Green Solutions Welcomes Cardiologist and part time Arborist Dr. Michael Giudici to Monmouth to talk about Greenway Habitat
Dr. Michael Giudici, a cardiologist with Genesis Medical Center in Davenport, is well known for his skill as a physician but has also gained fame in the region for planting trees and being a strong proponent of urban reforestry. In the last 29 years Giudici has planted thousands of trees in the Quad Cities area and won several awards personally and for the group of volunteer arborists he started called Greenway Habitat. Dr. Giudici will be talking about his experiences planting trees and with urban forestry on June 24th at the Prairie Tech Learning Center from 7pm to 8:30pm. The program, sponsored by Green Solutions, is free and open to the public.
Dr. Giudici began his arborist career humbly by working with a local post office to plant some trees on an empty lot behind the post office. That sparked and interest for Giudici in urban reforestation and beautification. As his interest in improving the greenery in Davenport grew Michael realized he would need help to make the kind of impact he wanted. By 1991 he had a core group of volunteers organized that he dubbed “Greenway Habitat.” In addition to planting trees along major thoroughfares in Davenport the group also started the Davenport Reforestation Project supplying trees to new subdivisions.
The work of the Greenway Habitat and Dr. Giudici has been recognized by the National Association of Conservation Districts, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and the Davenport Chamber of Commerce, and the Iowa Urban and Community Forestry Foundation. Giudici was personally recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation with the Lawrence Enerson Award in 2001.
In his presentation in Monmouth, Dr. Giudici will share with those present his experiences in starting a volunteer urban forestry group, their accomplishments and what they still hope to achieve. He will also share with us his advice for maintaining and increasing our tree population in Monmouth as trees die due to disease, weather and age or are removed for various reasons.
Dr. Giudici will be speaking at the Prairie Tech Learning Center at 88B Public Square in Monmouth on Wednesday, June 24th from 7 to 8:30pm. Prairie Tech is located on the 3rd floor of the Patton Block Building next to the courthouse on the NW quadrant of the public square. There is an elevator entrance in the alley between the Patton Block Building and the Courthouse or there are steps up the front of the building. The program will start at 7pm and is free and open to the public. Please RSVP to 734-1068 or llblaine@illinois.edu.
