Text Box: Homeland Village Community Association is managed by: Association Property Management P.O. Box 757 Olney, Maryland 20830-0757 Phone: 301-421-1001 Fax: 301-421-1002 E-mail: APMInc@attglobal.net Nadene L. Neel Community Manager Text Box: HVCA Officers & Directors Chris Patton, President & Director Ramsey Williams, Vice President & Director Bob Beard, Treasurer & Director Don Duff, Secretary & Director Lil Litowsky, Director Text Box: No one can argue about the benefits of trees. They provide shade, color, screening and beauty as they change with the seasons. Walking through the HVCA community the trees are gorgeous but take a good look and you will begin to wonder what in the world the installer was thinking when the trees were planted. There are trees planted next to light poles, trees right next to buildings with sidewalks that border the remaining three sides of the small planting area, and fruit trees next to and overhanging sidewalks. Didn’t the installer realize that trees grow? HVCA spends thousands of dollars each year attempting to maintain the trees in HVCA. Crews were on the property this past month cutting tree branches away from condominium buildings and light poles. But regular trimming is only a temporary fix for the problem. Each year HVCA removes trees that have outgrown their “space” and are causing problems such as lifted sidewalks, blocked lamps and safety concerns. This effort will increase as the issues associated with HVCA trees mount. Some years ago, HVCA removed a number of plum trees Text Box: that were planted next to sidewalks. Each year the plum trees produce abundant crops of plums that ended up on sidewalks and in parking lots, attracting stinging insects, staining carpets as they were tracked inside homes, and creating slip hazards. The plum trees that do not pose immediate sidewalk hazards are trimmed regularly to attempt to keep their dropping fruit in the grass. Kousa (Chinese) Dogwoods, primarily around Bldg. 23, also product fruit and the landscapers are regularly challenged trying to clear the fruited sidewalks around this building. In addition to problems associated with tree location and fruit, HVCA is realizing a serious problem with the initial planting of some of its trees. Some trees were not properly “released” from their original burlap rootball. The burlap that is used to contain tree rootballs can be planted with the tree because it decomposes but the wire or synthetic roping used to gather the top of the rootball (around the base of the tree trunk) must be removed. Someone neglected this important step in planting some of the trees in HVCA. The end result is that the tree is strangled and eventually dies. A plum tree in front of Bldg. 10 and white pine trees across from Text Box: the community building died and were removed this year as a result of trunk strangulation. Each year HVCA removes 12 to 20 dead White Pine trees (or “golden” pines as I like to call them). Yes, some of them die due to strangulation, but the majority die because White Pines are not well-suited for this climate. With the additional stress of drought (yes, we were in a severe drought this time last year) White Pine trees die in large numbers. An HVCA article on trees would not be complete without mentioning the beautiful Bradford Pear tree, that is planted in abundance in HVCA. This tree was the wonder of the 70’s with its beautiful habit, white flowers in the spring and burgundy leaves in the fall; but it quickly became the scourge of the 90’s and beyond when people realized that top-heavy trees with weak wood do not withstand windstorms. Keeping the canopies thinned out to keep the tree from breaking apart is a constant battle because they just continue to grow... Text Box: Golden Spring Court: Paul Arellano & Deydemia Euribe Carlos & Ingrid Romero Vintage Spring Terrace: Charles Rouleau & Christina Ingersoll David Davidovic & Korana Bindjesko Vintage River Terrace—Janice Pandit Sunset River Court—Mak Tan Choe Text Box: Rolling Meadow Way: Parivash Biglarbeigi Mary Ellen Hartinger Bryan & Leslie Moore Brian Rogers Paul & Elizabeth Staehle Melvin Malaka Horacio & Tania Correa Connie Jo Rogers Text Box: TREES IN HVCA—A GROWING PROBLEM! Text Box: New HVCA Owners

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The Pipeline

Congratulations, and Welcome to Homeland Village

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE HVCA 4TH OF JULY PARTY ??

No one volunteered to chair and organize the HVCA 4th of July Party so it was cancelled.  The Party has always been a volunteer effort and the chair has always had plenty of “helpers”.  The problem is getting that ONE person to step up.  Don’t let this continue—Volunteer NOW to insure we have a 4th of July Party in 2004!