A nationally-known author, educator and wilderness guide is returning to Iowa this week to promote her new book. Ann Linnea is an Iowa State University graduate and her latest book, “Keepers of the Trees,” tells the stories of people across North America who are passionate about trees. Mark Signs, spokesman for Marion-based Trees Forever, says Linnea’s book features two Iowans, including his boss.
“Through the grapevine, she heard about our CEO Shannon Ramsay, who founded Trees Forever 20 years ago, and is still with us, promoting and planting trees across Iowa, Illinois and the Midwest,” Signs says. “Ann chose to tell Shannon’s story about how she started the organization and Shannon’s vision about trees.” Ramsay also serves as Board Chair for the national Alliance for Community Trees. Signs says Trees Forever connects people to the environment through the planting and care of trees, prairie and other natural areas.
“We work with communities on tree-planting projects, assisting them with developing and planning projects and helping to fund those,” Signs says. “We have a watershed and buffer program where we work with farmers and landowners to plant trees and native plants along streams and riverbanks.” Linnea’s book features another Iowa tree keeper, Glenn Cannon, former general manager of Waverly Light & Power.
Cannon guided the local municipal utility down a path of environmental care and stewardship that was fairly unique for such an entity at the time they started. Linnea will be speaking at the Trees Forever luncheon Friday in Cedar Falls. She’ll also do a reading on the U.N.I. campus Thursday at 7 P.M., with another reading Friday at 7 at Prairie Lights Bookstore in Iowa City.
Learn more at “www.treesforever.org“.