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The Friends of Fairfield's Forests award is presented each year to one company and one citizen who practice good tree management on their property.

Winners receive a wooden plaque, and their names are inscribed on a perpetual plaque that hangs in the Fairfield Municipal Building.

2006 Winners

Citizen - Kim Constantinides

• Served on Community Forest Commission since 1999 and as chair from 2002 to 2006.
• Implemented numerous urban forestry educational opportunities for Fairfield’s citizens such as informational booths at summer concerts and September Dayz, the Birdhouse Workshop, Pruning Workshops at Home Depot, and more.
• Set many Forest Commission goals in order to be eligible for the Tree City USA Growth Award, which has been awarded to Fairfield in three of last four years.
• Served on Fairfield’s 50th Anniversary Committee as Chair of “Experience Fairfield” weekend which included the Tree City USA Luncheon Committee hosted by Fairfield, a volksmarch and seedling giveaway.  
• Responsible for the original concept of a Memorial Tree Grove, a project that is still in the planning process with the Forest Commission, students from Cincinnati State, and various City departments.
• Responsible for organizing the annual Street Tree Inventory and updating the database with information gathered by fellow Commission members and volunteers.

Corporate – Parsons Corporation

• Parsons’ support of the Fairfield Forest Commission’s community outreach booths through the donation of tree seedlings, which are awarded to Fairfield residents;
• Parsons’ support of the Fairfield Forest Commission’s Emerald Ash Borer public awareness campaign by posting signs and holding informational seminars for employees at its workplace; and
• Loaning of equipment for the annual street tree inventory and verification measurements for the Fairfield Forest Commission’s Big Tree Contest.

2005 winners

Corporate - International Paper

• International Paper’s support of Fairfield’s Arbor Day seedling giveaway in 2004 with seedlings donated from the Super Nursery in Maine.
• The donation of International Paper’s “Life in the Forest” educational packets that were distributed to representatives of all of the Southwest Ohio Tree City cities when they attended the National Arbor Day’s Tree City Recognition Luncheon hosted by Fairfield in April, 2005.
• The assistance provided for Fairfield’s annual street tree inventory by printing color copies of our tree identifier pamphlets.

2004 winners

Citizen — Ted Hershner

• Served on the Forest Commission from 2001 to 2003, the majority of that time as vice chair.
• Assisted with activities, including the Arbor Day seedling give-away and various workshops.
• Commission’s unofficial photographer, took many pictures for the Commission’s archives and local newspaper articles.
• Procured Forest Commission baseball hats, a Forest Commission stamp, and made nametags for use at Commission workshops and other public events.
• Using his woodworking skills and help from his son, designed and assembled a mulch display bin, and pre-cut kits for the Commission’s first birdhouse workshop in 2003.
• Enlarged an aerial survey and had it printed on 150 sheets of graph paper, then calculated the percentage canopy by hand. This benchmark is one of the key indicators of progress for future tree planting.

Corporate — Wild Birds Unlimited, Forest Park

• Has been a staunch supporter of the Forest Commission since its inception.
• Lou Lisella, a past Forest Commission member, was employed by Wild Birds Unlimited and created the partnership that exists today.
• Over the years has assisted in the promotion of various workshops and provided door prizes.
• Most recently at the 2004 Birdhouse Workshop, owner Tim Coats led a 45-minute interactive talk about local birds, handing out various door prizes to many children in attendance.

2003 winners

Citizen — Howard Dirksen

Howard Dirksen was selected as 2003's citizen Friends of Fairfield's Forest award recipient based upon his diligent involvement as outlined below:

• 1995 Green Space Enhancement Committee led to the organization of the Fairfield Community Forest Commission in 1996;
• Served as council liaison to the Fairfield Community Forest Commission;
• Has attended several workshops held by the Forest Commission;
• Achieved national recognition with a registered backyard habitat.

Corporate — Cinergy

The Fairfield Community Forest Commission selected Cinergy as the 2003 corporate Friends of Fairfield's Forests award winner based on the following merits:

• Plays a critical role in the health and maintenance of Fairfield's trees;
• Has had a representative on the Forest Commission almost since the commission's inception;
• Assisted in publishing the Forest Commission's first handout which is available at all of commission workshops and at the Fairfield Parks and Recreation office;
• Has helped sponsor several Forest Commission workshops.

2002 winners

Citizen — Kathy Winters

Kathy Winters is a member and past chairman of the Forest Commission. She played an integral role in getting the new tree ordinance passed.

Kathy is supportive of the Backyard Habitats program, and her yard is registered both with the state and nationally. In addition, she has provided literature to other community members and helped them with their applications.

Her work in conducting the training workshop for the City's inventory cycle count over the last couple of years and her participation in the inventory also demonstrate her diligence in preserving Fairfield forests.

Kathy also worked independently to restore the arboretum in Harbin Park that had been neglected. In this endeavor, she trimmed trees, identified species, ordered markers for the trees and mulched around trees. She is also working with an old parks drawing to identify and label over 50 different tree species found in Harbin Park.

Corporate — Cincinnati Financial Corp.

The Cincinnati Financial Corporation has provided the Fairfield Community Forest Commission with a chamber representative.

The company has maintained the tree buffer between Cincinnati Financial Corporation and the Forest Fair Mall, and has also assisted in preserving the forest across from South Gilmore.

In addition, the company has planted numerous trees and landscaping surrounding their office complex and has been supportive of the Forest Commission in other areas.