Community Tree City USA

Stewardship Behind Springfield’s Tree City

How Forestry Superintendent James Wills is shaping the next chapter of a 50-year urban forestry legacy

March 13, 2026

A trio of individuals stands before a "Tree City USA" banner, representing their community's focus on tree preservation.

For nearly two decades, James Wills has helped guide Springfield’s canopy through change and growth.

When James Wills, Forestry Superintendent at the City of Springfield, Ohio, reflects on nearly five decades as a Tree City USA community, he doesn’t begin with awards or milestones. He begins with responsibility.

“This year marks our 50th anniversary, and it offers an opportunity to recognize the visionaries who shaped our urban forestry program,” says James, Forestry Superintendent for the City of Springfield. “One of those individuals was John Gall, a dedicated member of the Parks Department’s Forestry Division.”

Decades ago, Gall recognized that Springfield needed a structured, long-term approach to caring for its urban trees. He saw Tree City USA not simply as a badge of honor, but as a framework — one that could help secure funding, build public support, and create a sustainable path forward.

Today, James helps to carry that vision forward.

A group of people planting a young tree in a yard, working together to enhance their outdoor space.

GROWING INTO THE ROLE

James joined the City nearly 18 years ago as a forestry crew worker. From the start, he sensed he had stepped into something bigger than a job.

Four years later, when his supervisor retired, James stepped into leadership. He became a certified arborist and was promoted to supervisor, just as the Emerald Ash Borer began devastating ash trees across the region.

Suddenly, stewardship meant hard decisions.

James developed a plan to remove more than 900 ash trees on city property and another 700 in parks. For residents, those trees were beloved fixtures in front yards and along historic streets; for the Forestry Division, they were hazardous and declining.

“It felt like a make-or-break moment in my career,” he says.
Those difficult conversations tested public trust. But Springfield’s long-standing Tree City USA designation helped open doors. Residents understood that the City had a history of caring for its canopy and that these removals were actually about protecting it.

The outreach required for the ash removal program ultimately strengthened communication between the Forestry Division and the community. Many residents didn’t even realize the City had a division dedicated to right-of-way trees. Now, they did.

Springfield’s canopy is mature and historic, and increasingly essential. Over the years, the Forestry Division has expanded in both capacity and credibility. Investments in new equipment have transformed storm response, allowing crews to clear debris and reopen roads faster than ever before. Growth in staffing has enabled the team to meet increasing responsibilities and manage expanding city-owned land.

The division now plays a critical role in:

Storm recovery and debris management
Flood mitigation and vegetation control
Extreme heat response and air quality improvement
Strategic tree planting in under-canopied neighborhoods

A man is using a chainsaw to cut down a tree in front of a house surrounded by grass and shrubs.

Forestry crews have helped reduce localized flooding by improving water flow and maintaining waterways. They’ve planted trees in neighborhoods that previously lacked right-of-way plantings — investments that will cool streets and improve air quality for decades.

The City has also elevated the Forestry Division’s role in planning and development. Today, forestry expertise is integrated into new projects and vegetation-related decisions from the start. For James, that shift signals progress.

“The fact that the Forestry Division has expanded shows that we are moving in the right direction and demonstrating real value to the city,” he says.

As one of the original Tree City USA communities, Springfield’s recognition is nearly as old as James himself — something he carries with quiet pride.

“Making even a small difference in the world gives you purpose,” he says. “Being able to wake up every day and do work that I am truly honored to do has been one of the best experiences I could ask for.”

Tree City USA has provided more than annual acknowledgment. It has reinforced standards, elevated public perception, and affirmed that urban forestry is essential infrastructure, not an afterthought.

“There are not many professions that receive annual recognition for upholding excellence,” James says. “That gives you a real sense of purpose and keeps you motivated to continue building and maintaining a thriving tree canopy.”

He often returns to a favorite saying: A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they shall never sit. “That is the legacy our Forestry Division strives to leave behind,” he says.

Fifty years after Springfield first earned Tree City USA recognition, the responsibility continues — not as a badge, but as a promise.