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Talent awarded Tree City status By MEG LANDERS TALENT - The community of Talent is rooted in trees. That's what the National Arbor Day Foundation, in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters and the Forest Service, announced recently when it named Talent a Tree City U.S.A. "This has been a project that the city's been working on for two years," says Meghan MacKenzie, assistant city planner. Talent qualified for the award by establishing a tree board, developing and adopting a tree care ordinance, providing a $2 per capita tree budget, and recognizing Arbor Day by proclamation. An Earth Day/Arbor Day celebration is planned Saturday at the Downtown Park on Main Street. The day begins with the planting of six 10-year-old trees from 9 a.m. to noon. An acceptance ceremony will start at noon presided over by Mayor Marian Telerski. Lunch, snacks and shovels will be provided for volunteers, says MacKenzie, but people should bring their own work gloves. Telerski sees this as an important designation. "What this means," says Telerski, "is that we in Talent consider trees to be a valuable asset to the city." By Talent taking responsibility for maintaining healthy trees within city limits, including parks, school grounds, city rights of way and public places, says MacKenzie, the city staff and volunteers are making an investment in the community. She thinks this will pay off in many ways, including making the city more attractive to developers. "When the (building) moratorium is lifted and we're generating a larger tax base and applying for larger grants," says MacKenzie, "we're showing our commitment to enhancing our community." Besides, she says, it's just a good thing to do. "It's an opening of our arms," she says, "to become stewards of the community and public property." To volunteer or for more information, contact MacKenzie at 535-7401. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.