Another successul designation ceremony for the program

Thirty Years Of Community Forestry
The Tree City USA Story
By Stefanie Keeler, Tree City USA

As one of The National Arbor Day Foundation’s signature programs, Tree City USA is preparing to celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2006. Since it began, the program has come to embody the often-repeated quote by Nelson Henderson, “The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade one does not expect to sit.” Tree City USA emphasizes the importance of community forests in making life better not only in our own time, but also for all the ages to come.

The National Arbor Day Foundation, a nonprofit organization that inspires people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees, created Tree City USA in conjunction with the National Association of State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service. Launched in 1976 as a tribute to America's Bicentennial, Tree City USA began with 42 communities in 15 states. In 2005, the program embraced a record 3,074 cities and towns in every state, from Calvin, North Dakota, population 26, to Los Angeles, California, with almost 3.9 million people. Now entering its third decade, Tree City USA is a widely recognized celebration of community forestry at its best, helping people nurture and enhance their urban forests.

The purpose of the Tree City USA program is to encourage continuous, systematic tree planting and care. Designation as a Tree City USA requires four standards:

(1) a forester, city department or tree board must be designated by ordinance to be responsible for community tree care;

(2) a community tree care ordinance must be in effect, designating the establishment of a tree board or forestry department with responsibility for writing and implementing an annual community forestry work plan;

(3) an active community forestry program must be in place with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita; and

(4) Arbor Day must be proclaimed and observed.

Benefits Of Tree City USA Designation

Tree City USA provides many benefits for communities including assistance, public attention, and national recognition.

Framework for Action

The standards help get a community started toward annual, systematic management of its tree resources.

Education

In an effort to provide continuing education to Tree City USA tree boards and forestry personnel, The National Arbor Day Foundation launched the bimonthly Tree City USA Bulletin in 1988, with topics ranging from how to prune to how trees save energy. Tree City USA’s national impact comes not only through the tree stewardship program but also from the educational materials provided through bulletins, public service announcements, newspaper features, Spanish translations, and a variety of other publications and videos.

Public Image

The Tree City USA signs at community entrances tell visitors that this is a community that cares about its environment.

Citizen Pride

Gaining and retaining Tree City USA recognition is an award to the tree workers, managers, volunteers, tree board members and others who work on behalf of better care of a community's trees. Non-involved citizens, too, often share a sense of pride that theirs is a Tree City USA.

Financial Assistance

Preference is sometimes given to Tree City USA communities over other communities when allocations of grant money are made for trees or forestry programs.

Publicity

Presentation of the Tree City USA award and the celebration of Arbor Day offer excellent publicity opportunities.

“As part of our historic mountain area, we feel a responsibility to protect our native vegetation and to enhance the natural beauty of the area,” wrote Susan Garrison, superintendent of Parks and Landscape for Blacksburg, Virginia, in the city’s application for Tree City USA designation. “Over the past 14 years, the Tree City USA Award has been the impetus behind many of our forestry initiatives. The award has brought recognition to our urban forestry program and has enhanced citizen awareness of urban forestry needs and issues.”

The leaders of Canon City, Colorado tell a similar story of the many rewards of Tree City USA status. Mayor Bill Jackson explained the benefits this way, when he described his long-time Tree City USA’s response to a damaging, late spring snow storm: “Many homes lost power, streets were impassable, and trees were torn up. But we’ve always had a high regard for our city forest… It’s a part of the city-wide commitment to our urban forest, one that our Tree City USA designation helps keep in the forefront.” Cañon City’s veteran city forester, Bryce Hamilton, echoed Mayor Jackson’s support of this cutting edge community forestry program: “Proper tree care, as promoted by Tree City USA and guided by thoughtful ordinances, helps immensely.”

Cities and towns that go beyond the basic requirements of the program are eligible for the Tree City Growth Award. The National Arbor Day Foundation provides the Tree City USA Growth Award in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service, to recognize environmental improvement and encourage higher levels of tree care throughout America. This award is designed not only to recognize achievement, but also to communicate new ideas and help the leaders of all Tree City USA’s plan for improving community tree care. In 2005, the program celebrated 503 Tree City Growth Award communities.

Communities earning Growth Awards for ten years or more can qualify for the Sterling Tree City USA Award. In 2005, Sterling Awards were granted to 28 communities across America. Both the Tree City Growth Award and the Sterling Tree City Award challenge communities to continue to grow and enhance their Tree City USA programs.

The Tree City USA program touches the lives of the people who benefit daily from the cleaner air, shadier streets, and aesthetic beauty that healthy, well-managed urban forests provide. Most importantly, it’s about making life better for the more than 112 million Americans who are proud to make their home in a Tree City USA.

Stephanie Keeler writes for Tree City USA, an initiative of The National Arbor Day Foundation. You can visit their website at www.arborday.org for more information.

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