Weston Tree Commission

10/09/2025

On Wednesday, October 15th, 2025, arborists and landscape professional crews contracted by the Weston Tree Commission will be planting 17 Princeton Sentry Ginkgo trees along Court Avenue, in locations from its intersection with Route 33/119 to Stonecoal Creek, and which is expected to take all day to complete.

Precautionary signage and traffic cones will be in place to ensure the safety of workers, traffic, pedestrians, and especially that of our community's students.

Please be vigilant and use caution if traveling in that area.

This initiative has been fully funded by a generous grant through the US Department of Agriculture and the West Virginia Department of Forestry.

09/09/2025

Correct watering is crucial for the success of your newly planted trees and shrubs.

West Virginia has been seeing less rainfall lately, and our lawns and landscapes are feeling it. To help your plants through the dry spell:

👉Water deeply but less often to encourage strong root growth
👉Water in the early morning or evening to reduce evaporation
👉Prioritize young trees, shrubs, and new plantings

A little extra care now can protect your landscape investment through the season. 🌿

09/09/2025

Poor rootball structure can cause premature failure of trees and shrubs. By making sure roots are properly prepared (and the root flare is exposed), proper preparation will help ensure a long and healthy life.

Feel free to contact the Weston Tree Commission for more information.

Fall is for planting!

09/06/2025

08/22/2025

Two weeks ago, the Weston Tree Commission had the pleasure of hosting local officials and the media as certified ISA arborists and crew from Mitchell Tree Care of Morgantown, WV, spent two days giving careful attention to Weston's Heritage Yellow Poplar located at the historic Arnold ~ Old Hill Cemetery.

Today, a commemorative bronze plaque was placed at its base in the Withers family plot that now shares the tree's vital statistics and its significance to our community.

The Tree Commission would like to thank The Weston Historic Landmarks Commission for sharing in the cost of the plaque, and Artistic Bronze of Ocala, Florida, for their outstanding work.

Arnold ~ Old Hill Cemetery is Weston's best repository of old, valuable, trees, and the Tree Commission looks forward to expanding our preservation efforts to others located in that historic site

While there, crews also turned their attention to a valuable Eastern Hemlock by providing supportive cabling and treating for the Wooly Adelgid parasite, helping to ensure its future place in Weston's tree history.

We are committed to not only preserving our existing trees, but also to substantial new plantings that, taken together, will grow and sustain the city's tree canopy while helping to guarantee a better quality of life for everyone.

08/16/2025

Some places have also become secondary old growth forests, meaning the forests were cut down at some point but have grown back with many of the characteristics of an old growth.

08/10/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/15sCQe7q5S/

Topping is the indiscriminate cutting of large branches down to stubs. While it might feel like a quick fix to control tree size or risk, it’s one of the most harmful practices you can do to a tree. ISA Certified Arborists® use science-based pruning techniques that preserve a tree’s natural form, support long-term health, and address risk safely and effectively. Learn more at https://ow.ly/Knpw50WARJQ

Visit our website at www.treesaregood.org/treeowner for information on various tree care topics

08/08/2025

08/06/2025

How do I tell apart tree-of-heaven from other trees?" This is a question we often get asked! Tree-of-heaven is the preferred host of the spotted lanternfly and is an invasive tree we recommend removing whenever possible due to its aggressive spread in native habitat areas and along roadsides.

Here's how to accurately identify a tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima):
🔎 Compound leaves with 11-41 oppositely arranged leaflets on a single stem.
🔎 Each leaflet is lance-shaped with a pair of teeth, or protruding bumps, at the base of the leaf.
🔎 Leaflets may have smooth of slightly wavy edges, but have no teeth or sharp edges.
🔎 The stem of the leaf ranges from light green to reddish brown in color.
🔎 When crushed, the stems and leaves will smell foul, often described as burnt peanut butter, wet gym socks, or cat urine.

Native look-alike species include black walnut (Juglans nigra) and sumac (Rhus). Unlike tree-of-heaven, both black walnut and native sumacs have serrated edges with small teeth, and no protruding bumps at the stem of leaflets — so get up close! Native hickories are less likely to be mistaken for tree-of-heaven despite having leaflets. Hickory leaflets have a broad, rounded shape that tapers into a sharp tip, rather than a long and narrow "lance" shape.

Tree-of-heaven should be removed carefully to prevent it from producing sprouts and coming back more aggressively. For tree-of-heaven identification and removal tips, please visit: https://extension.psu.edu/tree-of-heaven