Tag Archives: Tree Commission

City of Wyoming designated Tree City USA for fourth year in a row

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Volunteers with the Wyoming Lee High School National Honor Society helping to plant trees in the Godfrey-Lee School District. (Supplied)

By Wyoming Tree Commission

For the fourth year in a row, the City of Wyoming has been designated a 2020 Tree City USA. The Tree Amigos, the city’s volunteer tree commission, completed the application in December 2020.

“Despite the pandemic, our amazing volunteer board was able to complete a fall tree planting that added 12 street trees in front of residents’ homes in the Godfrey Lee neighborhood and eight, new, mature trees to Oriole Park,” says board chair, Estelle Slootmaker. “We also planted six more trees at the Beverly Bryan Community Orchard at West Elementary, which is maintained by board members, Elizabeth Kreager and Molly Cartwright.”

Wyoming Tree Commission plants trees in the Godfrey Lee area. (Supplied)

The Tree City USA program has been greening up cities and towns across America since 1976. It is a nationwide movement that provides the framework necessary for communities to manage and expand their public trees.

More than 3,400 communities have made the commitment to becoming a Tree City USA. They have achieved Tree City USA status by meeting four core standards of sound urban forestry management: maintaining a tree board or department, having a community tree ordinance, spending at least $2 per capita on urban forestry and celebrating Arbor Day.

The City of Wyoming has a long ways to go to meet the recommended 40% tree canopy—an iTree survey puts our total canopy at 13.5%. Along with planting, maintaining the trees we already have is the best way to accomplish that goal,” Slootmaker says. “We are pleased to see that tree canopy is a priority of the new City of Wyoming masterplan.”

Explore the secret life of trees in KDL Kelloggsville upcoming book discussion

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By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

Trees will be the focus of the KDL Kelloggsville branch’s first-ever book talk Nov. 8 as the Wyoming Tree Commission will help lead the discussion on Peter Wohlleben’s groundbreaking book “The Hidden Life of Trees.”

 

“As we worked on increasing the tree cover in Wyoming, I came across this book and it is an amazing book,” said Tree Commissioner Jim Ward who will be leading the talk with KDL Kelloggsville’s Mike Zurgable.

 

Released in 2016, “The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate, Discoveries from a Secret World” is the first book in The Mysteries of Nature Trilogy by Wohlleben, a German forest ranger. The second book, “The Inner Life of Animals” was released last year and the third book, “The Secret Wisdom of Nature” has just been released.

 

In “Hidden Life of Trees,” Wohlleben shares his love of the woods and forests, discussing the process of life and death. He gives the trees human qualities as parents with children, communicating to each other, and supporting each other. Wohlleben draws from new discoveries, presenting the science behind the secret and previously unknown life of trees and their communication abilities. 

 

“He talks about things about the trees that no one ever knew,” Ward said. “How the trees take care of each other. That they actually make noises and they actually make a smell to identify who they are to other trees and to defend themselves against critters chewing or invading them.”

 

So impressed with Wohlleben’s book that when approached about hosting a book talk at the KDL Kelloggsvile branch, it was the book on the top of Ward’s list.

 

“We are so honored to be able to participate in the book talk,” Ward said. “It is an opportunity for us to promote what we are doing in the City of Wyoming and our efforts to increase the tree canopy.”

 

Ward said the talk will generate discussion on the value of trees and what they offer a city beyond just beautifying it, serving as a launch pad in the city’s continuing efforts of being a Tree City U.S.A.

 

Copies of “The Hidden Life of Trees” are available at the KDL Kelloggsville branch, located in the Kelloggsville High School, 4787 S. Division Ave.  The book discussion will be from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8, at the KDL Kelloggsvile branch.

 

For more on the Tree Commission activities, click here. For more on KDL programs, visit kdl.org.

Tree Commission kicks off Tree-covery project, makes plans to add to orchard

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This past Saturday, volunteers plant 24 street trees along the 4200 block of Flamingo Avenue SW. Wyoming residents signed up for the project, pledging to help plant and maintain the tree sapling in front of their home.

 

A matching-funds grant from the Michigan DNR Urban and Community Forestry Program and the USDA Forest Service, State and Private Forestry Program helped cover the cost of this project.

 

Up next for the Tree Amigos:

 

City of Wyoming Arbor Day Proclamation: 10 a.m. Friday, April 27, Wyoming City Commissioner Kent VanderWood will read the 2018 City of Wyoming Arbor Day Proclamation during a special celebration at Wyoming West Elementary School. After the speech, West Elementary students will sing a few songs to celebrate the community orchard.

 

Planting at Beverly Bryan Community Orchard: The Tree Amigos will join West Elementary students and volunteers recruited by Kent School Services Network (KSSN) at Wyoming’s West Elementary School after school to plant ten more fruit and nut trees at the Beverly Bryan Community Orchard.  Named for the late wife of the Tree Commission’s vice president Greg Bryan, who provided funding, the orchard was started August 30, 2017 with five, rescued heirloom apple trees, donated by Habitat for Humanity. Other funding comes from a Slow Food West Michigan Biodiveristy Mini-grant, Greater Wyoming Resource Council, District 77 Giveback and private donations in memory of Beverly Bryan.

Wyoming Tree Commission celebrates Arbor Day with a variety events

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Mayor Jack Poll reads a proclamation at last year’s Arbor Day event.

By The Wyoming Tree Commission

 

The City of Wyoming Tree Commission, “The Tree Amigos,” has four reasons to celebrate Arbor Day 2018.

 

Tree City USA. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has informed the City of Wyoming that the Arbor Day Foundation has designated the City of Wyoming as a 2017 Tree City USA community. This is the City’s second year as a designee. To receive the designation, cities must have a tree board or department, a tree-care ordinance, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita, and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

 

Tree-covery Block by Block. On April 21, The Tree Amigos and student volunteers will plant 24 street trees in the City. Planting will begin 9 a.m. in the 4200 block of Flamingo Avenue SW where ten Wyoming residents have signed up for the project. The volunteers will plant another fourteen trees at other residents’ homes in various locations throughout the City. The Wyoming residents will help plant and pledge to maintain the hearty tree sapling in front of their homes. A matching-funds grant from the Michigan DNR Urban and Community Forestry Program and the USDA Forest Service, State and Private Forestry Program helped cover the cost of this project.

 

Beverly Bryan Community Orchard. NOTE: This event has been moved to May. The Tree Amigos will join West Elementary students and volunteers recruited by Kent School Services Network (KSSN) at Wyoming’s West Elementary School after school to plant ten more fruit and nut trees at the Beverly Bryan Community Orchard.  Named for the late wife of the Tree Commission’s vice president Greg Bryan, who provided funding, the orchard was started August 30, 2017 with five, rescued heirloom apple trees, donated by Habitat for Humanity. Other funding comes from a Slow Food West Michigan Biodiveristy Mini-grant, Greater Wyoming Resource Council, District 77 Giveback and private donations in memory of Beverly Bryan.

 

Arbor Day Proclamation. At 10 a.m. Friday April 27. Wyoming City Commissioner Kent VanderWood will read the 2018 City of Wyoming Arbor Day Proclamation during a special celebration at Wyoming West Elementary School. After the speech, West Elementary students will sing a few songs to celebrate the community orchard.

 

For information on The City of Wyoming Tree Commission, like The Tree Amigos on Facebook or email TreeAmigosWyoming@gmail.com.

Kelloggsville students get a real ‘tree-t” on Arbor Day

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Fifty-four upper elementary students from Kelloggsville Public Schools traveled to Ideal Park on Arbor Day, April 28, to enjoy the outdoors and learn about the importance of planting more trees in our communities. The students have been working on a tree unit as part of their studies. Their Arbor Day experience brought their learning home – literally, as each went home with a blue spruce sapling to plant in their own yard.

 

To lend a celebratory tone, the Kelloggsville High School pep band played a collection of upbeat tunes, wrapping up with the Kelloggsville fight song.

 

The Arbor Day event was hosted by the City of Wyoming Tree Commission, “The Tree Amigos.” A former educator and Kelloggsville district resident, Wyoming Tree Commissioner Jim Ward, planned the event. Volunteer Gordy Rayburn donated the 60 saplings and gave the kids instructions on how to plant and care for them.

 

Founded as an official city commission in July 2016, The Tree Amigos are off to a good start. Through their efforts, the City of Wyoming was designated a Tree City USA on April 11. And, an April 20 proclamation and tree planting brought a new juneberry tree to City Hall, donated by DeHamer Brothers Landscaping and Garden Center. That makes 61 new trees for our communities.

 

The City of Wyoming Tree Commission meets at 12:30 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month at City Hall. They are hoping many more volunteers will join them to improve Wyoming’s tree canopy – and its residents’ quality of life. For information, email TreeAmigosWyoming@gmail.com or like “The Tree Amigos” on Facebook.

Wyoming resident designs logo for city’s tree commission

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treelogoBy Estelle Slootmaker

The Tree Amigos

 

Since the City of Wyoming established the City of Wyoming Tree Commission on July 18, this volunteer citizen group, also known as The Tree Amigos, has been busy laying groundwork to support its mission of increasing the City’s tree canopy. Accomplishments so far include creating by-laws, electing officers, confirming a fiduciary, moving the Tree City USA application forward and investigating grants and fund raising ideas.

 

Caitlin Boyce Saladin
Caitlin Boyce Saladin

This Saturday, Tree Commission members – and other Tree Amigos – will march in the Wyoming Santa Claus Parade along Division Avenue. They will hand out informational brochures and colorful decals featuring a new logo, designed by sixth-generation Wyoming resident Caitlin Boyce Saladin. A senior at the Stamps School of Art and Design at the University of Michigan, she has long been active in environmental and social justice causes. She graduated in 2013 from Catholic Central High School. “I grew up with a backyard full of trees,” Saladin said. “Even though our house was just a couple blocks from 44th Street and Burlingame, I got to see deer, opossums, skunks, racoons, birds and squirrels. I hope my little contribution might help my hometown to have more trees in more neighborhoods.”

 

The Wyoming Tree Commission meets the second Tuesday of every month from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Appointed members include former City councilman, Greg Bryan; Pam Jurick, arborists William Brown and Lauren Davis; retired teacher, Jim Ward; Godwin neighborhood watch leader, Lee Groth; and Stelle Slootmaker, Saladin’s mother. Citizen volunteer Elizabeth Kreager has been an active, dedicated participant.  The Tree Commission invites all Wyoming residents who would like to join in at meetings or activities to come on board. After all, you can’t have too many amigos!

 

Contact the Wyoming Tree Commission at TreeAmigosWyoming@gmail.com. For information on the Wyoming Tree Commission, like The Tree Amigos on Facebook and message or post your comments and concerns.

 

The Wyoming Tree commission, nick-named The Tree Amigos, seeks to develop and promote programs that maintain and improve Wyoming’s tree assets in our city’s public and private properties. We strive to foster a healthy, species-diverse tree canopy that meets or exceeds coverage percentages suggested by the Michigan DNR, US Forest Service and National Association of State Foresters.