The Macomb Tree Board was notified Thursday that one of the city trees has been recognized as the largest in the state. According to City Forester Skip Bowles, a Northern Catalpa, located one-half block east of Prairie Avenue, is on the Illinois Big Tree Registry. He said it is at least 125 years old and measures 72 feet high and 24 feet in circumference.
Bowles said documentation is being submitted that might get the tree listed as one of the largest in the country. He said that, right now, the only Illinois tree on the federal list is an Ohio Buckeye planted on the campus of McDonald's Hamburger University in suburban Chicago.
The city forester reported that an Illinois grant is paying for 26 trees to be planted in the areas of Randolph, Pierce and White streets. The University of Illinois Extension trained 40 Macomb volunteers to help with tree planting.
'There were a lot of families with young children,' Bowles said.
Bowles added he'd like to plant six trees this spring in Thorpe Park, and that four trees will be planted in Mavis Park, which lost trees last year due to storm damage. He also has three new trees for planting in the tree memorial park off Candy Lane, and Bowles is working with the Oakwood Cemetery staff to plant 135 oak trees along the cemetery roadway as family memorials, and an additional 15 could be planted. Bowles told the board he would like to plant 46 trees along South Johnson Street from Macomb High School to Harmony Lane. The city's annual Arbor Day plantings will be hosted this year by Edison School. The forester has removed dead and failing trees this winter to prepare for spring planting, and has trimmed 150 oak trees over the winter.
In other business, the tree board discussed its planned tree registry project for notable trees located on private property. Interim Board Chair Brenda Sayre said she is working with board member Margaret Ovitt to plan walking tours on a neighborhood- by-neighborhood basis. 'This would involve trees that can be seen from the street,' Ovitt said.
Sayre introduced two new tree board members, Russ Braun and Tim Howe. Braun is a Department of Agriculture retiree with expertise in conservation and soil studies. Howe started working with Macomb's tree program in 1991 and served as city forester for 16 years until his retirement.
