Cub Scouts Help with Spring Tree Care

By Margaret Jevic

The other day my 6-year-old asked me if it was snowing. We had just parked the car at his lacrosse game, and we were in shorts and t-shirts. While his understanding of weather conditions may be an area of opportunity, he wasn’t wrong about white stuff coming out of the sky. It was a mixture of seeds and petals and pollen indicating that spring is in full swing. During this time of peak floral beauty, more tree care is being carried out on our Village street trees.

While some tree care should be left to professionals (like trimming large and/or high branches), there is plenty us regular individuals can do to help trees thrive. This past month, the Mariemont Pack Cub Scouts Troop 1 diligently removed grass and other vegetation around our 1-year-old Chinquapin Oaks planted on Chestnut St. Removing grass from around the tree trunk prevents competition for nutrients and allows beneficial mulch to be placed down for the tree to use. Having a wide circle (or square) of mulch around the base of the trunk also protects the tree from potential damage from lawn equipment.

Our scouts worked with their parents and leader Katie Dzombar to clear space around our new oaks. Digging up grass takes a little bit of elbow grease, and this was a great opportunity for these young scouts to participate in a service project that “teaches kids about being helpful citizens and gives them a sense of pride and ownership in their community,” said Katie.

Another fairly basic tree care item is removing vines from trees. Vines can prevent good air and light penetration. They can also wrap so tightly around a tree, strangling the tree’s transport of nutrients. In extreme cases vines can become so heavy they become a burden to the tree and lead to an increased risk of branches breaking.

The best way to remove vines from trees is not by pulling them off the tree as this can lead to large swaths of bark being torn off, but by severing the vine near the bottom of the tree, pulling up the roots, and letting the vine die and fall off the tree. Taking these two easy measures is a great way to help a tree thrive and protect it from damage.

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The Cub Scouts did a fantastic job learning about the importance of removing vegetation, and how to do it right. They can give themselves a huge pat on the back for contributing their time to the Village trees. Their effort will live on in healthy, happy trees they had a hand in raising.

Special thank you to the following scouts who served us on Chestnut St: Xavier Davis, Gracie Eversole, Adrian Fearing, Llewyn Fearing, Owen Friedhoff, Colin Friedhoff, Enzo Gibson, Lola Kato, Everett Lairson, Jay Mallon, Owen Mallon, Oliver Millard, Brooks Qin.