YARS celebrates Tree City USA status Published Oct. 24, 2017 By Eric White 910th Airlift Wing Public Affairs YOUNGSTOWN AIR RESERVE STATION, Ohio -- The 910th Airlift Wing held a tree-planting ceremony here, Oct. 24, to recognize the installation’s status as a Tree City USA location, a designation it has held for 23 years. Wing leadership selected a Buckeye tree in honor of the state of Ohio for this year’s event. Col. Dan Sarachene, 910th Airlift Wing commander, said Wing leaders selected the buckeye tree to honor the more than 1600 Reserve Citizen Airmen whose military service is rooted in Ohio while branching out globally. “This tree is rooted locally, but its branches reach into the air, the domain of the Air Force Reserve’s air power,” said Sarachene. “It also signifies our team of Reserve Citizen Airmen who have residences in 26 states as far away as Hawaii.” The Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree City USA program began in 1976 and provides a framework for communities to take care of and manage their trees. According to the Arbor Day Foundation’s website, in order to earn and maintain Tree City USA status, a community must meet four core standards: “maintaining a tree board or department, having a community tree ordinance, spending at least $2 per capita on urban forestry and celebrating Arbor Day.” Base Civil Engineering at YARS annually surveys the condition of tree health on the installation, pruning, removing and planting following environmentally friendly practices. Bill Fink, an environmental engineer here, arranged the tree-planting ceremony. He said that just one acre of healthy trees contributes to a healthier environment by removing pollutants equivalent to what a car emits in 26 thousand miles of driving.