Keeping Clarks Green green

CLARKS GREEN — The Clarks Green Shade Tree Commission has been maintaining their badge of honor as Tree City for the 17th year in a row as well as being Tree City USA for now 14 years.

The organization celebrated Arbor Day early on Sunday, April 14, with a planting of the American Sycamore tree at the yard of the Church of St. Gregory. Shade Tree Commission members and volunteers showed up to celebrate their honor as well as helping to plant one of the many trees that are lined up at the property.

The Clarks Green Shade Tree Commission will soon have their spring planting. Throughout the years, they have been planting native plants such as maple trees and oak trees using them as a street canopy.

“We don’t get a lot of natural succession of forestry species,” said Shade Tree member Ernie Miller. “We have to physically plant replacements that have been lost because of disease or wind storms.”

Miller mentioned that trees are important because they provide a habitat for animals as well as shade that reduces air conditioning costs in the summer.

“Trees in the community increase property values,” he said.

The Shade Tree Commission look for open spaces that are used by the community to plant trees. Recently, they’ve been growing trees at Church of St. Gregory and Hillside Park. They will soon be doing their spring planting, in which they planting for the community in their properties.

“We always need volunteers for the spring and fall plantings, as well as people willing to research grants, create educational programs for residents and engage the community to appreciate and care for our green canopy,” said Olga Trushina, chair of the Shade Tree Commission.

Aside from having a separate department and a tree care ordinance, the commission also spends at least $2 per capita to plant and care for trees and celebrate Arbor Day once a year.

“The borough recently removed three trees at the back of the Borough Building,” said Trushina. “We’re hoping to use that spot for our next Arbor Day planting.”

The Shade Tree Commission is hoping to receive grants in a few years to clean the Clarks Green area from invasive honeysuckle bushes and planting more native trees. They are also hoping for Clarks Green to have their own playground.

“Clarks Green is so small and developed,” said Trushina. “So, it would be nice to have something like that. It’s something we look forward to.”