FAIRVIEW PARK, Ohio -- After watching residents continually remove healthy trees from their yards, the city's Shade Tree Advisory Committee has decided to educate the public on the value of a healthy urban forest.

This year marks the inaugural Most Valuable Tree (MVTree) program. With criteria ranging from unique species and maturity to native Ohio species, more than 50 residential trees were nominated from around Fairview Park. Recently, the Shade Tree Advisory Committee honored 17 homeowners with signs.

"We started it as an educational piece, because it was disturbing to see how many healthy trees are removed," committee member Mary Alice Mastrovito said. "We know that has long-term negative impact in a community, so we're trying to bring awareness and recognition in a way to celebrate the trees.

"Some of the trees have really cool stories. One resident's father grew it as a bonsai. When she bought a house in Fairview Park, it outgrew its container, so she planted it in the front yard," Mastrovito said.

The hope is that the MVTree program will get residents thinking not only about shade in their yards, but other benefits, such as stormwater management, heating and cooling costs, and property values.

"It's a great idea for the city," said City Arborist and Assistant Service Supervisor Mike Varga, who is also a Shade Tree Advisory Committee member. "People see the signs in yards that say, 'Home of a Fairview Park Most Valuable Tree' and it gets them thinking about the trees in their own yards.

"It makes people feel like they are something bigger. It gets people involved. Perhaps people will give it a second thought before cutting down a healthy tree, and maybe planting one instead. It will help keep and restore the city's tree canopy," Varga said.

In addition to homes showing off their signs, there's also another component of the program.

"As part of the MVTree project, the Shade Tree Advisory Committee identified six trees within Bain Park," Mastrovito said. "These trees will receive permanent signage noting botanical name, common name, leaf shape and folklore associated with each species.

"It's our hope that as people walk through the park, these signs will encourage them to see trees from a new perspective and get curious to learn more about the diverse trees within our park and our city," she said.

In terms of Fairview Park's tree canopy, Varga said the city is losing more than it is planting due to disease, as well as the aging of hundreds of Norway maples that are being removed.

"The city hasn't done the greatest job in maintaining the trees we have, but that seems to be taking a turn for the better," Varga said. "We're moving toward taking a proactive instead of reactive care plan of our trees.

"We have a program that a resident can purchase a tree and the city will pick it up and plant it. That has been doing well over the last five years. We have a tree inventory on the books. The Shade Tree Advisory Committee is going to help with this," he said.

Previously, Fairview Park had a Shade Tree Advisory Committee; however, it went on hiatus until nearly three years ago, when Mayor Eileen Patton and City Council decided to restart the volunteer-led group with the purpose of reforesting the city, as well as helping to create a sustainable and lasting urban forest.

"I'd love for MVTree to be annual," Varga said. "What I'm hearing from the community and committee's conversations, it sounds like we'll be doing this every year."