New year signals coming of city tree sales, memorial planting

BRIGHTON — City Forester Kyle Sylvester is working to get more tree canopy in Brighton, and the city’s 2013 tree program is one way he’s achieving that goal.
    The program is designed to get a diversity of trees back into the community at low cost by encouraging residents to purchase, plant and take care of their own trees.

Photo by Crystal Nelson

A plaque recognizes donors for the city’s Memorial Tree Planting Program.

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    “It encourages diversity, it encourages water conservation and just tree planting in general, which is kind of my goal, to get more tree canopy in Brighton,” he said of the program.
    Sylvester selects his favorite trees for the program – trees that are drought tolerant, insect resistant, easy to take care of, and do really well in Brighton’s soil conditions. Those trees include small, ornamental trees like the Cleveland Select Pear and the Tatarian Maple, as well as large, shade trees like Bur Oak, English Oak, Turkish Filburt, Glenleven Linden and Kentucky Coffeetree.
    “The thing with these trees is they are not nursery grade trees,” he said. “Nursery grade trees are usually quite a bit bigger and a little bit more expensive, they’re right around $48 and we call these one inch caliber trees, meaning they’re one inch in diameter and they’re maybe 40 pounds, so they’re very manageable to plant.”
    The trees are sold for $48.83, come balled and burlapped, and purchases are limited to three trees per household. Residents can participate by downloading the paperwork on the city’s website www.brightonco.gov and returning it to city hall or by applying at city hall.
    Tree pick-up will be scheduled for mid-April, and participants will be notified of the exact date and time. Sylvester said master gardeners will also be on site to answer any questions they may have during pick-up.
    In addition to the 2013 Tree Program, Sylvester has started a memorial tree program, where residents can purchase in memorial of a loved one or to commemorate a special milestone in life. He said once the tree is purchased, the city will plant it and continue to maintain it.
    For more information about either program visit www.brightonco.gov and look for the forestry link or call City Forester Kyle Sylvester at 303-655-2054.