W. Laf. woman lauded for saving tree

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - A West Lafayette woman who put her foot down to save a large white oak tree in her yard is the winner of this year's Tree Preservation Award from Tree Lafayette.

When Duke Energy told Sylvia Long it would have to severely trim a large old white oak tree in her yard, they likely didn't realize they were beginning an odyssey that would end with Long winning Tree Lafayette's Tree Preservation Award.

Long said she objected immediately when she learned the tree was slated for trimming because it would be in the way of power lines.

"Once I told them, 'You're not,' I think that's what started the whole thing, the discussion about it. He said he'd have to get together and he said, 'You will, too,' and I said, 'Not really, because my mind's made up, you know, and whatever you can do to save the tree, we need to do it.' And so they were very accomodating," said Long.

Long has lived in her home at Salisbury and Riley Streets in West Lafayette for 25 years and said the tree has always been one of her favorite aspects of living there.

"It's always shaded the front of my house, so that it makes it cooler in the summer," said Long. "And I think it looks pretty. My house is rather small and I think it really adds to my home. I think it's the highlight, really, of that lot."

Salisbury Street and the sidewalk project were moved to accommodate the tree and Duke Energy worked with Long to prevent the tree from being trimmed.

Long won the award during Tree Lafayette's annual meeting.

Tree Lafayette was formed as The Lafayette Tree Fund in 1993 and has since planted 1,067 street trees. Tree Fund volunteers have pruned 5,429 street trees in the city since 1993.

This year's Volunteer of the Year is Greg Shaner, who has volunteered 102.9 hours of planting, watering, mulching and pruning street trees. Shaner is a professor emeritus of botany and plant pathology at Purdue University.

Tree Lafayette's Neighborhood Tree Steward Award was given to Frank Egelhoff, of the Millcreek Homeowners' Association, for learning skills in planting, pruning, mulching and watering street trees for his neighborhood.

The Environmental Award was given to Marvin Hill for his encouragement of zero landfill practices and recycling at his place of employment.

Several others were also recognized:

• WLFI-TV was given an award for its Going Green With 18 campaign.
• Orvin Lindell was recognized as a Charter Member of Tree Lafayette.
• Georgia Olsen was given special recognition for web design.
• Les Ricks was recognized for procuring water tanks for use in watering trees.
• Beverly Shaw was recognized for community activity.
• Eli Lilly was recognized for 16 years of funding for tree planting.
• Ken Ritchey, retired from Tipmont REMC, was honored for starting Tipmont's Enviro Watts program.
• State Senator Ron Alting was recognized for providing saplings to volunteers who plant trees for Tree Lafayette.