Sean C. Morgan
The city of Sweet Home will
receive receive its 25th Tree City
USA award on Friday.
In addition to the Tree City
USA award, the city also has received
growth awards in 1991,
1993, 1996 and 2003.
Tree City USA is sponsored by
the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation
with the U.S. Forest Service
and the National Association of
State Foresters. The program provides
direction, technical assistant,
public attention and national recognition
for urban and community
forestry programs.
The city has invited as many
of the original Sweet Home Tree
Committee members as it can find
to attend the annual Arbor Day
tree planting and presentation of
the Tree City USA flag and plaque,
said Carol Lewis, community development
director.
Howard Dew of Barringer and
Associates, now Cascade Timber
Consulting, led the organization of
the committee and development of
Sweet Home as Tree City USA in
1987, Lewis said. Other members
of the original committee included
Corky Lowen, Don Menear, Dave
Monson, Tom Berglund, Doug
Parker, Marion Nelson, Wesley Sisco,
Bill Porter, Garry Burkes, John
Neely, Alex Paul, Larry Hyland,
Bud Baumgartner, Erland Erickson
and Scott Proctor. Dave Holley was
Sweet Home’s mayor at the time.
That year, the committee planted
four red oak trees. The trunks of
those trees, two in front of City Hall
and two across the street from City
Hall in the parking lot, are now 12
to 14 inches in diameter.
In 1997, the commission started
its Celebration Tree program.
Through that program, individuals
can purchase a tree to honor other
individuals. The program provides
direction, technical assistance,
public attention and national recognition
for urban and community
forestry programs.
Current Tree Commission – as
it is now known – members include
Alice Smith, Bill Marshall, Katie
Kohl, Lena Tucker, Lindsay Anderson
and David Olson. The commission
has one vacancy.
Since 1987, the city and community
has spent some $738,000 on
urban forestry, Lewis said. “It’s interesting
how much has been done
without money and a budget.”
The city began budgeting $500
per year for the Tree Commission
in 1997, Lewis said. The commission
receives $2,500 now.
Last year, the commission,
community and city spent some
$46,000 on urban forestry, Lewis
said. Over the years, almost all of
the funds have been through city
staff time and volunteer donations
and labor.
The commission began its
Ames Creek Restoration project,
which included projects at Sankey
Park, the Fire Hall and behind CenturyLink’s
office over four years,
including the planting of 5,040
trees and riparian plants at Sankey
Park. Minor phases of the project
began in 1996, and the South Santiam
Watershed Council is doing
some work in Ames Creek this year.
The project has earned a number of
statewide awards for partnerships
and youth involvement.
The annual spring Tree Fair
ended in 2008, Lewis said, and
there are no plans to revive the
event right now.
Over time, volunteers get tired,
Lewis said. If the commission had
an influx of energy, it could start
again.
The commission now sells
tree at the October Harvest Festival
and it will give away seedlings
this week to 264 fourth-graders
throughout School District 55. Selling
or giving away trees had been a
feature of the Tree Fair.
In 2010, the Tree Commission
began drafting ordinance language
for the protection of native trees
to be incorporated into land use
codes.
This year, the first tree protection
language will be included
in revisions to the city’s variance
code.
At 11 a.m. on Friday, the commission
will plant a maple tree at
923 Main St., the location of the old
Gray Goose store and the former
location of Sweet Home Liquor
Store.
The tree will replace a red oak
that died, Lewis said.
On March 27, during the council’s
regular meeting, Mayor Craig
Fentiman read a proclamation declaring
April Sweet Home Arbor
Month.
Trees have been an important
part of Sweet Home’s history and
future, Fentiman said. Trees provide
beautiful places to recreate.
Trees improve critical habitat, and
the city of Sweet Home embraces
stewardship of the community forest.
“You’re looking at the value
theyprovide to quality of life,”
Lewis said.
The commission also is planning
an ivy pull for Earth Day,
April 21, part of the day’s SOLVIT
projects, Lewis said. A couple of
groups of youths have signed up
already. Anyone else interested in
helping can call Lewis at 367-8113
for more information. Registration
can be completed at the city’s website,
ci.sweet-home.or.us or at the
event. Participants will meet at 10
a.m. at Weddle Bridge. The project
goes through noon at Sankey Park.
Participants will pull ivy out of the
park.