Where did the tree you just passed on College Avenue come from, and how did it get to be in the sidewalk? The answer is a combination of the State College Tree Commission and the Municipal Tree Restoration Program.

The Municipal Tree Restoration Program is a joint venture between the College of Agriculture, utility companies, and forestry programs. Primarily funded by the utility companies and forestry programs, the program "assists communities in developing good tree planting programs," said Henry Gerhold, professor of forest genetics and initiator of the program.

The state-wide program helps communities that need to set up a program, but it also offers technical expertise and advice to communities that wish to improve already existing programs. The program holds workshops in interested communities to improve urban tree knowledge. The program also provides each community with a notebook containing reference information relating to an urban tree program, such as sample city ordinances.

The Tree Restoration Program aims to help the community build financial support so the local government does not have to pay all of the costs. Gerhold pointed to memorial tree funds that many communities have set up as indicators of the business community's interest in tree programs.

The cost of maintaining a vibrant street tree population is much higher than most people realize, he said. The largest cost of maintaining a tree population is pruning. Pruning should be done about every five years, including removal of branches for pedestrian and vehicle clearance, supplemental watering during droughts, and repairing minor storm damage, Gerhold added.

Although the costs of tree maintenance can run high, benefits can far outweigh the costs, he said. Many downtown areas have begun to plant more trees to "revitalize" the business districts and compete with suburban shopping malls. "Trees can help in a small way to reduce climatic change associated with the greenhouse effect," Gerhold said.

Trees store carbon dioxide and also act as shade for buildings in the warmer months and a wind-barrier in colder months. This reduces the need for fuels and lowers carbon dioxide emissions from fuel consumption, he added.

The planting and maintenance of street trees in State College is supervised by the Borough Arborist and advised by the Tree Commission -- a group of interested State College residents, said Larry Kuhns, Chairman of the State College Tree Commission. Currently, the Tree Commission is made up of University professors with expertise in the area and concerned citizens.

"When trees are scheduled to be taken down, the members of the Tree Commission will drive around and look at the trees and make sure we agree," Kuhns said.

However, Gerhold, also a member of the Tree Commission, stressed the commission can only make recommendations and has no power to dictate the planting or removal of trees.