Elkins tree board receives gold leaf award

ELKINS–The City of Elkins Tree Board (ETB) was recently awarded the prestigious Gold Leaf Award by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), which recognizes excellence in Arbor Day or Landscape Beautification projects in the Mid-Atlantic region. The award is for outstanding Arbor Day activities which will significantly impact the community.

This international distinction for the tree board resulted from a nomination by the WVU School of Natural Resources Chapter of the ISA.

In making the nomination, Dr. David McGill, Professor and Extension Service Specialist with the WVU Forest Resources Management department, said he immediately thought of Elkins. “It is in the heart of the Highlands, has the Forest Festival in its beautiful city park, and a Pollinator Alley in Glendale Park. When I asked someone who did all that work, I heard about the Elkins Tree Board. Having seen the nice landscaping downtown and other areas, which show how hard the Tree Board and community members have worked–the Elkins Tree Board was a natural choice.”

In 2022, the Elkins Tree Board planted over 30 trees for Arbor Day at Elkins City Park and Bluegrass Park. The combined tree planting events attracted over 50 volunteers associated with the Elkins Friends of Trees, Emma Scott Garden Club, Elkins Park and Recreation, the Children’s Home, and individual families. The ETB also co-sponsored the Earth Day celebration, participated in the downtown Sprout into Spring event, and hosted hands-on workshops.

The Gold Leaf award from the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the ISA was presented to the ETB board by Sam Adams, an urban forester with the WV Division of Forestry, at the recent Adopt-A-Tree event held at the Elkins Tree Nursery on the Gov. Kump House grounds.

Since its creation, the ETB has successfully garnered grants for urban trees downtown, enhanced the Pollinator Alley at Glendale Park, and maintains a tree nursery and heirloom apple orchard at the Kump Education Center. The board meets at the Darden House on the first Tuesday of the month. Follow the Elkins Friends of Trees on Facebook for more information on upcoming events.

Contact: Nanci Bross-Fregonara, Elkins Tree Board, nbross-fregonara@cityofelkinswv.com  

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Elkins Tree Board members were on hand to receive the prestigious ISA Gold Leaf award for excellence in Arbor Day activities from WV Division of Forestry urban forester Sam Adams. From left, Linda Silva, Nanci Bross-Fregonara, Adams, Katy McClane (Friends of Trees), Marilynn Cuonzo, Angela Davis, Linda Burke and Aira Burkhart. Not pictured is board member Sam Golston.