Earth Action Day—call for exhibitors and artists

The fifth annual Earth Action Day comes to Southern Community Park in Chapel Hill on Saturday, April 14, from noon to 5 p.m. Nonprofits, commercial organizations and artists are invited to submit an application to share their message educating and encouraging the latest in living sustainably to a crowd of over 3,500 people in the community.
Earth Action Day is a local event that encourages visitors to learn about the earth’s bounty and how our daily choices affect our environment. Southern Community Park is the perfect place to hold the event, as it was designed with a focus on public art utilizing on-site materials that showcase the thematic elements of earth, air, water, fire, fauna and flora.
Visitors at the event will have the chance to enjoy the Swap-O-Rama clothing swap, interactive workshops, live entertainment and the local food pavilion. We are also excited to bring back the mARTket, a fair featuring artists who create work fundamentally using recycled and up-cycled materials. Local artists who follow such a sustainable approach are encouraged to apply to sell their artwork.
The application deadline for entry is due March 10. The exhibition fee for artists and non-profits is $50 and for commercial organizations, $150. Register online to exhibit at Earth Action Day; apply early as space is limited.

Earth Day at Children's Learning Center

The Children's Learning Center on Nash Street held a celebration of their new outdoor learning and playing environment the day before Earth Day on Thursday, April 21. About a year ago, the center received grant money to transform the space; last Thursday represented the beginning of year two in a three-year grant process. Scotts Miracle-Gro Company and Lowes Home Improvement stores in northern Durham and Chapel Hill donated product to the project.

Plant a tree, save the planet

Today is North Carolina Arbor Day! Everyone grab a shovel and get ready to plant a tree. But wait….
Before planting a tree, make sure you know how to do it correctly, advises the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA).
How a tree is planted, and initially maintained, makes all the difference in the world. Too many people are content to simply plant a tree, but don't ensure that the tree has the chance to go on to live for many years.
"Planting a tree is making an investment in the future," says Sharon Lilly, ISA Educational Director. "You must care for and nurture your young tree so that it will pay dividends for years to come."

Tree Planting Tips
There are a few simple tips to remember when planting your tree this spring:
1. Prepare the perfect hole for planting.
• Dig the hole two to three times the width of the root ball. Do NOT dig deeper than root ball depth. Make the sides of the hole slant gradually outward.
• For bare-root trees, neatly cut away any broken or damaged roots. Soak the roots for a few hours prior to planting to allow them to absorb water.
• Container-grown trees should have the plastic or metal containers completely removed. Carefully cut through any circling roots. Remove the top half of pressed peat/paper containers.
• Balled and Burlapped ("B&B") trees should have all of the ropes cut. Pull the burlap at least one third of the way down. Slit remaining burlap to encourage root growth. If in a wire basket, cut away the top of the basket.
2. Plant the Tree.
• Gently place the tree in the hole. Partially backfill with the soil from the hole, water to settle the soil, then finish back-filling the hole. Tamp the soil gently, but do not step on the root ball.

A few pointers
While you may have finished planting, Arbor Day aficionados should remember these final touches:
• Remove tags and labels.
• Do not stake unless the tree has a large crown or the planting is situated on a site where wind or people may push the tree over. Stake for a maximum of one year.
• Prune only the damaged branches.
• Soak the soil well, making sure no air pockets form between roots. Wait until next year to fertilize.
• Spread two inches of mulch over the planting area, but do not place it up against the trunk.
• Be sure the root ball has plenty of water throughout the year.

For additional information on planting and other tree care topics, or to find a local ISA Certified Arborist, visit ISA's website.

Earth Action Day Festival application deadline extended

Chapel Hill Parks & Recreation presents the Earth Action Day Festival, a celebration for sustainable living, at Southern Community Park on Saturday, April 9, from noon to 5 p.m. The outdoor event will feature a host of interactive activities for all ages, live entertainment and a food pavilion with local eats.
Get to know your community and learn how our daily choices affect our environment, both ecologically and socially. Enjoy the Swap-O-Rama-Rama clothing swap, a scavenger hunt and many other educational opportunities for children and adults.
The deadline for booth applications has been extended to March 18. Register today online. Exhibitors will reach over 3,500 people in the community with your message to live more sustainably. Organizations whose mission is to conserve and preserve are encouraged exhibit.
Local artists are encouraged to apply and sell their art. The entry fee for non-profits and artists is $40 and $75 for commercial organizations.

wednesday preview

I spent a lovely Thursday morning out at Cameron Park Elementary School last week for their Earth Day celebration. I'm glad the weather held out for them because the kids I saw seemed to be having a lot of fun. I was able to take a whole bunch of pictures of the Cameron Park kids and the Partnership Academy students who came to help out.

Here are a few of my favourites (for more, click on the blue and yellow button on the right side of www.newsoforange.com that says "Click HERE to See and Buy Photos!" or, better yet, pick up Wednesday's News of Orange):


This photo is of Megan Bishop, 8, Bobbie Fisher, Samantha Leija, 8, Max Norwood, 8, and Will Alexander, 9, playing marbles. A lot of the games they had going at Earth Day were a little "old timey." It was nice to see kids getting in to low-tech games, like jacks, marbles and hula hoops.


Here, Bobbie Fisher shows Partnership Academy student Brandon Allen, 13, how to shoot marbles, so he can teach the Cameron Park students himself. Brandon said he was having a good time.


This last picture shows Earth Day footprints students made. These ones led out to the outdoor activities on the blacktop.