By Monty Siekerman
Education and involvement were the hallmarks of the Ada Tree Commission work in 2015.
The commission hosted a public meeting in April to discuss the declining pear trees along Main Street. Village forester Terry Keiser and an employee of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources made presentations.

Commission members took part in the Chamber of Commerce spring event at War Memorial Park. Youth and adults learned how to properly plant a tree when a large tree was planted at the event.

Information about the Asian longhorn beetle was given to those attending the spring event and at the school on Arbor Day. Children were encouraged to be beetle detectives.

Arbor Day at the school also included handing out small trees to third graders, receipt of a $500 check from Kiwanis Club, and the announcement of winning posters which were drawn by the students.

Ada was named Tree City USA for the 35th consecutive year. Also, the Village was one of the few communities in northwest Ohio to receive a growth award.

Village workers and commission members attended a chainsaw safety training program and a two-day tree academy.

Commission members worked with students attending a conference at ONU in June to trim trees and again with incoming ONU freshmen in August to help maintain trees.
Don Traxler served as commission chair in 2015 and was reelected chair for this year.

Pictured at Arbor Day in April at the school. Members of the tree commission displaying a flag which was awarded to the Village for its work in planting and maintaining trees.