It's now official.
Northville has been awarded an official Tree City designation by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Arbor Day Foundation.
While the city has been widely recognized for the tree-lined streets that beautify neighborhoods and vast landmark trees that grace city parks, cemeteries and the Historic District, the official state designation only came last week.
"Tree City is an important goal for many communities and is one of the most visible indications of your community's commitment and achievement in the care of trees," said Kevin Sayers, urban and community forester for the Michigan DNR.
More than 3,400 communities have made the commitment to becoming a Tree City USA. They meet four core standards: maintain a tree board or department, have a community tree ordinance, spend at least $2 per capita on urban forestry and celebrate Arbor Day. In 2021, the City of Northville joined with Northville Township to celebrate Arbor Day by giving away free tree and plant seedlings. The city last received the designation in 2013, but intends to apply for it annually, officials said.
Dave Guttman, who chairs the Sustainability Team, said one of the goals is to advocate for the preservation and care of the tree canopy in the city. The team recently put tags on many historic trees in Northville denoting the tree species.
"It's important to get the right kind of trees in the right place," said Guttman. "They reduce noise volume and create privacy and beauty. Everyone loves trees."
This month, the city was expected to plant 100 new trees in city parks, cemeteries, and along neighborhood and public street right-of-ways. The city contracted with Marine City Nursery to install species of tulip, ivory silk lilac, red maple and Exclamation London Planetree. These new trees will intensify the advantages of this natural resource through increased shade, cleaner air, a reduction in energy required to heat and cool homes, and reduced stormwater run-off, environmentalists said. One sugar maple tree can intercept 1,763 gallons of stormwater run-off annually and trees also promote groundwater infiltration, they added.
To better manage the city trees, Northville officials contracted with Davey Resources Group to conduct a tree inventory that will help determine which type of tree species to plant, the best location for any new plantings and the replacement of trees that are invasive or simply aren't thriving.
