CONTRIBUTED BY KOB
Keep Opelika Beautiful has kicked off the Community Canopy program in Pepperell Mill Village. This is a two-step program to enhance the natural canopy provided by trees in our community. The initial step is to identify the diseased and dead trees on public right-of-way for removal. The second part of the Community Canopy is planting trees in non-restricting areas. Keep Opelika Beautiful and Natural Resource Consultants are offering one free 5-gallon oak tree to each homeowner/renter in the Pepperell Mill Village. The deadline to sign up for a tree is Nov. 30. Trees will be delivered at the end of December.
“Our goal is to plant twice as many trees in the Mill Village as we are having removed due to disease and end of life. By offering free trees to residents, we are fulfilling the Keep Opelika Beautiful mission of educating and maintaining a beautiful environment in Opelika,” said Tipi Miller, director of Keep Opelika Beautiful.
In 2018, the city of Opelika began contract services with George Barker of Natural Resource Consultants.
Barker has completed a tree inventory for Opelika and created a maintenance plan for continuing the green canopy in Opelika. In 2020, 120 trees were planted in parks and right of ways. The number of trees removed due to safety hazard was 92. Also, 85 trees were pruned for vehicle and pedestrian safety.
For more information contact Keep Opelika Beautiful at (334) 749-4970 or tipi@keepopelikabeautiful.com.