Wildwood Is Finally A Tree USA City

Although a variety of trees can be found in every nook of Wildwood, it was challenging to secure the designation of joining the 3,400-plus municipalities that are Tree City USA communities.

Wildwood's department of planning staff applied several times for the Tree City USA designation, only to come up short even though there is obviously no shortage of trees within the city's boundaries.

Mayor Tim Woerther said the challenge came due to the national program's emphasis on tree replacement, rather than on tree preservation.

"You would think Wildwood could become a Tree City early on, but we found that the program is an interesting process," said Woerther. "After a couple of attempts at the application, it became clear that the program had a focus on what you did to replace trees and then manage them after that."

Wildwood was incorporated 15 years ago, largely based on protecting the forests and ecosystems already found there.

"Wildwood is still on the leading edge in natural tree preservation," Woerther said.

To qualify as a Tree City USA community, a town or city must meet four standards, which include administrative, financial and promotional elements.

The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters. The program provides direction, technical assistance, public attention, and national recognition for urban and community forestry programs in thousands of towns and cities that represent more than 135 million Americans.

Preserving mature tree stands located in Wildwood is one of the major elements of the community's master plan. Along with preserving these large, and diverse, forested areas, Joe Vujnich, director of planning and parks, said they also promote and require the installation of new trees and other vegetation, as part of new development projects. In observance of the most recent Arbor Day in Wildwood, 15 Serviceberry and Prairie Fire Crab Apple Trees were planted Nov. 29, 2010, in the new Glencoe City Park. The planting of these trees also was to memorialize the city's 15th year anniversary, Vujnich said.

Wildwood now joins 23 Missouri cities that previously earned the Tree USA City designations. Nearby Tree Cities include Eureka, Fenton, Ballwin, Ellisville, Chesterfield and Des Peres.