SIDNEY — The 2021 Arbor Day celebration and the fall tree sale and plantings in the city were discussed during the Sidney Tree Board’s April 15 meeting.
The Arbor Day presentation will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, April 30, at Longfellow Primary School, 1250 Park St. A tulip poplar tree has been selected to be planted by Weigandt. The event will be scaled-down due to COVID-19 restrictions. During the meeting, Brian Green, Sidney street manager/ISA certified arborist, provided members a flier for ceremony.
Longfellow School will select students to attend the ceremony. According to meeting minutes, McDonald’s did not respond to the board’s request for coupons for the ceremony; however, Michael Jannides volunteered to provide coupons from The Spot Restaurant. Board Chair Ann Asher invited all members to attend the 20-minute ceremony.
In other business, Green displayed the 2020 Tree City USA and Growth Award plaques, and other items received from the 2021 Tree City Committee. The Tree City 2022 ceremony will be held in Springdale.
When discussing 2021 fall tree plantings, Green provided information on a “tree lottery” that will replace the prior tree planting program. Property owners are to submit a provided form, which is available between April 30 (Arbor Day) and June 30, for one tree per property. Properties will be chosen at random by the computer system, then will be reviewed by Green for the planting area and tree species.
Members discussed species of the small, medium and large tree species to be used. Species would be dependent upon the property and trees available. They also agreed the approved tree list needs to be updated.
Trees mentioned for the lottery and tree sale were: star magnolia (magnolia stellata), 25-foot; sargent cherry (prunus sargentii), 40-50-feet; sugar maple (acer saccharum), 60-75-feet; and, sweet gum (liquidamber styraciflua), 60-75-feet.
The purchase of trees will be bid out and will depend on availability. Bidders usually suggests a similar alternative if unavailable.
Also discussed at the meeting were the following:
• Fall tree sale: Green reported availability may be limited this year. He plans to contact the supplier, Woody’s, to see what is available.
• Hazardous trees: Asher checked out the site of a hazardous tree at property of which the home is a rental. There were a number of dead trees on that property. It was discovered the hazardous tree is the one leaning. Green sent a letter to property owner; their deadline to comply is June 7, 2021.
At the end of the meeting, members dismissed to take the Tree Board photo outside.
The next Sidney Tree Board meeting is set for Thursday, June 17.
