New Syracuse Board Begins First Project
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
SYRACUSE - Eleven trees were planted on Main Street, Syracuse, Tuesday, as part of Syracuse's efforts to become a Tree City USA.
"It's the first project (of the Syracuse Tree Board)," said Syracuse Park Superintendent Mike Hixenbaugh. More trees will be planted in the spring.
The Tree Board was officially formed at October's Syracuse Town Council meeting when the council approved the ordinance.
To qualify for Tree City USA, a town or city must meet four standards established by The National Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters.
The first standard is for a tree board or department to be formed and a community tree ordinance to be passed. Members of Syracuse's tree board are town manager Brian Redshaw, town councilwoman Carol Koble, utilities superintendent Kent Thielka, plant pathologist Jerry Riffle and Hixenbaugh. Their first meeting is today at approximately 1 p.m.
The town or city must then give evidence that the community has established a forestry program, supported by an annual budget of at least $2 per capita. Hixenbaugh said the town already meets the per capita requirement because they already spend the per capita on maintenance.
Finally, the town must have an Arbor Day observance and proclamation, which is the last standard Syracuse has yet to meet.
Myers Landscape Nursery, Syracuse, planted the 11 trees Tuesday. Six of them were Cleveland Select Callery Pears and the remaining trees were ginkgos.
The pear trees will grow to 35 to 40 feet. Their leaves are glossy green, turning brilliant gold-red to plum in the fall, according to information by Pennsylvania State University, provided by Hixenbaugh.
Ginkgos will grow to 50 to 80 feet. Their foliage has a distinctive fan shape and is clear yellow in the fall.
The trees will help Syracuse in many ways, Hixenbaugh said.
"We have an aging tree population and we need to start ... thinking about replacing them now," he said. For several years, the town has removed trees and now needs to put some back.
Hixenbaugh said the new trees will help "maintain existing canopy" and beautify the town.
Main Street was chosen after careful consideration by the board. Hixenbaugh said, "We walked, drove, looked for empty spots. We focused on Main Street since it's such a visible street in town."
The goal of the Tree Board, he said, will be to inform the public on the maintenance and pruning of trees - "the right tree in the right place," he said.
The board also will help provide information to the public on trees and will see that the town maintains its trees as recommended by the American National Standards Institute.
Syracuse is one of many towns in the area that are becoming Tree cities. Other area towns or cities include Columbia City, Fort Wayne, Goshen and Nappanee.
Hixenbaugh said, "Columbia City is an example - they plant 30 to 50 trees a year." [[In-content Ad]]
SYRACUSE - Eleven trees were planted on Main Street, Syracuse, Tuesday, as part of Syracuse's efforts to become a Tree City USA.
"It's the first project (of the Syracuse Tree Board)," said Syracuse Park Superintendent Mike Hixenbaugh. More trees will be planted in the spring.
The Tree Board was officially formed at October's Syracuse Town Council meeting when the council approved the ordinance.
To qualify for Tree City USA, a town or city must meet four standards established by The National Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters.
The first standard is for a tree board or department to be formed and a community tree ordinance to be passed. Members of Syracuse's tree board are town manager Brian Redshaw, town councilwoman Carol Koble, utilities superintendent Kent Thielka, plant pathologist Jerry Riffle and Hixenbaugh. Their first meeting is today at approximately 1 p.m.
The town or city must then give evidence that the community has established a forestry program, supported by an annual budget of at least $2 per capita. Hixenbaugh said the town already meets the per capita requirement because they already spend the per capita on maintenance.
Finally, the town must have an Arbor Day observance and proclamation, which is the last standard Syracuse has yet to meet.
Myers Landscape Nursery, Syracuse, planted the 11 trees Tuesday. Six of them were Cleveland Select Callery Pears and the remaining trees were ginkgos.
The pear trees will grow to 35 to 40 feet. Their leaves are glossy green, turning brilliant gold-red to plum in the fall, according to information by Pennsylvania State University, provided by Hixenbaugh.
Ginkgos will grow to 50 to 80 feet. Their foliage has a distinctive fan shape and is clear yellow in the fall.
The trees will help Syracuse in many ways, Hixenbaugh said.
"We have an aging tree population and we need to start ... thinking about replacing them now," he said. For several years, the town has removed trees and now needs to put some back.
Hixenbaugh said the new trees will help "maintain existing canopy" and beautify the town.
Main Street was chosen after careful consideration by the board. Hixenbaugh said, "We walked, drove, looked for empty spots. We focused on Main Street since it's such a visible street in town."
The goal of the Tree Board, he said, will be to inform the public on the maintenance and pruning of trees - "the right tree in the right place," he said.
The board also will help provide information to the public on trees and will see that the town maintains its trees as recommended by the American National Standards Institute.
Syracuse is one of many towns in the area that are becoming Tree cities. Other area towns or cities include Columbia City, Fort Wayne, Goshen and Nappanee.
Hixenbaugh said, "Columbia City is an example - they plant 30 to 50 trees a year." [[In-content Ad]]