The Village of Ada Tree Commission was honored to accept the Tree City USA award in a ceremony hosted by the community of Lakeside on May 3. The Village has earned the Tree City Award for 36 years.
PHOTOS AT BOTTOM OF STORY -
The Village of Ada Tree Commission would also like to congratulate the work of Terry Keiser and Mark Bricker of Ohio Northern University for earning the Tree Campus USA for the 7th year.
The awards were presented by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Forestry.
The Division of Forestry acts as a guiding hand in helping communities become qualified as a Tree City USA.
In order to achieve the title and honors, a community must meet four standards:
• a tree ordinance
• and active Tree Commission
• a comprehensive urban forestry program supported by a minimum of $2 per capita
• and an annual Arbor Day proclamation and public observance.
The State of Ohio boasts the greatest number of Tree Cities in the country with a grand total this past year of 243. This year marks Ohio’s 40th year as the top Tree City USA state, according to ODNR.
Ada also earned a Growth Award for the fourth year.
In order to earn that title and honor, a community must have made additions or significant improvements to the tree program in the past year. To earn the award for 2016, the Ada Tree Commission began a tradition of giving an annual report to Council and for increasing the quantity of information made available via the Village website.
Ohio Northern University, under the lead of Dr. Terry Keiser, earned Tree Campus USA designation by meeting five standards:
• campus tree advisory committee
• campus tree care plan
• campus tree program with dedicated annual expenditures
• Arbor Day observance
• and a service learning project.
During this year’s celebration, the commission heard from Cheryl Harner, a conservationist and environmental educator. Ms. Harner’s presentation explored the history of some of the United States’ most significant trees, as well as shared some new print and electronic resources for the tree care world.
For additional information about the Tree City USA program or the Arbor Day Foundation, visit www.arborday.org.
Photo IDs:
• The following Ada Tree Commissioners were on hand to accept the Tree City USA Award for Ada at the Northwest Ohio Tree City USA Awards Ceremony: (front row):Jamie Hall, Don Traxler and Angela Polachek; (back row): Norm Rex, Terry Keiser, Beth Fenton, Mark Bricker and Mike Hubbell.
• Terry Keiser and Mark Bricker accepted the Tree Campus USA Award for Ohio Northern University at the Northwest Ohio Tree City USA Awards Ceremony.
