Dakota Wells has served as the arborist consultant for the City of Fayette since 2022 and has done a lot of volunteer work:

• Helping to select and certifying the condition of the trees we remove per the Cost Share grant

• Choosing native tree species and sites for replacement of trees ensuring their best chance of survival for Cost Share grants and Memorial trees.

• Treating our young trees in the park for drought stress with injections at no cost to the City of Fayette

• Donating time to replant four young trees that didn't make it through last winter

• Trimming our young trees and repairing wounds

• Advocating for our healthy urban forest by educating staff and the community about threats such as Emerald Ash Borer.

• Recently, an outbreak of Bacterial Leaf Scorch is killing oak trees. Dakota has taken multiple samples to the lab in Columbia and is encouraging the removal of those trees to help prevent the spread. 

The City of Fayette and the Fayette Tree Board thank certified arborist Dakota Wells for his help in maintaining our Tree City USA status and obtaining Cost Share grants to enhance our urban forest.

Mayor Greg Stidham

Tree Board members: Chairwoman Denise Haskamp, Secretary Ben Roberts, Dana Morris, Brian McMillan, Gene Gerlt, and Bekki Galloway