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Beautification Committee
Steven Graham, Committee Chairman
 I'll be your Beautification Chairman this year. I've held several positions in the Association over the years but I'm hoping this one will be the most gratifying because there's nothing that I appreciate more than seeing our neighborhood clean and beautiful. My predecessor's did a fantastic job of that last year and I'd like to thank Jason Stagg and Joe Rajnert for all of their hard work. I'll do my best to continue their efforts.
I'm sure many of you are wondering what the latest is on the sign at Goodwood and Sharp. The sign was damaged and the supporting brick columns were destroyed by a hit and run driver in March 2007. We all know that replacing the damaged sign has taken longer than expected. However, as we began looking into the replacement of the sign, we found that it needed to be relocated lower to the ground and without the large columns for safety reasons. Naturally, this requires some expensive foundation and utility work. Next, we also discovered that the rest of the signs at entrances to Broadmoor would need to be replaced in the next couple of years, due to age. So, realizing that the cost was going to be more than originally anticipated, we decided that if we're going to make this type of investment in the neighborhood, we should take this opportunity to give the neighborhood a fresh new look, rather than just replacing them the current style. Visit our web page for more news as it develops - broadmoor-br.org/beautification.html.
Ideally, we'd like to have an architect come up with a "Master Plan" of where our new signs should be located and what we'd like the neighborhood to say to new buyers. So, we've started by submitting some ideas for the sign to a graphic designer and we hope to have a final design ready to submit for the board's approval within the next month. Mr. David Guillory at DPW has also let the board know that we may be able to receive some assistance from the city on this project and I think we need to take advantage of the offer while it's on the table. Therefore, my first hurdle as Beautification Chairman will be to get this project rolling.
Since this is one of the most labor intensive committees in Broadmoor, I'm always on the lookout for more volunteers! You can get it touch with me by calling our Hotline at 926-9829 and choosing the new option #33 for Beautification, or Just send an email Attn: Beautification in the subject line.
Our Yard of the Season awards will be handed out in a few months, so please send me any nominations you have of lovely yards in neighborhood.
Adopt-an-Oak Project
Click here for photos and more information about the EBR Tree & Landscape Commission "Adopt-an-Oak Program".
April 15: Time to Organize Neighborhood Fire Ant Control
 Two things are inevitable this time of year in Louisiana, taxes and pesky fire ants. April 15 is an important deadline for Federal taxes, and it is also the beginning of fire ant season. It is a good idea to begin planning now for a mid-April community-wide assault on your neighborhood fire ant populations. Researchers at the LSU AgCenter have found that when people join together in their fight against fire ants that they are more successful, and it is more cost effective for everyone. For example, in one study, they found that residents spent ten times less money on ant bait, put three times less chemical in the environment, and achieved six months of fire ant suppression when they conducted a neighborhood fire ant suppression program. This means they only have to treat twice a year. For details, call Dale Pollet at 578-2370 or Patty Beckley at 578-2180 at the LSU AgCenter Department of Entomology. Email or pbeckley@agcenter.lsu.edu or visit the web site at LSU AgCenter
Southern Gardens and Non-Native Plant Invasions
by Hallie Dozier, Board Member
 Many plants that we associate with the South, like this azalea, actually originate in other parts of the world.
A few species, like water hyacinth, cause widespread problems. Here, water hyacinth forms a dense mat that prevents light from reaching the water of a bayou in south Louisiana. Aggressive invaders, like this cat's claw vine shrouding trees in a park near New Orleans, can harm natural areas by excluding native plants. The United States is a nation of avid gardeners. We garden for food and for pleasure, and since the earliest European colonists arrived here almost 600 years ago, we have relied on an enormous number of plants from all parts of the world to populate our gardens.
Continue . . .
Make Wise Tree Removal Decisions before a Hurricane
Each year, as the tropical cyclone season arrives, homeowners across the region are eyeing their trees and wondering how safely they will weather the season. Should the tree stay or should it go? For many homeowners, the visible and physical impact of the destruction of trees and property during storm events is enough to prompt them to engage in "chain saw backlash," or the unnecessary removal of perfectly good, sound trees. Continue . . .
Hire An Arborist for Residential Tree Needs
by Hallie Dozier, Board Member
Why hire an arborist? Trees, on home grounds or in parks, are valuable assets to us all. Trees also are a long-term investment for property owners and managers. Like any investment, trees require effort to keep their value. That means that tree owners and managers must make careful decisions about care and maintenance, which may require occasional advice and service of a professional. In the world of landscape and community trees, arborists are the specialists who can help safeguard your trees. This article will help explain when it is best to call an arborist and how to select the right one. Continue . . .
Hallie Dozier is an Assistant Professor at LSU AgCenter's School of Renewable Natural Resources, and a member of the Broadmoor Residents Association Board of Directors.
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