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Born in Tree City, USA

Times Observer photo by Brian Ferry The City of Warren’s 30-year Tree City USA flag flies in Celoron Park.

It takes caring and dedication to maintain Tree City USA status for 30 years.

The City of Warren is proud of its urban forest and officials are hoping to share that pride and dedication with residents.

Right now, there are 2,698 trees in that forest. There are appropriate spaces for 3,000 more, with almost 1,800 that are ready right away.

According to the January 2018 inventory, prepared by then City Arborist Tom Frair, there are 4,960 appropriate sites. There are 1,559 trees in those locations and another 1,009 are in “less than ideal” sites.

Members of the city’s street landscape committee, the committee that serves as the city ‘tree board’ for purposes of Tree City USA consideration, recently attended a Penn State tree tenders course. Those attending were Josie Gerardi, Mark Davis, Mary Connaro, Jean Gomory, Sherry Johnson, Mark Eberl, and Terry Pearson.

Fall is the right time to plant a tree.

Property owners may plant trees in the space between the curb and the street. Or, they may request a tree for an open space.

“If you’re planting a tree on your own, you really need to research the aspects of the tree,” committee member Josie Gerardi said “You need to pick a tree you can handle.”

“As far as the property owner, it depends on what they want the tree for — shade, a wind break” or more of an ornamental tree, committee member Mark Davis said.

“You’re going to have to evaluate what you want,” Gerardi said. “If you’re a person who like birds coming to your property, there are a number of appropriate species.”

“If you like squirrels — oak,” Davis said.

Species diversity is an important consideration for the city.

Gerardi pointed out that the the top three most common species in the city are all maples. She said 17.9 percent of the city’s trees are Norway maple, another 9.1 percent is red maple, and sugar maples make up 8.7 percent.

Oak species are the next most common at 7.6 percent.

People like big shade trees, but sometimes, a smaller tree is right for the space.

“One thing with trees, people get upset if we don’t plant an oak or a maple,” Gerardi said. “They are susceptible to salt and we have a lot of wires.”

Big trees also contribute to another of the perceived problems with trees — leaves.

“Our city does collect the leaves if we get them out to the curb,” Gerardi said.

Once the type of tree is chosen and purchased, planting is the next step.

Most trees come from nurseries “balled in burlap.” That material has to be removed.

The root systems of packaged trees grow in circles. That needs to be changed before planting.

Both committee members recommend taking a look at the roots before buying a tree.

“Any tree that you purchase, gently tease out the roots,” Gerardi said.

A hole should be dug that is wider than the root system, but “you don’t want to plant it too deep,” she said.

“The root collar should be above ground level,” Davis said.

When filling in the hole, special soil or peat is not required. The tree needs to learn to grow in the native soil. “Break it up and put it back in the hole,” Gerardi said.

“You can mulch the top of it, but you have to be very careful to keep that mulch away from the tree trunk,” Davis said. Mulch should not be built up in a ‘volcano’ around the tree.

It can be placed in a ‘doughnut’ — three feet out, three inches deep, three inches away from the trunk, Gerardi said.

“When you plant a tree, you have to water it,” Gerardi said.

“Once a week for at least the first year,” Davis said. And “not just a surface watering.”

There is a danger of overwatering. Decrease the amount “if it looks soggy for a couple of days,” he said.

Some trees can be staked for stability, but ties must be loose enough for the tree to move, Davis said.

And, some, but not all, trees require pruning. There is much to learn about that topic and the committee members recommended reading a reputable book on the subject before pruning.

Any time a tree is cut — for pruning or for making way for sidewalks and driveways — it should be done with a sharp implement. Cut areas should not be painted — “it inhibits the tree from sealing off the cut,” Davis said, and can trap disease and bacteria inside.

Maintaining trees on a large scale has allowed the city to be among 108 communities in the state to earn Tree City USA this year and to be among the municipalities to earn it the longest. “There are not a lot of places that are more than 30,” Gerardi said. “That’s a feather in our cap.”

According to Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Cornplanter District Forester Cecile Stelter, “there are four standards that must be met in order to qualify in the Tree City USA program…

¯ The tree board, department or committee must not only exist but must meet regularly and provide documentation of those meetings;

¯ the community must have a specific tree ordinance;

¯ the community forestry program must have an Annual Budget of at least $2 per capita; and

¯ there must be an Arbor Day proclamation and event.”

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