Sidney’s Tree Board recently announced their annual tree sale. As the deadline approaches, I wanted to encourage residents to consider purchasing one or more of the trees for planting in their yards this year.

The board members have once again chosen some great varieties of trees. This year’s selections include the red maple, the shumard oak, the American hornbeam, the American beech, and the bur oak.

Each of the tree varieties will grow well in our community. The red maple will grow to a mature height of 40 to 60 feet. Its stems turn red in winter, and in the spring, the new leaves are red-tinged turning to green. In the fall, the leaves turn bright red or yellow. It will come from the nursery in a 7-gallon-container and be 6 to 8 feet in height. The tree will cost $58 each.

The shumard oak will also come from the nursery in a 7-gallon-container, and grow to a mature height of 40 to 60 feet. The shumard oak is a stately tree that will grow straight and tall, is very resilient and can withstand droughts, floods and strong winds. It is fast growing, prefers well-drained soils, and produces small acorns that wildlife enjoy. The tree will arrive from the nursery 6 to 8 feet in height, and will cost $59.

The American hornbeam will arrive from the nursery in a 5-gallon-container. It has yellow-green flowers in the spring, and has leaves that are doubly-toothed. It prefers moist soil, and is especially sensitive to drought, heat and soil compaction. It will grow to a mature height of 20 to 35 feet, will arrive from the nursery 3 to 5 feet in height, and will cost $35.

The American beech will grow to a mature height of 50 to 70 feet. It is formal and stately with a wide-spreading canopy that will provide great shade in the summer and beautiful bronze colors in the fall. It is a very versatile tree, often planted in parks and on golf courses. However, it is not a fast-growing tree but rather one planted for future generations to enjoy. This tree will come from the nursery 3 to 5 feet high in a five gallon container and will cost $42 each.

The bur oak is a long-lived tree, one that can easily live more than 250 years. It is tolerant of a variety of soil and moisture conditions. It prefers full sun, produces fringed acorns that are enjoyed by wildlife, and has leaves that are 6 to 12 inches in length. It will grow to a mature height of 70 to 80 feet with a canopy that will have an 80 foot spread. The trees will come from the nursery 3 to 5 feet in height, in a 5-gallon-container, and will cost $35 each.

Order forms are available online, and are due no later than this Friday, Oct. 8, 2021. Payment must be made at the time the trees are ordered, and the order forms must be mailed or dropped off at the city of Sidney Service Center (415 S. Vandemark Road).

The trees will be delivered from the nursery and available for pickup on Saturday, Oct. 30 from 9 a.m. until noon at the Sidney Service Center (415 S. Vandemark Road). The trees should only be planted on your property. None of these varieties are suitable for planting in the tree lawn (the space between the street and the sidewalk.)

I want to take this opportunity to encourage residents to purchase trees and plant them. The city has lost thousands of trees in the past decade as a result of the emerald ash borer. Not only has the emerald ash borer devastated Sidney’s ash trees, it has killed tens of millions of ash trees across the United States. It is expected that before the devastation is over, it will kill most of the 8,700,000,000 ash trees in North America.

It is easy to see the devastating impact the emerald ash borer has had on the environment. Replenishing the urban forest is one way that each of us can contribute in a small way to helping reverse the impact of the emerald ash borer.

The sale will provide every household the opportunity to economically plant trees. The trees are grown by Woody Nursery in Indiana. They are Grade A trees. However, neither the city nor the nursery is guaranteeing the trees since once they leave our care, we have no way of knowing the care the person receiving the tree is providing them.

That said, we have had great success with the nursery. A tulip poplar I planted in my yard in 2017 continues to thrive, and its yellow foliage in the fall brings joy to our family. It has required little care other than the pruning that is necessary with young trees.

I want to commend Sidney’s Tree Board for again sponsoring a tree sale. Under the able chairmanship of Ann Asher, the board includes Vice-chair Michael Jannides, Ross Moore III, Ann Sharp and Rick Steenrod. Their volunteer efforts have significantly bolstered Sidney’s urban fores