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| Create the Vision Subcommittee Looking At Tree Preservation for the Community |
Trees — an “urban forest” in the language of Ohio’s Division of Forestry — are getting some attention from Create the Vision, the plan to guide development in the City of Centerville and Washington Township for the next 20 years.
Members of Create the Vision’s Land Use and Community Appearance subcommittee have discussed trees and landscaping in several recent meetings.
Wendi Crabill, an Urban Forester with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, spoke to subcommittee members at their December meeting.
“Urban forests grow in parks, cemeteries, schools, along streets, and in all other public and private properties,” she said. “The benefits of a healthy and functional urban forest are many: local climatic and environmental improvement, reduced community energy demand, improved public safety, and increased property values. With planning, cooperation, and innovation, a community can begin to manage its urban forest resources to help meet its health, safety, social, cultural, and economic needs. “
Create the Vision’s guidelines contain two strategies regarding tree preservation:
- Enhance regulations that require dedication of significant tree stands and adequate open space as an ongoing strategy.
- A long-term strategy calls for preserving and enhancing significant tree cover in the community through an urban forestry program.
At present, the City of Centerville has a tree preservation policy and for the past 19 years has been recognized by the National Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree City USA. The City also employs a full-time horticulturist to assist with tree preservation.
Washington Township Senior Planner Greg DeLong has begun to develop a formal tree preservation policy; however preservation has long been an interest of Washington Township Trustees and zoning officials. Over the past four years, the township has purchased 146 acres of land with the idea of controlling land use, including tree preservation. A Streetscape Plan, approved in 2001, establishes a plan for public areas that includes plantings and trees. The township contracts with a horticulture consultant to assist with preservation.
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| What is Tree City USA? |
The National Arbor Day Foundation, in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters, recognizes towns and cities across America that meet the standards of the TREE CITY USA program.
Nearly half of the trees in a typical city are on public property-along streets, in parks, and around buildings. The TREE CITY USA program is designed to recognize those communities that effectively manage their public resources, and to encourage the implementation of community tree management based on four TREE CITY USA standards. These four standards provide structure for a community forestry program, require that program to demonstrate success based on the judgment of the state forester’s office, and provide for an awareness and appreciation of trees among the residents of the community.
TREE CITY USA recognition can make a strong contribution to your community’s pride, and it will put you and your tree board in touch with other communities and resources that can help you improve your program.
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