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X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://dunbarspringneighborhoodforesters.org
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Dunbar/Spring Neighborhood Foresters
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260727
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260728
DTSTAMP:20260525T063540
CREATED:20251126T143120Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251126T143120Z
UID:1224-1785110400-1785196799@dunbarspringneighborhoodforesters.org
SUMMARY:Brush and bulky pick up in Dunbar/Spring Neighborhood\, Tucson\, AZ – get your pruning done ahead of time
DESCRIPTION:Brush and bulky pick up in the Dunbar/Spring neighborhood is on July 27\, 2026\,\nso be sure to place any prunings you want hauled away\, on the street curb before then. \nIf you set your prunings out about three weeks before brush and bulky pick up\, most leaves will dry up and fall off prunings before brush and bulky pick up\, so those leaves and their fertility stay in the neighborhood as a beneficial water-conserving/soil-building mulch. \nPruned twigs and stems cut into 5-inch or shorter sections also make a great mulch.\nDon’t use longer sections for mulch\, because they act more like pack rat habitat and fire fuel than mulch.\nShorter pieces maximize soil-mulch contact and increase the rate of beneficial decomposition into humus.\nPlace the mulch in your basin bottoms where more water will collect\, which will also increase the beneficial decomposition. \nPrunings set along street curb should be no longer than 5-feet in length to ensure they will be picked up by brush & bulky.\nMake your pruning piles neat\, and keep them clear of public walkways so they do not block access. \n• See our Events page for our hands-on pruning and tree care workshop (preceeding brush & bulky pick up)\, where you will learn how to prune in a way that enhances the health of trees\, rather than make them worse. \n• Be sure to prune to keep all public pathways in the public rights-of-ways clear to a minimum 5-foot width and 7-foot height of clearance required by the city to enhance access for all. \n• This is also a great opportunity to remove dead wood / fire fuel from trees. \n• For more on pruning & mulching see here \nSee here for more info on Brush and Bulky\, and pick up schedule for other neighborhoods
URL:https://dunbarspringneighborhoodforesters.org/event/brush-and-bulky-pick-up-in-dunbar-spring-neighborhood-tucson-az-get-your-pruning-done-ahead-of-time-2/
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Phoenix:20261012T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/Phoenix:20261012T170000
DTSTAMP:20260525T063540
CREATED:20260503T143022Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260503T143215Z
UID:1350-1791792000-1791824400@dunbarspringneighborhoodforesters.org
SUMMARY:Sign up for installation of rain gardens and plantings with the 31th Annual Dunbar/Spring (& 8th Annual West University) Neighborhood Rain\, Tree\, & Native Food Forest Planting – Tucson\, AZ
DESCRIPTION:For placing an order in follow the steps below ASAP\nFirst step:\nSign up on the Neighborhood Foresters Contact page here\n \nSecond step:\nFill out\, sign\, & return this maintenance/stewarding agreement to NeighborhoodForesters@gmail.com. \nThird step:\nIf you want to qualify for Tucson Water’s rainwater harvesting rebate or the low-income water harvesting grants and loans (as of July 1\, 2023) you are required to take an eligible free workshop BEFORE installation of your system. \n  \nImplementation is planned for winter\, exact dates in late 2026 or early 2027 will be announced once we have the permits. \nSince 1996 this program has coordinated neighborhood & community volunteers to plant over 1\,800 trees in the public rights-of-ways of the Dunbar/Spring neighborhood\, along with thousands of understory plants. These plantings are freely irrigated by rain and stormwater passively harvested within water-harvesting earthworks. All these neighborhood earthworks combined annually harvest over 1 million gallons of stormwater\, that previously wastefully drained away. \nIn 2020 through 2026 we even expanded into the adjoining neighborhood of West University – we plan to do the same in 2027. \nWe could also expand into another adjoining neighborhood if we get a resident from that neighborhood to step up and collaborate with us. \nThese plantings save you and our community water and money; grow shade\, cooling\, and comfort; help recharge our local groundwater; reduce flooding; sequester carbon; provide wildlife habitat; improve soil fertility; grow food\, fiber\, fodder\, and beauty; build community; and enhance quality of life for everyone. \nLet’s keep it going and expanding – invest in\, and help steward\, the pocket of the community forest adjoining your home\, business\, school\, or organization now! \n  \nFirst – we plant the rain!\nWATER-HARVESTING-BASIN-CREATION SERVICE:\nOnce again\, we are working with licensed contractors (John Litzel of Little John Excavating and Jeff Rhody of Dryland Design) to: \n• Mark all underground utilities pre-excavation and design.\n• Dig street-side basin(s) [average size is 5 to 8 feet long x 5 feet wide x 1 foot deep] with a backhoe\n• Remove excavated soil with backhoe and dump truck\n• Deliver and hand-set local Catalina granite rock to stabilize the basin banks and planting terraces. (Those wanting to learn how to set rock and work with\, and learn from\, the contractor may have this opportunity – contact Brad if this interests you).\n• Drill core holes in the street curb to direct street runoff into the street-side basin for a lifetime of free stormwater irrigation and flood control\n• Apply organic-matter mulch to basins derived from composted goat pen bedding and manure from neighborhood goats that eat neighborhood prunings\n• Handle the permitting\n• Plant selection\, pick up\, design\, & placement within the ideal rain garden planting zone.\n• Organize community planting with volunteers. \nCosts\nAverage cost of average basin (8′ long x 5′ wide x 1′ deep) without rebate is $2\,000 – $3\,000 per basin with curb coring.\nThough if you have room\, it is often better to go with larger basins (or more basins) to capture still more water. \nA $100 discount is applied if you participate in all the Neighborhood Foresters’ rain-irrigated native food forest community plantings the year your basins are installed. \nA $100 fee is charged if you do NOT participate in the community planting of your community basins. \nA major focus of our program is getting neighbors helping neighbors in the planting\, as it builds community\, makes friends\, & spreads info on the program as you literally set roots in your community. \nCosts increase as size of basin increases\nor if we hit a lot of caliche hardpan\, especially when we need to remove the caliche and then bring in fill dirt to replace the hardpan.\nWe don’t know the true conditions of your site’s subsoil until we excavate. \nThe Tucson Water rainwater-harvesting rebate covers $1 per gallon of street-side basin(s) capacity  up to a total rebate of $2\,000. \nLow-income grants and loans also available \nNew revision has increased the rebate\nIn the past\, the City Rainwater Harvesting $2\,000 rebate was limited to $500 for passive water-harvesting systems (systems without tanks)\, but the Dunbar Spring Neighborhood Foresters program now qualifies for the full $2\,000 rebate for passive systems! \nTo get the rebate\nTucson Water customers applying for a rainwater harvesting or gray water harvesting rebate will be required to take a free 3-hour workshop before installation of their system.\n(Starting January 2024\, you must have taken a workshop no farther back than July 2023\, or you will need to re-take the workshop before you submit your rebate pre-approval).\nThe Neighborhood Foresters will generate a water-harvesting plan for pre-approval\, you can then submit with your rebate application.\n \nAmazing deal\nEven without the rebate\, this program is an amazing deal\, but with the rebate it is even more amazing! The average basin can capture over 4\,500 gallons of stormwater per year (assuming average annual rainfall of 11 inches). Trees and other plantings planted with such basins grow to be healthier and  larger\, and have faster growth rates than those without such basins. And the basins bottoms and planting terrace can be seeded or planted with beautiful native understory plantings. See here for ideas of understory plantings and their ideal planting location. \nThis basin creation price is lower than market rates because we are able to get a bulk deal by pooling many installations and permits into one—it pays to collaborate as a community! We coordinate the design services\, underground utility markings\, permitting\, inspection\, and contracting so you don’t have to! \nExcavation is done by a backhoe and operator\, excavated soil is removed from site (unless homeowner wants to use it elsewhere on property)\, and includes rock\, professional rockwork\, curb coring\, and mulch. The basins have high capacity – resulting in far more free irrigation stormwater\, groundwater recharge potential\, and more flood control. \nYou can see an example of Dryland Design’s rockwork in Dunbar/Spring neighborhood at street side basins in front of 224 W. 2nd Street\, 236 W. University Blvd. and the northeast corner of 10th Ave and 2nd Street.\, along with photos below.\nFor examples in the West University neighborhood\, see street-side basins at 848 N. 3rd Ave.\, 437 E 1st St.\, and 945 N. 5th St on 1st Street. \nAlternate materials to using rock to stabilize basin banks include:\n• mesquite logs – see example in public right-of-way just west of chicane on SW corner of 10th Ave and University Blvd and at 848 N. 3rd Ave.\n• urbanite – pieces of old sidewalk – see example on north side of Whistlestop at 127 W. 5th Street; or in front of 40 W. University Blvd.\n• No stabilization of basin banks – just gradually sloped soil.\nThis is the least expensive option where the location allows for it. \nPLANT ORDER AND DELIVERY:\nNative trees (5-gallon size) cost $39 each.\n3-gallon-size plants cost $31 each.\nUnderstory plants (1-gallon size) cost $14 each.\nNative wildflower & restoration seed is $10.\nOrganic-matter mulch is $20-$40 per basin (larger basins require more mulch).\nWe select\, purchase\, deliver\, and place the plants for you; then coordinate and supervise crews of volunteers (including adjoining property owner/residents) to plant.\nTrees\, understory plants\, and native wildflower & restoration seed are all planted at the same time. This makes irrigating them all (to get them established) much easier as you are already irrigating\, and quickly establishes a living sponge of beautiful\, sheltering\, wildlife-supporting\, vegetation including edible and medicinal species.\nThe mulch is applied after planting to enhance plant and soil health while increasing water infiltration and decreasing water loss to evaporation. \nYou are expected to participate in the planting along with other community volunteers – deepen your roots and get to know your plants and neighbors. \n  \nEXISTING WATER-HARVESTING BASIN EXPANSION SERVICE:\nThe basin creation service can also be used to enlarge or enhance existing (but perhaps undersized) basins.\nPrice depends upon how much the basin is enlarged or enhanced. \nWATER-HARVESTING CURB-CORING SERVICE:\nA minimum 2-inch of solid curb must remain above curb core. Where higher curbs allow\, we do 6-inch or 5-inch diameter curb cores – these cost more than smaller cores\, but are worth it as they allow for more water flow. Average cost per average 4-inch diameter core hole drilled is $85. A fantastic deal\, because once done you get free stormwater for life – as long as you keep the core inlet clear of debris.  \n  \nTO SUBMIT YOUR ORDER:\n• Email Brad at NeighborhoodForesters@gmail.com to get on the list\, send him your Maintenance/Stewarding Agreement filled out and signed for every address ordering trees. \n• Make sure you meet the requirements go get the help of the Dunbar/Spring Neighborhood Foresters program in the section below. \nIf you want to participate in the rebate program\, sign up for the free three-hour water harvesting class (you must take the class before we do the work). \nBrad will then schedule a time to meet with you on site to plan the scope of work and plant selection. \n  \n  \nRequirements to get the Rain and Tree Planting help of Dunbar/Spring Neighborhood Foresters program: \n1. Invasive weeds must be removed from all areas you want to plant rainwater and trees BEFORE the rain and trees are planted. \n2. Must have a continuous pedestrian path minimum 5-feet wide\, cleared to a height of 7 feet\, and having an approved path surface in the public right-of-way adjoining your property.\nIf you don’t already have this\, we can create it for you with the help of our contractors. \n\nApproved pathway materials that maintain public access and walkability:\n• Compacted native soil. Free and already on site! \n• Screened organic material (woodchip) mulch no larger than 1/2-inch in particle size.\n(Do not apply mulch thicker than a 1-inch depth. Thicker depths bog down small wheels of babycarriages and wheelchairs).\nOne local mulch supplier is Tank’s Green Stuff. \n• Compacted or stabilized ¼ to 3/8-inch minus decomposed granite (DG).\nThere are natural polymers that can be mixed in with the decomposed granite to better hold it together and stabilize it. DG is available from local landscape material suppliers. (Gary Wittwer\, past Landscape Architect\, City of Tucson Transportation Department told me this can be installed to be American Disabilities Act (ADA)-accessible \n• Pavers/brick\, which can be installed within the grade/slope tolerances of the ADA \n• Maintained concrete sidewalks (ADA-accessible) \n  \nNon-approved\, non-accepted path materials that inhibit public access and walkability:\n• Loose rock or gravel\n• Decomposed granite larger than 3/8-inch in particle size\n• Course organic material (woodchip) mulch larger than 1-inch in size; or organic mulch thicker than 1-inch depth. \n  \nNOTE: If you would like trees for planting on private property\,\n• Choose the native trees and understory plants you want by filling out and handing in (with payment) our order form. \nAlternatively\, you can also visit https://tucsoncleanandbeautiful.org/trees-for-tucson/ or call (520) 791-3109. Native and fruit trees are available (ideally you set up a greywater-harvesting system for these fruit trees first\, as they will require more water than native trees as well as regular watering in the hot and dry seasons). Note that the City of Tucson has a greywater-harvesting rebate covering up to half the cost of a greywater system with a rebate cap of $1\,000. \n\n\n\nDunbar Spring (and West University) Neighborhood\nRain Planting and Curb Coring Service flyer 2024 \nLittle John Excavating digging high-volume basin. Dump truck will haul away excavated soil. Photo: Brad Lancaster\n  \n\n  \n\nBeautiful rock work\, by Dryland Design\, stabilizing basin banks and planting terraces. Local surface rock – Catalina granite – is used. Photo: Brad Lancaster\n\n\n\nContractor drilling 4-inch diameter core hole through street curb so street runoff will enter and fill the basin. When possible\, we drill larger holes such as 6- and 5-inch diameter for even better water flow and less clogging potential.\nReproduced with permission from “Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond\, Volume 2\, 2nd Edition” by Brad Lancaster\nCurb core complete.\nReproduced with permission from Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond\, Volume 2\, 2nd Edition by Brad Lancaster\nComplete street-side rain garden harvesting street runoff for free irrigation. This is less than one year after installation. Photo: Brad Lancaster\nSee here for our 2026 installations and plantings
URL:https://dunbarspringneighborhoodforesters.org/event/sign-up-for-installation-of-rain-gardens-and-plantings-with-the-31th-annual-dunbar-spring-8th-annual-west-university-neighborhood-rain-tree-native-food-forest-planting-tucson-az/
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