Trees already line many of Waynesville’s streets and ring the town’s parks, but after Town Council’s Oct. 28 meeting, their future care will no longer be left to chance. Council members voted unanimously to adopt a new municipal tree ordinance designed to protect public trees, reduce energy use, improve aesthetics and promote long-term environmental sustainability. 

Waynesville is revving up its eco-efforts with a freshly minted advisory board paving the way for a long-term plan to create an even cleaner environment that will continue to draw tourists — and put some green back into locals’ pockets, too. 

Long a leader among Western North Carolina’s local governments in the field of environmental sustainability, the Town of Waynesville has taken recent steps to ensure it becomes carbon neutral before 2050 by establishing an oversight board to research, adopt and implement responsible management strategies. 

The Town of Waynesville is looking for members to serve on its new Environmental Sustainability Board.