volunteers," said Joe Pitts, Director of the James River Basin Partnership.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The City of Springfield Department of Public Works has begun work on phase two of the Fassnight Creek Stormwater and Greenway Trail Improvements Project, a multi-purpose project that includes reconstruction of bridges and roadways and floodplain improvements to reduce flooding hazards to motorists and nearby neighborhoods. Phase two will consist of stormwater improvements, including raised streets and new bridges at Bennett Street and Jefferson Avenue to safely pass the 100-year flood; stream bank stabilization to reduce erosion and protect adjacent properties; a detention basin to improve water quality; and floodplain improvements to reduce flood damages to nearby properties.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- In recognition of Missouri State University's conservation and forestation efforts, the Arbor Day Foundation recognized MSU as a Tree Campus USA.   That's a national program created in 2008 to honor colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and for engaging staff and students in conservation goals. “Becoming a Tree Campus USA member doesn't only show our commitment to campus but also our community,” said John Clark, MSU assistant director of facilities management.  “It creates a healthier community, reflects our pride, makes the campus more inviting to the public and increases its usage.” MSU achieved the title by meeting Tree Campus USA's five standards, which include maintaining a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures toward trees, an Arbor Day observance and student service-learning projects.

LAMPE, Mo. -- Southern Stone County firefighters say a crash killed one person on Thursday morning.  The department posted on its Facebook site that the vehicle crashed into a tree in the 4900 block of Missouri 13 near Lampe. Other information, such as how many people were involved in the wreck, wasn't released.

GERSTER, Mo. -- A National Weather Service survey team says wind damage in southeastern St. Clair County and northeastern Cedar County on Tuesday came from two tornadoes.  Both were rated as EF-1 tornadoes. The first tornado was about 11 a.m. two miles south southeast of Cedar Springs near the community of Hackleman Corner.  It blew half a roof off a house, uprooted several trees, and damaged outbuildings and other structures. It touched down near Missouri 39.  Its path was two miles long and 200 yards wide.  Surveyors estimate its winds were around 90 miles per hour, and it was on the ground for about three minutes.  The second tornado uprooted some trees and destroyed two barns and outbuildings, which weren't visible from the highway.  It touched down about 11:20 a.m. about four miles north-northeast of Gerster, or about five miles southwest of Quincy near Highway TT.  The survey team estimated winds were 90 to 100 miles per hour.  The survey of the second tornado was ongoing on Wednesday, and the National Weather Service didn't have information about its width or length of the path.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- A line of thunderstorms that moved through the Ozarks on Tuesday caused some minor damage to trees and a few buildings.   Later, the rain in the storm system flooded some streets. In Osceola, the St. Clair County sheriff says his call-takers heard about some damage to barns, power lines and possibly other structures southeast of Osceola along Highway TT near Gerster.   Sheriff Scott Keeler sent his deputies to look for the damage but they didn't find anything more than downed trees.