Extension Urban Forester Julianne Schieffer Retires

Julianne Schieffer was hired in 1991, coinciding with the establishment of the Extension Urban Forestry Team, where she was part of a team of four regional educators working under Dr. Bill Elmendorf. Her efforts focused on thirteen counties in southeastern Pennsylvania, which are home to nearly 40% of the state's population and hundreds of communities, including Philadelphia, needing guidance in managing their community trees.

Early in her career, Julianne forged partnerships with various organizations, notably the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, with which she co-founded the Tree Tenders Program alongside Mindy Maslin. Since its inception in 1993, the Tree Tenders Program has trained over 10,000 volunteers in southeastern Pennsylvania and throughout the state. The program educates community members about the benefits of urban trees, their growth patterns, proper planting and maintenance, and how to organize volunteer planting events. Tree Tenders has expanded across Pennsylvania and continues to serve as a model for volunteer training nationwide.

As a Penn State Extension Educator, Julianne developed and contributed to numerous conferences and workshops over the years. Some of her offerings included the Arborist Short Course, Pruning for Professionals, Woods in Your Backyard, Community Tree Stewards, Tree Climbing School, Riparian Forest Buffers Workshop, and Growing Your Futures, a field day designed to introduce middle school students to careers in natural resources. Additionally, she co-authored the publication Pruning Landscape Trees with Dr. Bill Elmendorf. Julianne's passion for teaching was evident as she brought enthusiasm to her lessons, often engaging volunteers with fun activities to demonstrate tree biology, like having them act like trees moving in the wind. She creatively referenced everyday objects in describing different tree species, making tree identification more accessible and enjoyable. Julianne also shared her experiences of making "hooch" from some of the native berries she collected.

We wish Julianne all the best in her retirement as she moves to be closer to family in the Midwest. She will undoubtedly be missed by the many communities she has supported over the years.

Communities in southeastern Pennsylvania needing assistance should contact DCNR Community Forestry Specialist Orsi Lazar or Penn State Extension Urban Forester Vincent Cotrone.