An authorized budget was unavailable during this first 3-month working period of this project. Our ability to use the $100K that DOE had dedicated to the project was frustrated by the internal problem of getting an account number issued to bill our expenses to. This has delayed the initiation of a portion of the tasks to be performed. However, enough has been accomplished to allow the project to meet the first years planting goals. This will also allow the initiation of several start-up activities that could not have been possible without established tree plantations.