GENOA – Genoa’s official Arbor Day tree was dedicated Friday in memory of one of the city’s first Tree Board members.
A frontier elm was planted at the Kishwaukee Valley Heritage Museum in honor of Chuck Eichler, who died in May.
Genoa arborist Janice Melton said trees are planted in Genoa every year for Arbor Day, but they’re not always dedicated to individuals.
“We decided to dedicate this to Chuck because he was on our first tree board,” Melton said. “We thought this would be perfect. He would have enjoyed that.”
Tree Board President Orrin Merritt, who is also vice president of the Kishwaukee Valley Heritage Museum, said Chuck was also a participating member at the museum, which is why they chose that location.
Eichler joined the Tree Board as one of the first members in 1994 and also worked for the Genoa Park District. He had a degree in horticulture, and his wife, Kathy Eichler, said her husband was “very into conservation.”
“I was really touched when [Melton] called me and told me she was going to do this,” Kathy said.
The Eichler’s daughter, April Eichler, and her two children, Teddy, 4, and Debbie, 2, also attended Friday’s dedication.
Melton said the frontier elm was appropriate for the space and for the heritage museum. She noted that the tree is a hybrid that is resistant to Dutch elm disease.
This is the 18th year Genoa has celebrated as an official “tree city,” capturing growth awards for 15 of those years. As a tree city through Tree City USA, Melton said it means Genoa adheres to specific tree practices and spends a certain amount of money on trees per capita.
Merritt said officials are working on creating a plaque to accompany the tree dedicated to Eichler.
Aside from his involvement with the tree board, museum and park district, Eichler was also a part of Genoa’s veteran’s club. Melton said he was always very active in the community.
“He was an awesome civil servant,” she said.
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