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The leafy glory that graces Wellsville By
Will Bettmann
If it ever stops snowing this spring, the green, leafy glory that graces Wellsville will once again be revealed. It is not nature alone that has endowed the city with so many trees. The Shade Tree and Beautification Commission (STBC) is hard at work keeping the streets of Wellsville lined with healthy trees. With a budget of $6500 this year, the STBC is busy working on a host of projects, including turning the "duck pond" at the north end of 100 East into a park, and helping the Red Slide subdivision plant trees. The STBC was formed almost 20 years ago. Since that time, the commission has overseen the planting and maintenance of trees in Wellsville. The commission was formed as a partnership between the department of landscape architecture at Utah State University and the United States Forest Service. Wellsville was chosen to provide of example of how a forestry program could be instituted in a city. Kent Brenchley, a former mayor of Wellsville, and the current head of the STBC, said the commission has added to the quality of life in the city. "We have some great old trees here," said Brenchley. "There are the big Green Ash trees that line Center Street. That's part of Wellsville's identity. We're here as a resource for people. This year we're working on developing the duck pond by the dairy at the north end of town, and turning it into a small park." The STBC is entirely voluntary, and its members are appointed by the mayor. Most of the seven members of the current STBC were part of the original commission when it was formed in 1982. When the forestry program was initiated, a tree inventory of Wellsville was conducted. Based on that, the city came up with a tree ordinance, that clarifies the conditions under which a tree may be removed, and also a program that lists which trees can be planted in the city. The STBC was formed to help institute and enforce the tree ordinance. Brenchley said it's not easy working within the budget, and dealing with Wellsville residents' concerns. "You can spend a lot of money on trees and maintenance," he said. "Also, if someone cuts a tree down on one block, someone on the next block wants to cut down two. If the tree is on city property, you have to get a permit. If it's on private property, you can do whatever you want, although we encourage people to leave healthy trees standing."
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