Huber Heights parks board proposes tree giveaways, heritage-tree program and mayoral monarch pledge

The Huber Heights Parks and Recreation Board on March 4 outlined a slate of 2025 outreach and conservation efforts and asked the City Council to approve the mayor or a designee signing the National Wildlife Federation's Mayor's Monarch Pledge.

At the council work session, Casey (chair, Parks and Recreation Board) and board member Rich Moore described an April 5 tree-and-plant giveaway, a new heritage-tree nomination process and a set of events that include youth field day and multiple pickleball tournaments. "There's almost 8,300 enrollments in programs, special events, and community events," Casey said, noting 2,038 participants in the aquatics program and more than 271,000 facility visits in the past year.

Moore said the heritage-tree program would accept nominations starting on Arbor Day through July 4, and winners would be selected by a committee and recognized with a plaque and social media outreach. He described the program as modeled on efforts in Kettering and Zinnia and said the board is seeking council endorsement for the mayor to take the Mayor's Monarch Pledge. "Work with community gardens, urge them to plant native milkweeds, display educational signage," Moore said of proposed pledge activities, adding the pledge items are "very low cost or no cost, really." He also said the monarch butterfly is "in severe decline" and framed the pledge as an easy way for the city to participate in pollinator conservation.

Councilmembers discussed landscaping in new developments, street-tree requirements and using perennial plantings to reduce mowing in park-adjacent areas. Parks staff said a multi-sport court option had been reviewed and would be discussed further. No formal vote was taken at the work session; the board sought council endorsement to place the monarch pledge on the Monday agenda for formal action.

The Parks Board also previewed the annual Heritage Tree giveaway, plans to broaden the April giveaway to include shrubs and perennials for residents without space for trees, and an outreach proposal tied to the state's America 250 commission to link tree-planting with local history and school curricula.

The board requested council approval for the mayor or designee to sign the Mayor's Monarch Pledge; councilmembers asked clarifying questions about species and implementation. The item will be placed on the March 10 (Monday) council agenda for formal consideration.