If you’re thinking about planting a tree this spring and you live in Hays, be sure to check out the City of Hays Tree Rebate program.

Members of the Hays Beautification Committee, along with Hays Parks Director Jeff Boyle, spent time Tuesday attaching neon pink tags to  some of the trees available at some Hays vendors

About 50 tree varieties on a Preferred and Acceptable Tree List are eligible for a $50 tree rebate from the city.

These trees are most likely to grow very well in western Kansas weather conditions, says Boyle.  ” We keep an eye on research from various locations in Kansas, including our own Ellis County Extension  Office, and list tree varieties that have a proven success rate in hot, dry, windy conditions.”

A city employee will verify the tree, making sure it’s planted in a location that won’t grow into utility lines or block the view for motorists at street intersections.

More information is available at the Hays Parks Department, City Hall, and on the City of Hays website, www.haysusa.com.

You can see the tree tagging tonight on Street Beat Eagle Community TV Channel 14.