More than 300 attendees gathered in Portland, OR, recently for the 2009 Partners in Community Forestry National Conference, hosted by the Arbor Day Foundation. This year's event featured presentations on building effective partnerships and growing community involvement, the value of trees in storm water management and energy conservation, as well as models for effectively managing community canopy. Keynote addresses by USDA Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell, Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer, Oregon State Forester Marvin Brown and Oregon Metro President David Bragdon highlighted two days of presentations and tours on urban forest best management practices. Presentations and photos are available at www.arborday.org/pcf.

State forestry leaders, community champions, and urban forest advocates from across the country will converge in Portland, Oregon, November 9-11 for the 2009 Partners in Community Forestry National Conference. Hosted by the Arbor Day Foundation, the event offers the latest in urban forest research, best practices in forest management, and models on how to engage diverse groups in building effective partnerships. Learn more and register now at www.arborday.org/pcf.

The Alliance for Community Trees (ACT) reports on the results of the California ReLeaf project that surveyed all fifty states to identify and explore potential stable funding sources for urban and community forestry. The report reflects the state of funding perceived by Urban and Community Forestry Coordinators from 2007 through 2008. The majority (76%) of those surveyed were pursuing alternatives to federal funding such as increased or diversified state funding and private and nonprofit partnerships.