City of Merrill achieves Tree City USA status for 2023 and observes 2024 Arbor Day

City of Merrill Mayor Steve Hass proclaimed November 7, 2024, to be Arbor Day in the City of Merrill. The Merrill Parks & Recreation Department crew planted more than 130 trees in 2023, and more than 160 trees this fall on City boulevards and in City Parks.
The City of Merrill was also designated as a Tree City USA for the year 2023.
“This marks our 38th year as Tree City USA, and we are very proud to achieve this tremendous honor again this year,” said Dan Wendorf, Parks & Recreation Director for the City of Merrill. Wendorf thanked the Parks Staff, Jim Yates, Joe Weckwerth, and Ryan Golisch, for their amazing work planting all of the trees.
“We are very fortunate to have easily the best Park Crew in the State,” Wendorf said, “I don’t think people realize the amount of ground they cover each and every day in helping beautify our community!”
The City of Merrill has a very rich and longstanding tradition of supporting urban forestry through tree planting, tree care, and beautification.
As noted in Mayor Hass’s proclamation, he urges citizens to plant trees to gladden the hearts and promote the well-being of this and future generations. “We are very thankful to have such a supportive community. Thirty-eight years as a Tree City USA speaks volumes about how we feel about our valuable trees here in Merrill,” Wendorf said.
Residents within the city of Merrill are allowed to plant trees on their personal property without a permit as long as the tree(s) are on the approved species list in the City of Merrill Code of Ordinances, Wendorf said. Public property, boulevard, and right-of-way tree planting is prohibited without an approved planting permit.