Village Tree Board
POET - TREE IS BACK!
The Village of Fairport Tree Board is proud to announce the return of the beloved community event, Poet-Tree. Poems written by current students and recent graduates of Fairport High School will draw visitors in, asking them to notice and pause for a while alongside our many urban trees. Visitors in search of beautiful fall colors will be greeted by the creativity of over 50 young voices, printed and attached to our trees with upcycled ribbon, viewable from accessible sidewalks. Installed from October 19th through the end of Thanksgiving weekend on November 26th, trees holding poems can be found along both the Canal path east and west, and on both side of North Main Street and South Main Street in Fairport.
The Village of Fairport has received the Tree City USA designation each year since 2003. This award program has been established by the National Arbor Day Foundation to recognize cities, towns, and villages that develop and invest in comprehensive urban forestry programs.
Village Tree Board Members:
- Matthew Brown, Chair
- Jane DeMeis
- William Maier
- Reinald Smith
- Natasha Besch-Turner
- Zakery Steele (Alternate Member)
- Sue Wahl (Alternate Member)
In serving as “caretaker” for the more than 3,400 trees sited on Village property and right-of-ways, Fairport has met or exceeded the four required standards for the Tree City USA designation including:
- A legally constituted Tree Board;
- A Village tree ordinance;
- A comprehensive forestry program supported by a minimum investment of $2 per capita per year; and
- An Arbor Day proclamation by the Village Board and an Arbor Day observance.
The value of a community’s “investment” in its urban forest can be, and often is, taken for granted. According to the National Arbor Day Foundation, trees provide many benefits to a community including:
Shade which provides savings on air conditioning costs, cools parking lots, and reduces fumes from engines and fuel tanks;
- Acting as a windbreak which can reduce fuel consumption and provide energy savings in winter;
- Reducing stormwater runoff and soil erosion;
- Filtering and reducing air pollutants;
- Providing a calming effect on vehicle traffic; and
- Increasing property values.
Meeting Minutes
