They say the best time to plant a tree was 25 years ago.

And, for a quarter of a century, that’s what the Bluffton Tree Commission is all about: tree planting.

On Saturday, the commission with assistance from Bluffton's America in Bloom committee, planted its newest Bluffton addition - a shade tree in the Village Arboretum.

On April 18, the commission, representing the village, received the Growth Award during the Tree City presentations in Upper Sandusky.

Joanne Antibus of the commission gave a presentation at the event on the Bluffton Girl Scout’s tree labeling project in the village arboretum.

Through a grant, the commission was awarded 25 trees to plant in the village flood plain area by the Bluffton Community Swimming Pool. These trees replace the ash trees that were earlier removed.

Bluffton University was also awarded between 30 and 50 trees from the grant.

The commission members have offered an assortment of recommendations for trees to be planted on West Elm Street following that street’s renovation. Tree selection will be made later this spring.

Members of the tree commission are Jonathan Andreas, Joanne Antibus, Nancy Benroth, Becky Ramey, Jon Sommer with village representatives Ben Stahl and Jesse Blackburn.

PHOTO - From left, Mark Simmons, Mayor Richard Johnson, Jesse Blackburn, Tom Schmidt, Becky Ramey, Nancy Benroth and Denise Fett. (Photos provided by Denise Fett)