By Jeff Dennis
The Tree Protection Committee of the City of Walterboro set a goal to become a part of the Arbor Day Foundation’s nationwide efforts to celebrate urban forests. Earlier in 2021, the City of Walterboro was recognized as the latest member of the Tree City USA program after meeting the criteria set forth by the Arbor Day Foundation.
Since 1976 the program has helped 3,400 communities nationwide to improve the care of city trees, and Walterboro is now the 43rd Tree City USA community in South Carolina.
Ryan McLeod is the Director of the Parks and Recreation Department for the City of Walterboro. “When I started my job here three years ago, I also began to oversee the Tree Protection Committee,” said McLeod. “A top priority of mine was to qualify for the Tree City USA designation, and there was much support for this on the committee. Current events in the form of the tornado in April of 2020 that ripped through the Walterboro Wildlife Sanctuary, and the Covid-19 pandemic, kind of derailed the planning process for the application, but by the end of winter last year we refocused our efforts.
“I already knew that Walterboro is fortunate to have an urban forest to offset water runoff and to provide natural cooling during the heat of summer,” said McLeod. “But meeting the four core standards of sound urban forestry management was still a challenge of the application process.” According to McLeod, the city had already met the first three criteria, since the City of Walterboro had a Tree Protection Board, a Tree Care Ordinance, and a Community Reforestation Program that spends $2 per capita we met the first three criteria.
The final detail was celebrating Arbor Day with a proclamation, though we can hold the Arbor Day observance whenever we like.
“The Rice Festival weekend might make a good choice,” he said. “When it came to the per capita spending we really were ahead of the game, but again it was due to the deforestation caused by the tornado downtown,” said McLeod. “We planted 27 live oaks in the Gruber Street Park already, and we plan to add some redbuds and magnolia trees when the optimum planting conditions of fall arrive in the Lowcountry. Now we have received a plaque, a flag and two Tree City USA street-signs that will be put up as soon as we receive guidance from City Council about where they should go. Both Charleston and Summerville have been in the Tree City USA program for 40 years, and I am excited that Walterboro is now a member too.”
Calvin Bailey is a forester at the Walterboro office of the South Carolina Forestry Commission and is a long-time member of the City Tree Protection Committee. “I have wanted this designation for the City for a long time, and it feels great that we are now a Tree City USA member,” said Bailey. “Mike Ferrari is a former forester and member of the Tree Protection Committee and he worked towards this goal too. Frances Waite is the Urban Forestry Coordinator with the Forestry Commission and she helped on this project as well.
“The City celebrates Arbor Day every year and sometimes partners with the Clemson Extension office in this endeavor,” said Bailey. “In some cases, we provide seedlings for citizens to take home and plant. This Tree City USA designation raises awareness that we value our urban tree canopy in the City of Walterboro.”
Some of the positive benefits listed on the ArborDay.org website for belonging to Tree City USA includes how beautification with trees enhances the community, attracting tourists and new business. Trees contribute to our overall health and wellness, and they can provide recreation which reduces stress. Roadside trees reduce nearby air pollution, and can provide food and shelter for wildlife species.
A mature urban tree canopy can also increase property values.
