Tree Committee
Meetings
- 1:30 p.m.
- The 1st Monday of each month*
- 966 Towler Road, Xenia, OH 45385**
The meetings are open to the public. You are more than welcome to attend, participate, and be a part of the work they do.
*A meeting may be rescheduled to another Monday if the regular meeting date falls on an observed holiday.
**The Committee has been meeting via Zoom and has not returned to in-person meetings to date.
Members
- Karl Ransome, Chair
Graduate of Edinburgh Royal Botanic Garden - Nelson King, Vice Chair
Member of BRACA, OSU Extension Greene County Master Gardener (Volunteer), and Graduate of Tree Commission Academy - Debby Haines
OSU Extension Greene County Master Gardener (Volunteer) - Clare Thorn
CSU Extension Office
- Carol Atzbach
Former OSU Extension Greene County Master Gardener and Graduate of Tree Commission Academy - Carol Lea Brown, Secretary
OSU Extension Greene County Master Gardener (Volunteer) and Graduate of Tree Commission Academy - Gretchen Rives
CSU Extension Office
Regular Participants
- Lee Eltzroth
Greene Soil and Water Conservation District - Kim Hupman
Horticulture Program Assistant-OSU Extension Greene County and Graduate of Tree Commission Academy
- Chuck Poore
Certified Arborist and Graduate of Tree Commission Academy - Keith Koch
City of Xenia Public Service Supervisor - Facilities and Fleet
Consultants
- Wendi Van Buren, ODNR Regional Urban Forester
About the Board
The Board for Recreation, Arts and Cultural Activities has a subcommittee known as the Tree Committee. The Tree Committee was formed in 2011 in an effort to bring like-minded volunteers together to create and facilitate a plan for development, conservation, and care of Xenia’s urban forest resources and to promote and raise awareness about the importance of trees in our community. The Tree Committee volunteers support the City's efforts with regard to trimming and planting streetscape and park trees. They do not support requests for evaluation and/or service for trees located on private property.
Current/ongoing projects include the following:
- Holding annual Arbor Day events and participating in other community events
- Assisting the City’s Public Service Department with trimming streetscape trees and planting trees on City property including local parks
- Establishing and maintaining a City of Xenia Tree Inventory to identify tree species at Shawnee Park and along the Little Miami Scenic Trail
- Having the City designated as a “Tree City USA”
- Organizing the annual Heritage Tree Program
- Organizing regular Tree Photography Contests
- Organizing events to provide education on the importance of trees and identifying tree species, such as the Woodland Cemetery Walk
- Holding tree sales in an effort to maintain and grow this area’s urban forest
- Conducting research and providing education on pests that may affect the health of local trees
The Tree Committee is supported by the OSU Extension Greene County and the Greene Soil and Water Conservation District, as well as area residents with a vested interest and extensive knowledge of trees.
Emerald Ash Borer
Have you seen an Emerald Ash Borer around your property or on your Ash Tree(s)? If so, then you’ll need to read the material (PDF) provided by the Ohio State University Extension and the U.S. Department of Agriculture pamphlet. Also, a presentation (PDF) was given to Xenia City Council on July 26, 2012, on the effects of the Emerald Ash Borer.