JEFFERSONVILLE — The Jeffersonville City Council has made the first step in the establishment of a tree board.
The ordinance, which was presented by council member Amy Semones, sets up the tree board that would contain volunteer members at no cost to the city.
Semones said a tree board is needed for a city to obtain grant funding through the Arbor Day Foundation and for the city to be designated as a Tree City USA.
“I really think that there is a lot of unlocked grant money out there,” said council member Evan Stoner.
In 2021, the City of New Albany became part of the Tree City USA program after fulfilling a few different requirements, including creating and maintaining a tree board.
She said the board would work with the city government in an “advisory capacity,” and bring in input from residents and stakeholders.
Semones local “green teams” have already been working on tree planting, but that this would create a more formal entity. The board would get local schools and children involved as well.
“Expanding on our tree canopy is part of the comprehensive plan for many areas of Jeffersonville,” Semones said.
Jeffersonville resident Jeff Cover said trees can reduce water runoff, reduce temperatures, remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and increase property values. He said trees are a part of the equation when people are looking to live in the area.
“Trees make significant contributions to communities like ours,” he said.
Earlier this year, the city received a grant of $63,500 from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to plant 120 trees, which will be conducted on Nov. 2. “Having a city tree board means more trees for our community and more diverse trees,” Cover said.
The council unanimously approved it on the first and second reading, with a third reading to be at the next meeting.
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