In order to obtain more specimen trees for the arboretum, the Pleasant Hills Arboretum Board has initiated the required steps to apply for a grant for trees through Tree Vitalize, a partnership program of the Department of Parks and Natural Resources.

Board Members, Greg Smith, Pam Ferkett and Paul Beck will complete a Tree Tendering course at the end of February. This course fulfills one of the necessary requirements to obtain the grant.

Members of the Tree Vitalize organization sent representatives, Marah Vecenie, Mark Hockley and Matthew Erb to tour the Pleasant Hills Arboretum on February 12, 2014. The visit was arranged to determine the site's appropriateness for participating in the program. Forester, Mark Hockley recommended that a grove of diseased Scotch Pine trees be removed, as well as a diseased Bradford Pear. Several trees had already been flagged for eventual removal by Board Members, Ann Talarek , Paul Beck and President Bill Steffen. After walking the grounds, Tree Vitalize representatives encouraged the Pleasant Hills Arboretum Board members to continue the process of applying for the tree grant. If the grant is obtained, up to 25 specimen trees received may be available for a 2014 fall planting.