The Charleston Tree Commission planted over 100 seedlings in the new four-acre tree nursery in celebration of Arbor Day.

On May 5, 2005, the seedlings were transplanted into the nursery. Stan Adkins, a tree commission member, said Wes Whiteside, a retired Eastern professor, donated many seedlings from his home. Several other small trees were donated from Eastern Illinois University’s campus by arborist Dale McCullough.

The seedlings will be used to replace other trees that are being removed for different reasons around the city. Some reasons include street widening, overgrown trees and storm damage, said Curt Devore, City Maintenance and Parks superintendent.

Many of the seedlings will be planted in parks and places like the bike path, softball field and Charleston Lake, said Devore.

The trees will be replaced at a 2-to-1 ratio, said Adkins.

Andy Methven, Tree Commission chairman, said the seedlings that they planted were about 2-3 feet tall and they will be transplanted when they are about 10-12 feet tall.

Devore said the types of trees donated included oaks, magnolias, alders and a golden rain. The golden rain tree donated has clusters of yellow flowers that bloom in August and September instead of the traditional June and July.

The Tree Commission, revived last December, plans to purchase more trees to put in the nursery from other sources with money in the city budget. They have also applied for a grant but it will not be received until 2008, said Devore.

The trees that were planted will not be ready for transplanting for about three to five years, said Adkins. The Tree Commission plans to plant one acre at a time over the next four years.

The nursery is located west of the Coles County Fairgrounds and just north of the lawn waste drop-off site. This will provide them with mulch for the trees in the nursery, said Devore.

The commission is trying to focus on replacing trees such as silver maples, which are short lived, with trees that will not over-grow or buckle the sidewalks, said Devore.

The Tree Commission also plans to start a tree inventory, to give guidelines for what trees to plant and also to provide recommendations to the city about what trees to cut down, said Methven.

Methven said the Tree Commission’s main goal is to get “Charleston’s status back as a tree city U.S.A”