Hooray for Arbor Day in Washington: Are you living in a ‘Tree City USA’ community?

Photo: Guy Kramer.

Today is Arbor Day, a celebration of trees and all the great things they do for us in Washington State. We celebrate Arbor Day through a special program called Tree City USA® which recognizes cities and towns that go the extra mile to manage and care for healthy urban forests. That extra mile includes planning the maintenance of vigorous city trees, now and into the future.

Now is a great time to properly prune your trees. As you do, be sure to never top a tree. Topping—radical removal of a large part of the tree’s crown—may get rid of a few problem limbs, but in the long run you will end up doing more maintenance each year. After a tree is topped, it grows suckers (weakly attached limbs); you’ll have a mess on your hands and a potentially hazardous situation. Learn to property prune now to lessen the damage next time storms hit.

Find out if your city is a Tree City USA–there may be special programs to celebrate trees in your community this month.

If your city isn’t part of the Tree City USA Program, contact your city officials to help them plan Arbor Day celebrations next year. Sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the US Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters, Tree City USA® provides technical assistance and national recognition for urban and community forestry programs in thousands of towns and cities.

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Tree planting grants offered to local Tree Cities; first come, first served

Increasing the tree canopy is becoming a bigger issue for cities, as they plan for healthier communities.

DNR’s Urban and Community Forestry Program is excited to announce that funding is available for tree planting projects. Only cities who are one of our Tree City USA communities can apply. Nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, or tribal governments may apply in partnership with designated communities.

 The 2013 Tree City USA Tree Planting Grants provide financial assistance to communities working to achieve the goal of a self-sustaining community forestry program by properly planting trees to increase canopy cover. Applicants can apply for up to $10,000 for trees to be planted in their community to enhance urban forests. Although there is a lot involved when planting trees, the funding may not be used to buy the tree seedlings.Though not required, matching funds are encouraged as a demonstration of community commitment to the urban forestry program. Staff and volunteer time, tree planting materials, and other associated costs may be used as match. Projects must be completed by December 31, 2013.

Check out the grant resources webpage for more information on tree planting grants.

Funds for this project are made possible through the USDA Forest Service in cooperation with DNR’s Urban and Community Forestry Program. This is a one-time grant opportunity available to Washington’s Tree City USA Communities.

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It’s official: Renton is a ‘Tree City USA’

State Forester Aaron Everett (left) presents Tree City USA honors to the City of Renton for its healthy urban forests. Accepting on behalf of the City are Terry Flatley (City Forester), and Mayor Denis Law (right). Photo: City of Renton.

On Saturday, April 28, Washington State Forester Aaron Everett presented the City of Renton with its fourth Tree City USA Award. Mayor Denis Law received the award at the city’s seventh annual Arbor Day-Earth Day Celebration.

Following the awards ceremony, 127 volunteers planted 66 trees (including 62 street trees) at 55 houses in Renton. Residents of North Renton Neighborhood who opted to have to one of the trees planted were able to select from a list of 14 tree species. The process means that instead of a monoculture of one species, there can be greater diversity in the city’s urban forest. 

With so many volunteers coming out to help, the plantings took about 90 minutes. If you’re in the North Renton area, take a look around for newly planted trees. The benefits from these trees will keep on giving to the City of Renton.

The project was made possible by a Community Forestry Assistance Grant from the U. S. Forest Service. This grant program is administered by DNR’s Urban and Community Forestry Program.

Find out if your city is a Tree City USA.