Tree Board

As a designated Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation, Madison is commitment to preserving and expanding our urban forest, which plays a crucial role in enhancing our quality of life and beautifying our community.  

The trees planted in Madison are a mix of native species, trees that could have been found here over 200 years ago when Madison was founded, and species from other parts of the world that do well in our climate. A wide
variety of trees are used to avoid catastrophic loss due to disease, insects, and extreme weather. Tree species are also selected for the benefits they bring which include shade, flowers, interesting leaves or even fruit.

Madison’s public tree management is administered by the City Tree Board and assisted by the City Tree Specialist, Tim Perry. The five-member Tree Board is composed of Madison residents who serve on the board voluntarily. Its members are appointed by the mayor. The city tree specialist is a city employee knowledgeable in the field of urban forestry.

Tree Board Members:

NAME	POSITION	APPOINTED BY
Glen Schulte	Board Member, Chair	Mayor
Tom Stark	Board Member	Mayor
Karen Skillman	Board Member	Mayor
Melinda Acree	Board Member	Mayor
Jeff Matheney	Board Member	Mayor

For more information, please contact Tim Perry at tperry@madison-in.gov.

Meetings: The Tree Board meets the second Thursday of every month at 6 PM in the City Hall. Meeting dates are subject to change. 

Board Jurisdiction:

The jurisdiction is bounded by the Ohio River on the south, the toe of the hill on the north, and the corporate limits on both the east and west.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The Tree Board is responsible for the management of our collection of public trees. The Tree Board manages the trees that grow along the public streets and parks that lie within its jurisdiction.

It is the responsibility of the board to study, investigate, counsel and develop and/or update annually, and administer a written plan for the care, preservation, pruning, planting, replanting, removal or disposition of trees and shrubs in parks, along streets, and other public areas. Such plan will be presented annually to the City Council and upon their acceptance and approval shall constitute the official comprehensive city tree plan for the city.

This ordinance outlines the species and sizes of trees that can be planted in public spaces, the requirements for traffic and personal safety, utility service clearances, and procedures for routine care or removal of trees when required.

Tree Management:

The Tree Board’s administration of the public tree management plan includes:

• • Ensuring proper planting procedures
  • Development and maintenance of a list of desirable trees for planting along streets
  • Choosing planting sites for the trees planted annually
  • Reviewing and acting upon requests for removal and pruning of street trees
  • Providing educational information on trees to citizens
  • Planning an annual Arbor Day celebration
  • Promoting public awareness of the importance of the city’s trees
  • Planning and coordinating a yearly project.

Past projects:

• • • Mulberry and Second Street parking lot
    • Broadway Fountain
    • Main Street parking lot

Tips From Our Board:

Please choose and plant trees carefully so they do well and do not cause future problems. Here are a few things to consider before you plant:

Will it get enough light? Some trees need full sun. Without it, they may survive but they will grow slowly and
have a poor shape. Full sun is generally considered 6 hours of direct sunlight. 

How tall will it get? Not just in 2 or 5 years but in 20 to 30 years. Since a major blackout was caused by tree branches rubbing against power lines, power companies are required to trim trees off the lines. Will your tree interfere with power lines, street signs, etc.?

How wide will it get? Again, think 20 - 30 years out. Planting too close to a building, the sidewalk, or driveway will eventually cause problems if the tree will get too wide.