Nominate your tree! It could shine brightly in Milwaukee's Red Arrow Park

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- The City of Milwaukee’s Department of Public Works is now accepting nominations for a tree to serve as the 2014 City/County Christmas tree to be displayed in Red Arrow Park in downtown Milwaukee.

Residents and property owners within the City of Milwaukee are asked to check their yards for a Christmas tree to donate this holiday season. Eligible trees must be located in the City of Milwaukee.

The ideal tree should be 30 to 40 feet tall, and must be accessible for harvest with a crane, meaning no overhead wires present to interfere with the process. Generally the crane is parked near the front yard or side yard to harvest the tree. The tree candidates are judged on size, shape, uniformity, density, and color -
the same criteria that residents use to buy their own trees.

When a tree is selected, the City’s DPW Forestry staff will cut the tree, use the crane to place it on a flat bed truck for transportation downtown, remove the stump, and fill in the hole. The tree will receive a police escort to Red Arrow Park.

Residents who wish to have their tree considered for 2014 should contact the City of Milwaukee at 414-286-CITY (2489) by Friday, October 24th. All tree candidates will be evaluated, and one will be selected and harvested in early November, and lit at the City/County Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on
Thursday, November 20th in Red Arrow Park.

Mayor Tom Barrett and Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele will participate, and the donors of the selected tree will take part in the lighting ceremony by helping to flip the switch.