Whetstone Prairie/Whetstone Park/Tree Update: There are approx. 130 trees scheduled to be planted in Whetstone Park. Work has begun, it will take a few days to get the planting completed.
The trees are being planted by the Department of Public Utilities’ contractor, as mitigation for trees removed during their Blueprint (aka, rain garden) project. These trees are not part of a Rec & Parks project, although Rec & Parks are providing assistance on where they want the trees planted. Ultimately they have no part in the administration of the project. The mitigation term comes from the Columbus’s current tree policy which requires contractors to balance out our canopy by replacing trees lost in their projects with a greater number of trees than those taken. Sometimes those trees cannot be planted in the same location- so they are planted in parklands.Trees will be planted along the wood line on the east side of the prairie all the way to the bike path. There are also 6 being planted around the vernal pool to hopefully allow it to actually function like a vernal pool in the future!
