A Tale of 'Tree City'

It’s hard to think of a place named without thinking of trees.

And though the name “Tree City” is commonly heard and seen in the community - the title appears on signs hanging over Ardmore Boulevard, and the borough’s newsletter is even called the “Tree City Times” - the origin of that title may be lesser known.

“Most people don’t know what the ‘Tree City’ designation is,” said . “(But) they drive through and see the trees.”

The title comes from the national Arbor Day Foundation’s “Tree City USA” program, which Forest Hills has participated in since 1986. The program is designed to bring national attention to communities that develop urban forestry initiatives, according to Randy Gordon, a spokesperson for the Arbor Day Foundation.

For membership, a community must meet four criteria: it must have a tree board or similar department; local government must pass an ordinance outlining tree care policy; the budget must earmark at least $2 per resident for tree care; and the community must hold an Arbor Day celebration, including a mayoral proclamation.

Each year, member communities also must apply for recertification.

“It’s a real source of pride for a lot of cities,” Gordon said.

While Gordon said a burgeoning awareness of environmental issues has raised interest in urban forestry programs, he added that western Pennsylvania has long been known for its attention to trees.

“Pittsburgh has quite a history of outstanding tree care,” he said.

Behind Forest Hills’ forestry efforts is borough arborist Ted Gilbert. A self-described “tree doctor,” Gilbert is certified by the International Society of Arboriculture and has directed tree-care operations in Forest Hills since 1990.

Although Gilbert has held his part-time position at the borough for a little more than 20 years, his familiarity with the area has even deeper roots. A native of Chambersburg, Pa., who currently lives in Irwin, Gilbert said his former job at Bartlett Tree Company brought him to Forest Hills starting in the latter half of the 1950s.

“The tree program in Forest Hills has been in effect from the beginning,” Gilbert said.

While Gilbert is responsible for identifying problems and proposing solutions, all decisions must be approved by the borough’s volunteer tree and shrub committee. Gilbert sits on the committee as a director, but as a nonresident, he does not have a vote.

The borough currently maintains roughly 1,700 trees—not including those located in parks or owned privately. Most of those trees line the borough’s roads. Among the most common trees are pin oaks (there are about 800 in the borough), elms and maples.

“One thing people do not realize is the value of trees to property,” Gilbert said.

The value of the borough’s trees, in terms of their impact on real estate, is between $25 million and $30 million, he said. If that seems unbelievable, one has to take into account the ecological benefits of trees.

Gilbert explained that aside from their aesthetic value, trees create a canopy that cools air, reducing energy costs in the summer months. The canopy additionally impedes rain from direct contact with soil and, combined with the water absorbed by roots, helps to control . Trees also improve air quality by removing carbon dioxide from the air.

“If trees are gone, we can’t survive,” Gilbert said. “Although (people have) cut down a lot of trees already, we’ve got a heck of a lot of them left.”

When addressing problems, Gilbert said, he considers tree removal only as a last resort.

“When people start cutting down a tree, they better have a good reason if I’m connected with it,” Gilbert said.

That said, Gilbert admitted that some problems are beyond remedy. Dutch Elm Disease, which he spotted on a few trees during a recent summer drive, can be expensive to treat—and even then, there’s no guarantee the tree will survive.

At one time, the borough had 500 elms, Gilbert said; about 100 remain. Roughly 20 of those are American Liberty Elms, a strand of elms that are more resistant to disease than common elms. After learning of the trees, Gilbert began planting them in the borough.

“I’m always learning something new,” Gilbert said.

At a tree and shrub committee meeting July 13, members discussed plans to open the bidding process for a pruning project that would cost at least $10,000. They also discussed an influx of complaints from residents living on Le Beau Pike and Legrande Street, where large seed pods from Honey Locust trees have been falling into yards, complicating yard maintenance for older residents.

Addressing such problems is part of Gilbert’s weekly work in maintaining the "Tree City." While stopping to investigate complaints earlier that day, multiple residents shouted to Gilbert from their yards and shared problems they were having.

After one such instance, Gilbert stood along the side of Overdale Road, gazing up at the high canopy created by borough-owned Pin Oaks that line the street. The overcast morning was giving way to a bright sky that one could glimpse through the leaves.

“Now, you have to admit—there’s something about those trees,” he said.