As part of an ongoing effort to further develop Defense Supply Center Columbus’ urban forest under the Tree City USA program, 37 larger caliper native trees were planted at the DSCC MWR Sports Park May 10 by Installation Management personnel.
“Our main goal is to shade the walkway here [at the MWR Sports Park] as well as provide some shade for around the track and also just generally beautify this space,” DSCC Environmental Division Chief Nicole Goicochea said.
The trees were selected by Goicochea and Central Ohio Regional Urban Forester Alistair Reynolds, of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry.
Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime Commander U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Kristen Fabry said the selected tree species will provide maximum diversity benefiting the ecology around the sports park.
“I definitely have an appreciation for making sure you pick the right tree for the right place and the really cool thing was about making sure we had indigenous trees here on this base that really came from Ohio,” she added.
Goicochea said tree species planted included several types of oak as well as arborvitae, tulip tree, elm, buckeye, hackberry, Kentucky coffee tree, catalpa, serviceberry, witch hazel and choke cherry.
The trees were celebrated during the annual DSCC Arbor Day Celebration at the MWR Sports Park on May 20 with a reading of the 2022 Arbor Day Proclamation by Defense Logistics Agency Installation Management – Columbus Site Director Kristine Freels and a brief discussion on the importance of the Tree City USA program.
DSCC was certified as a Tree City USA for the fourth consecutive year at the annual Tree City USA Awards Presentation on April 21. As part of the program, each certified community must adhere to certain standards like holding an annual Arbor Day ceremony, planting trees, stewardship of existing tree canopy and having a tree ordinance and tree board in place to establish ongoing governance of the program.
According to the Arbor Day Foundation, trees provide many benefits to a community when properly planted and maintained. In addition to improving neighborhood aesthetics, trees generally increase property values, reduce cooling costs, reduce air pollution and provide natural habitat for a variety of wildlife.
Fabry thanked everyone for their efforts and coined several individuals responsible for the successful planting of the trees from Installation Management and the Environmental Division with a special thank you to Goicochea for spearheading the project and working with the ODNR to bring it to fruition.
Fabry remarked that she hopes the enhancements to the MWR Sports Park will help it become a wonderful space to be enjoyed for many generations to come.
“We will keep taking it to the next level, all these wonderful things we’re doing around this installation and the Sports Park here and then the partnership with the community which I just think is amazing,” Fabry said.
Tree City USA is one of the Arbor Day Foundation’s oldest programs and helps communities with the direction, assistance and recognition of growing and maintaining healthy tree canopies. ODNR administers all Tree City, Tree Line and Tree Campus programs in the state on behalf of the Arbor Day Foundation.
Read the Arbor Day Proclamation here
Watch a video of the tree planting and Arbor Day event