Medina makes it 16 years in a row as ‘Tree City USA’

File photo: Medina Mayor Mike Sidari reads a proclamation about Arbor Day to third-graders from Medina during a tree-planting celebration on April 29, 2022.

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 March 2023 at 8:28 am

MEDINA – The village is being recognized for the 16th straight year as a “Tree City USA” for its ongoing commitment to plant trees in the village.

The Arbor Day Foundation notified Mayor Mike Sidari of the recognition “to honor its commitment to effective urban forest management.”

Medina has planted more than 1,000 trees in the past 20 years. The village meets the Tree City USA criteria with four requirements: a Tree Board or department; a tree care ordinance; and annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita; and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

Medina has a Tree Board and also has formed a “Releaf Medina” to raise money to plant new trees to replace some of the older ones, especially at Boxwood Cemetery. The Tree Board helps to decides what kind and where trees can be planted and which need to be trimmed or cut down.

“Tree City USA communities see the positive effects of an urban forest firsthand,” Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation, said in a news release. “The trees being planted and cared for by Medina are ensuring that generations to come will enjoy a better quality of life. Additionally, participation in this program brings residents together and creates a sense of civic pride, whether it’s through volunteer engagement or public education.”