Quincy, Illinois (KHQA) — The Hannibal Tree Board will celebrate 25 years as Hannibal and receive the Tree City USA designation. There will be a Tree City USA proclamation at the August 20 City Council meeting.

Kristy Trevathan, president of the Hannibal Tree Board, said being named Tree City USA means Hannibal residents can enjoy the benefits of a greener, healthier community, with nearly 1,000 trees planted over the 25 years.

Tree City USA was founded in 1976 by the oldest programs of the Arbor Day Foundation. To be certified, a city or community must meet four standards set by the National Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters:

• Maintain tree board or section
• Adopt a Community Tree Ordinance
• Spend at least $2 per capita on urban forestry
• Celebrate Arbor Day

These standards were established to ensure that each qualified community has a viable tree management plan and program. These standards were also designed so that no community is excluded based on size. In Missouri, cities with Tree City USA certification have a population range of 159 to 441,000 residents.

Trevathan said the Hannibal Tree Board not only meets but exceeds Tree City USA’s requirements by taking on several tasks:

• Promote the planting of new trees in Hannibal’s public areas
• Help maintain the trees in our public areas
• Collaborate with the Hannibal Board of Public Works and the Streets and Parks Departments to encourage the planting of native species
• Recognize a tree of the month
• Educate the public and city government about the value of trees to our neighborhoods and our city.

Trevathan said Hannibal residents can see the results of the tree board’s work daily. She said more than 150 trees have been planted on the flood buyout property on South Main Street. The bald cypress grove was dedicated to Ed Tamerius, who served on the Hannibal tree board for 22 years. Trevathan said the goal is to reforest the property with flood-resistant trees.

The Tree Board also worked with BASF in 2016 to plant over 300 trees on the east side of Ely Street across from the Dempsey Dog Park to celebrate BASF’s 50th anniversary in Hannibal. BASF employees and family members helped with the planting.

In 2018, the Tree Board raised money to replace the nearly 30 trees in Central Park that had been damaged by storms.

Trevathan said when the Tree Board was formed, the group decided to plant trees along Warren Barrett Drive, particularly near the industrial park, because the whole area needed beautification.

The Tree Board recently completed the Main Street and Boardway Tree Plans in collaboration with municipal foresters and the Missouri Department of Conservation. She noted that many of the trees are memorial gifts, particularly from John Martin, who donated more than $13,000 for all the trees along Broadway in honor of his parents.

She said that in the 25 years that Hannibal has been a Tree City USA, more than 1,000 trees have been planted. “These trees have become an important part of every community. Having streets lined with trees creates a peaceful, aesthetically pleasing environment and brings us all closer to nature.”

The Tree Board partners with the Missouri Department of Conservation on many projects. For example, it receives $1,700 worth of tools for the Tree Board’s semi-annual mulching and pruning. The Tree Board also receives Arbor Day tree planting, one of the Tree Board’s most popular activities. This year it was held at the Norfolk & Southern MultiSports Complex, where the Tree Board planted a lime tree in honor of former Tree Board member Raymond Witt. The tree planting often involves local students learning how to plant and care for trees.

Trevathan said she later met a student from Eugene Field who asked her about the tree, which shows that the students involved in the tree planting are aware of the value of the trees as they grow.

Memorial trees are honored on a plaque in the town hall.

Trevathan said that in the future, the Tree Board would like to expand its mission by working with Hannibal Public School officials to establish a Tree Campus K-12 USA program. Hannibal-LaGrange University became a Tree Campus Higher Education program 11 years ago.

Members of the Tree Board are: Trevathan, Paul Ewert, Susan Welker, Paul Miller, Harry Graves and David Vance.