Fresh off an historic winter storm that narrowly missed the Lower Valley, some residents already are focusing on spring.

The Aspinwall Shade Tree Commission wants to encourage more people to become involved with the borough's environmental upkeep. There currently are 13 tree tenders in the borough, but those interested can take an eight-hour course for $40 to learn about urban forestry, tree biology, planting and maintenance.

The shade tree commission and Tree Pittsburgh are hosting a tree pruning workshop for the certified tree tenders only from 9 a.m. to noon Jan. 30 at the municipal offices.

Founded in 2006, Tree Pittsburgh works to promote an urban forest by teaching residents how to plant and protect trees.

Jake Milofsky, the group's tree care and restoration coordinator, said that the more active tree tenders there are in a community, the more effective maintenance efforts will be and the better trees will look.

Milofsky said pruning is an art and a science.

“It can often be challenging at first,” he said. “It's very important to prune trees frequently when they are young so that they have a strong and healthy structure when they mature.”

Ann Pawlikowski, who chairs the shade tree commission, said the community is “fortunate to have a number of residents and shade tree commission members who participate.

“It really would benefit any resident who is interested in proper tree care and maintenance to attend a class and volunteer.”

Tree Pittsburgh will have certified arborists at the Jan. 30 workshop to help people sharpen their skills. Participants will learn to evaluate a tree's natural form, determine the proper cut and remove branches safely.

The borough has been working for four years to restore the community's tree-lined streets. With the Pittsburgh-based TreeVitalize, environmentally minded volunteers have planted nearly 100 trees in the borough.

Founded in 2004, TreeVitalize has planted more than 350,000 trees across Pennsylvania.

Borough Manager Melissa Lang said the goal is to replace trees that have been pulled because of decay or hazard.

New trees add to the beauty of Aspinwall but also help to provide clean air and aid in storm water control, she said.

“The tree pruning is helpful and cost effective for the borough,” Lang said. “It is also a great way to clean up the business district trees.”

To learn more about becoming a tree tender or registering for the pruning workshop, visit treepitts burgh.org.

Tawnya Panizzi is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach her at 412-782-2121, ext. 2 or at tpanizzi@tribweb.com.

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