Tree Talk Articles
This year's Arbor Day celebration, a tree planting
scheduled for Saturday, April 30, at 10 a.m. on Maple Street in Tunkhannock, will be very  special, because Tunkhannock  has been designated as a Tree  City, U.S.A. Thanks to the work of one of Tunkhannock Tree Association's members, Don Sweppenheiser, Tunkhannock will receive a commendation and a flag recognizing this achievement.

 Don began the documentation needed for this designation over a year ago when he organized the 2004 Arbor Day celebration. An oak tree was planted  on  the Wyoming County courthouse lawn, donated by Veto Barziloski of  Bennie's Nursery. Many local dignitaries attended the program which included a proclamation read by Mayor Norm Ball and instructions on the proper planting of a tree by Veto Barziloski. Students from Tunkhannock Area High School who attended were given trees; approximately 70 seedlings were brought by the Wyoming County Conservation District.  In addition to the Arbor Day observance, Tunkhannock needed a  community tree ordinance, which was passed by Borough Council in December, a community forestry program with  an annual budget and a tree board or department. Tunkhannock Tree Association is working closely with the newly formed Tunkhannock Shade,  Tree Commission. In meeting all these requirements, Tunkhannock was eligible to become Tree City U.S.A. Now that we have
completed the first step, we will be working towards the Growth Award for the Tree City designation. The next project the association and commission's are undertaking
is completing a grant from the NEPA Urban and Community  Forestry Program, the USDA Forest

Adult Color;

First------- Charles Pirone

Second---Blennie Saylor

Third--- Bonnie Heard
 

Adult Black and White

First ---Bonnie Heard

Second Charles Pirone

Student Color

First--- Ryan Sheridan

Second-- Natalie Mennicucci

Student Black and White

First--- Natalie Mennicucci

Second---Ryan Sheridan
 

Urban and Community Forestry Council, supported  by  PA  DCNR  Bureau of Forestry, Penn State Cooperative  Extension,  to enhance
the Streetscape project  for  downtown Tunkhannock.   In addition we are going to apply for a 2005-2006 grant for risk assessment of hazard trees  in  the  borough  and replanting of so many of the large trees we have lost in the last few years. We're going to branch out and plant bare-root trees because they cost so much less and their survival rate is very high. We'll need help for this project, so if you're interested in the greening of Tunkhannock, attend one of our meetings the third Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at Borough Hall.  In a year of good news, we have also been notified that Tunkhannock  Tree Association will receive a Stewardship Award from the Countryside Conservancy for 35 years of  "land conservation, cultural values and bringing pleasure to the public." All of our Tree Association members will happily attend the Countryside  Conservancy's annual meeting on April 20 to receive the certificate of recognition.   
On April 26 the Tree  Association will be at the Enviro Pair at Tunkhannock  Area High School. The association is also compiling and distributing the Tunkhannock Borough Newsletter.  A small group of dedicated people has shown that by working,  year  after  year, learning by experience and through education, we can make a difference in all of our lives. We are being recognized for our work, and we hope we can continue for generations to come.  

Tree Talk is written by members of the Tunkhannock Tree Association.