He’s Riverside’s answer to Johnny Appleseed, but he’s interested in more than apples. Tom Sisulak — teacher, farmer, naturalist and environmentalist — is enlisting the aid of others to ensure that the “Village in a Forest” can survive the onslaught of invasions of fungus and foreign beetles such as the emerald ash borer, the Dutch elm disease and other environmental hazards killing our trees.

You won’t find Sisulak wearing a red cape as he fights to save the forests, but he will have in his knapsacks thousands of seeds for trees such as the northern red oak, burr oak, black walnut and hickory. We know these seeds as “nuts.”

On Saturday, Nov. 15, Sisulak and volunteers will hold their second 1,000 Tree Planting Project, which will be the kickoff to replenish trees already lost, hoping that Riverside will continue to be known as “The Village in a Forest.”

Volunteer seed planters and the interested public will meet at 10 a.m. at the Riverside United Methodist Church, 82 Woodside Road. At that time, the Rev. Bromleigh McCleneghan will offer a prayer and dedicate the project. Sisulak will offer an educational seminar until 11:30 a.m. (He knows a lot about trees and their history and puts on a good show. After 33 years as a high school teacher and coach, his talk should be entertaining and interesting.)

This will be followed by the introduction of two gentlemen of Native American heritage. Joseph Standing Bear Schranz of Stickney, an Objibwe Indian, and Frank Standing Deer UItter of Channahon, Ill. Ultter, who will play his wooden flute, explained that the word “channahon” is translated from the Cherokee to reflect, “Where three rivers meet” (the Fox, the DesPlaines and the Illinois rivers). Both will tell of the Native American culture of our area as it was before the arrival of the Europeans.

This event will include the planting of a very important seed by a very special person from the Riverside United Methodist Church community, Dr. Marion Magalotti, U.S. Army World War II veteran who nurtures trees he grows from seed in his backyard greenhouse in Riverside. He and Sisulak will plant a seed from the 300-year-old burr oak tree that still gives shade on the church lawn.

Said Sisulak, “The old burr oak is not doing so well, but it will be duplicated and hopefully will shade the church for another 300 years.”

The tree will grow on the Kimbark Road side of the church. Experience is a good teacher. The first 1000 Tree Planting Project was nearly doomed last year.

“There was a flood and the seeds, or nuts, got wet. I put about 1200 acorns on my picnic tables to dry. The next morning all the nuts were gone. My resident squirrels had buried them for their own use.”

According to Sisulak, the squirrels, which he named “Bonnie and Clyde,” keep an eye on him.

“If I store nuts in the trunk of my car, I find Bonnie and Clyde sitting on the trunk, waiting for me to make a mistake and leave the trunk open.”

One of the latest threats to the well-being of our trees is the emerald ash borer. It was first discovered in southeastern Michigan, near Detroit, in the summer of 2002. It probably arrived in the U.S. in solid wood packing material carried in cargo ships or on airplanes originating in its native Asia.

According to Juli Heminghous, who is the emerald ash borer outreach coordinator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, “Tens of thousands of ash trees have been destroyed in Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Wisconsin, causing millions of dollars damage to property owners, nursery operators and the forest products industry. The adult beetles nibble on ash foliage but cause little damage. Their larvae feed on the inner bark of ash trees, disrupting the tree’s ability to transport water and nutrients.”

In addition to the beautification of Riverside, the tree-planting project will contribute to the production of oxygen and the sequestering of carbon. Trees filter airborne particulates, stabilize soil, improve water quality and provide a habitat for urban dwelling wildlife, in addition to moderating both air temperatures and wind velocity. Trees also reduce noise pollution and save on heating and cooling costs. It is no secret that trees beautify the landscape and increase property values. 

An article in the March 2006 issue of “Living” magazine gives the history of how the “Dutch Elm Disease” was introduced into our country by shipping crates and lumber from Europe. The disease is named “Dutch Elm Disease” only because the woman who discovered the fungus in 1930 was Dutch. By 1960 the disease had virtually wiped out all of the American elms in New England and many in our own communities.

Gina Tedesco, Manager of Public Relations at Morton Arboretum, explained that the Arboretum has bred two species of American elm trees that are resistant to the Dutch elm beetle. They are named “Accolade” and “Triumph” and are available in the Chicago area. For more information, call Tedesco at (630) 725-2103.

The 1000 Tree Planting Project is sponsored by the Riverside United Methodist Church in partnership with Mike Collins, Riverside forester, and supported by Riverside President Jack Wiaduck and Riverside Village Manager Katie Rush. A brochure about the project states, “Even the largest trees that populate our riverbanks began as tiny seeds, decades or even centuries ago. We currently enjoy trees planted by Riverside residents in years past and hope to see our seeds grow into trees that will be enjoyed for generations to come.”

At the conclusion of the tree planting program, the teams will return to the Riverside United Methodist Church for a presentation of certificates and a warming meal of chili.

For more information, contact Riverside United Methodist Church at (708) 447-1760 or www.umcriverside.org.