Tsuga Search Funding    Robert Leverett
   Jun 16, 2006 10:57 PDT 

ENTS,

      By now, most of you know that ENTS president Will Blozan is
involved along with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) in a
project to locate, measure, study, document, and treat for the hemlock
woolly adelgid the greatest of the surviving eastern hemlocks in the
Park. This project is called the Tsuga Search Project. It is Will's baby
and has guaranteed him his place in ENTS heaven. Will conceived, and
along with Jess Riddle, designed the project. The rest of us who are
involved have played a supporting role in the background. Will is the
man of the hour.

      The Tsuga Search Project is actually a partnership between ENTS
and the GSMNP, with Will representing ENTS, and along with Jess Riddle,
doing the actual work. The GSMNP will fund part of the project (if the
grant is accepted), which leaves a shortfall. Will has already donated
literally thousands of dollars of time and money to the Tsuga Search
project and to the saving of the hemlocks
- and I do mean thousands of dollars. But there is only so much expense
that Will can absorb. ENTS and Will must look to other revenue sources
to fund the shortfall.

      In choosing ENTS, as opposed to Will's for profit Appalachian
Arborists company, which will do the actual work, the GSMNP's
contracting procedures require that the recipient of the funds go to a
nonprofit organization. Since ENTS is an Internet interest group, it
cannot receive funds directly from the GSMNP. However,
Friends of Mohawk Trail State Forest (FMTSF) is a 501c3 nonproft
scientific organization and can serve as a
fiscal agent. That arrangement is entirely satisfactory to the GSMNP and
to the IRS.

     FMTSF has set up a special account with Bank of America called The
Tsuga Search Project of the Eastern Native Tree Society to receive
grants and donations. Acting in his ENTS capacity, Will Blozan will have
operational control of this account. FMTSF will maintain the account and
dispense funds according to Will's directions. The accounting and
reporting to IRS will be done by FMTSF. The Board of FMTSF will monitor
the flow of funds and report formally.

       Anyone wanting to donate money to the Tsuga Search Project should
make out the check to Friends of Mohawk Trail State Forest with an
indication on the check that it is for the Tsuga Search Project. Please
send checks to the following address:

     Friends of Mohawk Trail State Forest

     106 Morningside Drive

     Florence, MA 01062

      Will Blozan will be the one to report on progress of the project
to those who donate. FMTSF will send out thank you letters to donors
stating the tax deductibility of the donations. As of now, the Tsuga
Search Project can receive donations.

      For your information, the officers of FMTSF are:

        Robert T. Leverett, President

        John Knuerr, Executive Director,

        Monica Jakuc, Clerk-Treasurer

    The Friends Board consists of the following people:

       Robert T. Leverett

       John Knuerr

       Monica Jakuc

       Nancy Rich

       Anthony D'Amato

       Lee E. Frelich

    The officers of ENTS are:

      Will Blozan, President

      Lee Frelich, Vice President

      Robert Leverett, Executive Director

    Please feel free to ask any questions about this project and its
funding. Will will likely be the one to answer your questions. Also,
visit the “Tsuga Search Project” link on the webpage for more details and
updates concerning the Tsuga Search.

Bob



Robert T. Leverett
Cofounder, Eastern Native Tree Society
Tsuga Search News   Robert Leverett
  Jul 12, 2006 05:13 PDT 
ENTS,

2. Vying with the lead story is the wonderful news that Will Blozan got.
The GSMNP will fund the ENTS Tsuga Search project. Will was on his way
back to North Carolina from Massachusetts when he got the word and
called me from Newark, N.J. Will was one of my three best men at
Monica's and my wedding this past Sunday.
 Tsuga Search Needs You!                     Robert Leverett, Monday, January 28, 2008 4:54 PM
ENTS,

    The first phase of Tsuga Search is rapidly drawing to an end. Phase I has been a joint effort of ENTS, Appalachian Arborists, the GSMNP, and Friends of Mohawk Trail State Forest. Will is completing the voluminous study report that covers Phase I. It includes all the priceless research data he, Jess, and others gathered and that data will soon be placed in the public domain by the NPS. Public Domain status is a mixed blessing mainly because the NPS didn't even come close to covering the full cost of the project and the data collected - not even close.

     The physical and mental effort that Will has put into Tsuga Search to date has been gargantuan and though that effort has been made in the most positve way, I can testify that it has taken a frightful financial toll. Knowing Will, and given no other alternative, he would take the same course again even knowing what the cost would be. He's that dedicated to Tsuga canadensis. 

      Will greatly appreciates what has been donated so far by Ents to Tsuga Search, but I can personally confirm that outside contributions haven't been a drop in the bucket to what he has spent out of his own pocket. He would never come on this list and say that, but it is absolutely true. Will literally committed tens of thousands of personal dollars to Phase I of the Tsuga Search Project.  

     Tsuga Search is about to enter its second phase. If we as an organization are to continue the Tsuga Search effort, Will is going to need as much financial support as we can possibly give him. At this point, the modeling of Usis and several other big hemlocks while they are still standing, visiting and documenting hemlocks at Savage Gulf, TN, and briefings and lecturings on what is being lost as the greatest of all hemlocks succumb to the adelgid represents Phase II. At least, this is Phase II as I presently understand it. Will needs to say more about phase II and outline the financial side of the phase. 

       I hope, as an organization, we can make a good financial effort toward Phase II. Tsuga Search represents ENTS at its best. I hope we don't have to abandon it. 

Bob

 
Tsuga Search Needs You!                    Monica Jakuc  Leverett, Monday, January 28, 2008  PM
Dear ENTS,

Let me second Bob's plea for Tsuga contributions.  Here's where to send your checks:

Friends of Mohawk Trail State Forest, Inc.
Tsuga Search
106 Morningside Drive
Florence, MA  01062

Make checks payable to Friends of Mohawk Trail State Forest, Inc., and mark them "for Tsuga Search."  Your contributions will then become tax deductible, and you will receive an acknowledgment from us.

We will then send the money on to Appalachian Arborists.

Thanks in advance for your support,

Monica


Monica Jakuc Leverett
Elsie Irwin Sweeney Professor of Music
Sage Hall 204
Extension 3165 or 584-3017