The West Wyoming Shade Tree Commission has been awarded a grant from the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority (LHVA). Thanks to this grant, the West Wyoming Borough’s TreeVitalize Project will be part of an overall effort to increase the tree canopy cover in the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Metropolitan Region.

With funding from this grant the West Wyoming Shade Tree Commission, with help from volunteers, will plant trees throughout the borough continuing the organizations goal of increasing the tree canopy. In 2006, the West Wyoming Shade Tree Commission conducted its first borough wide tree-planting project, planting dozens of trees. Additional trees were planted by the shade tree commission in Spring 2008. The Shade Tree Commission also collaborated with the Abrahams Creek Watershed Association to plant 40 trees in flood prone areas of the borough in November 2008.

“West Wyoming is excited about this opportunity to increase the tree cover in the borough. Our municipality experiences significant street flooding during rain events, increasing our tree cover will help mitigate the effects of the storm water runoff,” says Eileen Cipriani, West Wyoming Shade Tree Commission member.

The Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority has supported this project in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the National Park Service.

The mission of the West Wyoming Shade Tree Commission is to preserve and maintain as many trees as possible within the borough limits of West Wyoming. This is accomplished by:

Permit fee is $100. This fee is refundable upon replacement of a removed tree within 12 months. Fee is also refundable if pruned trees are not "topped" or pruned with heading cuts.

The fine not getting a permit or improper pruning is $300.

The following conditions must be adhered to:

• Removal to be done by borough licensed men, skilled in such work, abiding by the rules of the Commission and Shade Tree Ordinance 4 of 2006.
• Owners to be responsible for all damage to property or persons resulting from the work and to provide, when necessary ropes or guards to protect the public.
• Large limbs should be cut off. All logs, brush and refuse to be removed immeditately.
• To prevent hazards, pruning should meet American national Standards Institute standards for tree pruning. Hiring an ISA certified arborist is recommended but not required.
• All work to be done to the satisfaction of the Commission's inspector. Failure or neglect to comply with this permit will cause this commission to proceed with penalties contained in Ordinance 4 of 2006 whcih is a $300 fine.

26 Trees Planted to aid in Flood Protection November 3, 2008 (Camille Fiotti, Times Leader Correspondent)

Wyoming Area Students place foliage in West Wyoming to reduce storm water run-off.

Students from Wyoming Area High School devoted a good part of Sunday afternoon planting trees in a flood-prone section of the borough. Alongside council members Daniel Gadomski and Eileen Cipriani, the ecology-minded students planted 26 trees around the edge of a wetlands area behind the Sixth Street Little League field. (Read entire Times Leader Article)