As you enter the City of Menomonie among the various signs greeting you are three on one post, indicating that Menomonie is a Bike Friendly City, a Tree City, and a Bird City. Ever wonder what those actually mean?
Menomonie has been officially recognized as a Tree City for almost 35 years. The recognition is through the National Arbor Day Foundation, a nonprofit whose goal is to encourage the planting and nurturing of trees. There are 3,577 recognized Tree Cities in the country, which plant almost a million trees annually, according to the Tree City website.
To qualify for this recognition, Menomonie needed to establish a tree board or department—the Urban Forestry Board, staffed by volunteer city residents, is a recognized City committee since 1994, reporting to the City Council. The city also needed a tree care ordinance, a community forestry program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita, and the City needed to hold an observance and publish a proclamation each year for National Arbor Day, usually held in April.
The Urban Forestry Board advocates for more tree planting each year at budget time. The City has cut over 600 trees in the last two years, almost all were ash trees devastated by the emerald ash borer. Replacing as many of those trees with other species has been a high priority. The Board also maintains a Heritage Tree Program, and a Tree Memorial program. The Urban Forestry Board meets monthly and meetings are open to the public.
Bird City designation came to Menomonie in 2013, recognized through Bird City Wisconsin, a nonprofit created in conjunction with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. To attain Bird City status requires attention to creating habitat and protection, having a community forestry program (see the Tree City description above), limiting hazards to birds, providing public education and recognizing International Migratory Bird Day.
Some habitat areas Menomonie focuses on include controlling invasive species of plants, helping provide nesting habitat (there’s those trees again!) and working to insure clean water. Controlling light pollution wherever possible, and minimizing pesticides and other toxins help minimize threats to birds. The City also works to educate citizens in a variety of areas which affect birdlife, including reducing carbon emissions, ensuring runoff is properly handled, and reducing energy where possible.
Bicycle Friendly status is conferred through the League of American Bicyclists through a strenuous application and review process. Status is accorded beginning at the Bronze level, which is where Menomonie currently rates.
The City established a Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee in 2011, reporting to the Plan Commission. The Advisory Committee meets four times annually, and its volunteer members work to improve conditions and safety for bicyclists and pedestrians throughout the city.
Some of the successful projects on which the Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee has worked included the Lake Menomin Loop Trail around the lake, bike lanes on a number of city streets, bike repair stands around the community, the City’s first bike box at 13th Avenue and Broadway, helping stage the Menomin Meander family-friendly bike ride each August, improving crosswalks at Cedar Falls Road and Hwy 25 north, flashing beacons in and around downtown and along Stout Road, and updating the City’s comprehensive Transportation Plan.
Meetings of the Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee are open to the public, and ideas to improve our streets for both bikers and walkers are always welcome. The next meeting is January 27, 2025 at 6pm. Call 715-232-2221 for more information.
