The foundation said residents of Middletown should be proud to live in a community that makes the planting and care of trees a priority.
Middletown is one of more than 3,500 Tree City USAs, and they have a combined population of 150 million. The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters.
“As a result of your commitment to effective urban forest management, you already know that trees are vital to the public infrastructure of cities and towns throughout the country, providing numerous environmental, social and economic benefits,” the organization said. “In fact, trees are the one piece of community infrastructure that actually increases in value over time.”
Jeff Michel, executive director of Keep Middletown Beautiful, said he’s “super proud they’ve kept this up. I love it.”
He said he’d like to see the city host the Tree City event in the future.
Michel, who coordinates the annual Earth Day event said it will be on May 11 at Middletown High School and more information will be available in the coming weeks.
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Carolyn Kieffer, a botany professor at Miami University Middletown and city Park Board member, said a number of organizations and companies have been working with the city in donating their time and labor to help plant trees in Middletown.
She praised the work of Ali Manning of the city staff as well as some organizations, such as Pilot Chemical, which has donated money and people to do larger tree plantings and other efforts at different times of the year.
Kieffer said the city lost hundreds of trees due to infestations by the Emerald Ash Borer and were only planting 20 to 30 trees at a time to replace them.
She said residents should be aware of the Asian Longhorn Beetle which can be hosted in 200 different native trees including maples. Kieffer said the bug is “lazy” and can get big enough to fill a person’s hand. Kieffer said the insect is present in a tree if there is fresh sawdust similar to someone working on a wood construction project. She also said there is a treatment for this insect.
Another tree disease in the area is the 1,000 canker disease that affects black walnut trees and that there is no treatment for it, Kieffer said.
She said residents can contact an arborist through the Butler County Cooperative Extension Service for more information.
Middletown tree plantings 2013-2018
2018: 136
2017: 79
2016: 67
2015: 10
2014: 32
2013: 38
SOURCE: City of Middletown
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