FAIRHOPE, Ala. — The Fairhope Tree Committee decided Thursday to join forces with the Fairhope Environmental Advisory Board to support improvements to city parks.

“I guess the question is whether the Tree Committee would like to work with the (FEAB) in making a statement about the parks,” said Tom Ellis, the committee’s chairman.

“I think it’s a good idea,” said City Council President Bob Gentle, who serves on the committee.

The group voted unanimously to work with the environmental advisory group in issuing a joint statement to the City Council regarding the status of parks and recommendations for their preservation and enhancement.

“Some people in Fairhope seem unaware of the major tree losses that have occurred in city parks,” Ellis wrote in a Monday e-mail to committee members. “Perhaps that is why some of the replacement trees we have planted have been pulled up.”

Ellis attended the environmental committee’s April 9 meeting and listened to FEAB member Gary Gover outline a number of city park issues and recommendations.

Ellis said Thursday he agreed with most of those assessments and recommendations.

Jim Horner, the environmental committee’s chairman, attended Thursday’s meeting to discuss his group’s perspective on park management issues and how the groups could work together.

He said he plans to have a “consolidated proposal” of recommendations from both advisory groups for consideration at the next environmental committee meeting.

Ellis said the Tree Committee would send a representative to that May 14 meeting.

The Tree Committee also voted Thursday to send a letter requesting that the city pursue an agreement between Baldwin County and Fairhope to have the county follow the city’s tree protection laws on county roads within city limits.

The committee discussed a recent situation where the county had cut trees on a county road right of way within city limits that violated the city’s tree ordinance but was permissible under county law.

“It could save (the county) money,” committee member Bobby Green said. “They spent several hours out there, making cuttings that were completely unnecessary.”