Photo by Sydney Cromwell.
A Hall-Kent Elementary student helps plant donated black gum trees on the school’s playground in November.
The Arbor Day Foundation has renewed Homewood’s status as a Tree City USA for its second year, according to Amy Milam of the Homewood Environmental Commission (HEC).
The foundation recognizes 3,400 communities across the United States that meet four urban forestry standards: maintaining a tree board or department; having a community tree ordinance; celebrating Arbor Day; and spending at least $2 per person each year on tree planting and maintenance.
The HEC worked with the Arbor Day Foundation for about six months in order to initially receive the designation in March 2018. Milam said the commission will place Tree City USA signs, provided by the Arbor Day Foundation, at Palisades Boulevard and at Hollywood Boulevard near Union Cemetery.
Milam said the HEC has several tree-related plans in the works, including planting about 40 trees at Shades Cahaba Elementary and working with the Beautification Board for improvements at the entrance points of the city. They are also considering planting at the Board of Education building.
The city approved more than $45,000 for mature tree planting in its 2019 budget.
While other spots have been considered for plantings, Milam said existing development or improvement projects, lack of adequate soil or utility lines have made those locations challenging.
“[It] made us realize that targeting residential is key because it’s really hard to find green space suitable for planting large trees,” Milam said via email.
On March 4, the HEC and Beau Brodbeck of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) presented iTree software to the City Council, which can be used to index trees within the city by species and other data to help Homewood keep track of its trees.
The council approved the HEC to use its budget to engage Brodbeck and iTree to train volunteers and start a survey of the city’s trees.
