Tree Board

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The Tree Board’s Mission

The mission of the Tree Board has two objectives: (1) to coordinate with the Public Works and Parks and Recreation Departments in the planting and maintaining of trees on public property and city rights-of way.  (2) to promote the education and encouragement of Fairway citizens in the planting and care of trees.  
 
In furtherance of the first objective, the Tree Board, working with citizen volunteers and the State Forest Service completed an inventory of all Fairway’s public trees. On October 22, 2009 Kim Bomberger, Kansas Forest Service Urban Forester for Northeast Kansas, reported to the City Council, the Planning Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals on the health, value and diversity of Fairway’s public trees. From her report the Tree Board will prepare a long range plan for the care and improvement of Fairway’s tree population coupled with an annual work plan to meet the goals of the long range plan.

Kim Bomberger's 2009 Report

 

In September 2017 an updated inventory of all Fairway's public trees was completed. The report was presented at the August 13, 2018 City Council Meeting.

Kim Bomberger's 2018 Report

 

The Board offers the following tree information in furtherance of its second objective to educate and encourage Fairway citizens in the planting and care of trees. Our sources of information are the state and federal forest services, the horticulture departments and extension services of the land grant universities, the Arbor Day Foundation and the International Society of Arboriculture.

 

The City of Fairway as of 2023 has been a Tree City U.S.A. for 39 consecutive years (the program has been around for only 47), and the Tree Board will help carry on that very proud distinction. 

  

 Tree Board Works in Progress

  • Development of a long range plan for care and improvement of Fairway’s tree population coupled with an annual work plan to meet the goals of the long range plan.

 

Recommended Tree List and Helpful Tree Care Tips

The Tree Board has adopted the tree list titled, City of Fairway Recommended Tree List.

  1. Kim Bomberger, Kansas Forest Service District Community Forester, performed an inventory and report on public trees in Fairway. (Click here for the report) In the report she discourages the planting of the following in Fairway due to being overstocked in the area, hazard tree potential, or known insect and disease problems: pin oaks, red oak species, sugar maples, sweetgums, red maples, silver maples, ash trees, Siberian elms, hackberries, box elders, Scotch and Austrian pines, and Honey locusts. More recently Kim has also discouraged the planting of any white oak species as well due to oak wilt disease.  

2. In addition to some of the species discouraged by Kim, The K-State Extension office also discourages the following species: cottonless cottonwood, European white birch, Lombardy poplar, silver poplar, willow, bradford pear. 

3. The Tree board recommends your tree selection be made considering the inventory percentages contained in Kim’s report. Choose a tree that represents 7% or less of your ward, and Fairway’s total tree population as documented in the report. By those means we can “hedge our bets” when it comes to tree specific diseases.

4. The grounds at Westwood City Hall, 4700 Rainbow Boulevard, has numerous labeled and well cared for mature specimen trees. Look there as an aid in making your selection.


Right-of-Way Trees No Longer Maintained by the City

Right-of-Way Trees No Longer Maintained by the City 

 

Protect Trees During Construction

Review the City of Fairway Public Tree Protection Ordinance.

Homeowners contemplating remodeling or construction should minimize damage to their trees by following the suggestions contained in the following bulletin from the National Arbor Day Foundation, preferably at the time they commence design work.
Link to Document

 

Do not put Excessive Soil Around Tree Base

Some people are moved to pile soil on exposed roots or build planter walls around their trees and fill them with soil. These practices can send a tree into decline and potentially kill it.

 

Keep Mulch out of Contact with Tree Trunks

Mulch Piled High against Tree Trunks to form “Mulch Volcanoes” is harmful. Read why and how to apply mulch correctly.

https://www.johnson.k-state.edu/lawn-garden/agent-articles/trees-shrubs/how-to-mulch-trees.html

 

Some useful links:

Kansas Forest Service

Tree City U.S.A.

National Arbor Day Foundation

The website of the Charitable Organization that sponsors the Tree City USA Program of which Fairway is a member.

 

Arbor Day Farm

Home of the Lied Lodge, a beautiful place to stay when visiting the Arbor Day Farm. The Tree Adventure is a day’s entertainment and education for children and grandchildren age six and up. About 2 ½ hours from Fairway up I-29.

 

K-State Extension

A wealth of information on all things horticultural including trees for Johnson County Gardeners.

 

Missouri Botanical Gardens (Shaw Gardens)

An excellent source of pictures and descriptions of mature trees and other plants.

The Tree Board is made up of members appointed by the Mayor. Each member serves without compensation.