07spring_activity guide - City of Delaware

Tree City USAThe City of Delaware has been arecipient of the Tree City USA Awardfor 30 years. This award is sponsoredby the National Arbor Day Foundationin cooperation with the United StatesDepartment of Agriculture-ForestService, and National Association ofState Foresters.Tree City USA / Opportunities25To become a Tree City USA, a community must meet thefollowing criteria:• Have a Shade Tree Commission• Have a Tree Care Ordinance• Have a Comprehensive Community Forestry Program• Hold an Arbor Day CelebrationTree LawnsThe lawn area between the curb and the sidewalk is known asthe tree lawn. Although this area is City property, the Parks &Recreation Department encourages every homeowner toroutinely water newly planted trees in the lawn. In the summermonths, one inch of water per week is recommended to helpestablish the trees quickly and ward off insect and diseaseproblems. One inch of water is roughly equal to a hose runningfor 10 minutes.If you would like to plant or remove a tree in this area, youmust first receive permission from the City of Delaware Parks& Recreation Department. Shrubs are not permitted to beplanted in the tree lawn. For further information on planting andmaintaining street trees, please contact the Parks & RecreationDepartment at 203-1450.Did you know?The City of Delaware has an Urban Forest of over 14,000 treesand is valued at over 14 Million Dollars. These trees provideshade, reduce pollution, soften urban noise and provide shelterfor a multitude of wildlife. We take pride in our urban forest andtry to maintain it to the best of our ability and with the resourcesavailable; HOWEVER, this valued resource is being threatened byMULCH, YES, MULCH!!! THE IMPROPER APPLICATION OFMULCH AT THE BASE OF MANY STREET TREES. As much asmulch helps conserve moisture, keeps down weeds and adds anice look to residential or commercial property, using more than2” of mulch on top of the root ball, placing mulch next to thetrunk of the tree and mounding the mulch up in the form of avolcano, is actually KILLING our trees. Mulch should only beplaced to a depth of 2” and never placed next to the trunk of thetree. More than 2” of mulch is a waste of money, limits waterinfiltration, and is causing serious problems to our urban forest.Opportunities in Your CommunityAdopt-A-Park, Trail, or Landscape BedAdopt-A-Park programs have been around for a number of yearsallowing the City of Delaware to enter into a formal agreementwith volunteers, groups, or individuals to help maintain or improveparkland and other public lands. This program, much like Adopt-A-Highway, is a way for citizens, groups or organizations to contributeto the well being of their community. All activities or contributionsto Adopt-A-Park are done in coordination with the Parks &Recreation Department, who will provide expertise, assistance inselecting improvements, or levels of contributions. The Adopt-A-Park program leads to better park environments and overall qualityof life in our community. Please contact the Parks & RecreationDepartment at 203-1450 for more information on this program.FishingFishing is available year-round (weather permitting) at BlueLimestone, Smith, and Mingo Parks. Blue Limestone Park isstocked annually in the spring by the Ohio Department of NaturalResources. A fishing license is required and all local and statecodes and regulations will be enforced. ( www.dnr.state.oh.us )WalkingWalking is a great form of year-round exercise. In addition toour expanding bikeway network, a number of our parks have trailsavailable for your routine providing a safe & enjoyable environment.Smith Park trail is 1.1 mile, Mingo Park trail is 1 mile, Carson Farmstrail is .4 mile, Wetlands Park is 1 mile, and Stratford Woods trail is.5 mile. The Indoor Recreation Center in Mingo Park is also openfor walking during inclement weather at 7:30am on weekdays.Thirteen laps around the gym is equal to 1 mile.Speakers BureauThe City of Delaware Parks & Recreation Department staff isavailable to speak about the Department’s mission, goals,responsibilities, programs, and opportunities to your group. If youare interested in this service, please give us a call at 203-1450.