The city tree commission generally oversees trees in the public right-of-way, but they are more than just a regulatory agency.
Their mission “to maintain and improve the community forest of the city” includes a “commitment to planting, protecting, and maintaining public trees…a long-term investment in the beauty, biodiversity and historic character of Chillicothe.”
The award-winning Chillicothe Tree Commission usually meets third Tuesdays – and often discusses requests, plans plantings, seeks grants from ODNR, and more.
I must not have driven past a recent planting along Yoctangee Park until recently, and was surprised to see trees being maintained along the floodwall. You may have noticed trees and shrubs being removed from the floodwall elsewhere, because the Army Corps of Engineers has cracked down on anything that might weaken their flood protection.
But it turns out that the new planting is not on the floodwall. After the last tree commission meeting, I asked Interim Planning and Development Director Clint Boggs and President of Chillicothe Tree Commission Jim Slyh about that. They said the commission measured things out and contacted the Army Corps.
The planting is on the near edge of the old railroad embankment, and the floodwall is far enough away on the other side, that in December the commission could line it with 78 trees that include Catalpa, two varieties of Honeylocust, two disease-resistant American Elm varieties, Pink Redbud, White Redbud, Yellowbud, and London Planetree. More trees are planned for the west side of Borland’s Crossing.
Hear more from Boggs and Slyh in their own words in the below interview video. Also find much information on the commission on the commission on the city’s website.
1 of 3 2 of 3 December 2023 tree planting above the back of Chillicothe's Yoctangee Park, along the former railroad bed.
3 of 3 The Chillicothe Tree Commission