Urbana Receives Tree City USA Growth Award

Urbana has received national recognition by being named a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters every year since 1976.

Urbana has also received the Tree City USA Growth Award since 1992. This award is for demonstration of progress in its community forestry program in the following activity areas:

Education and Public Relations youth education tree-care workshop Planning and Management tree-maintenance budget Tree Planting and Maintenance recycling plans for donations

The growth award was created to recognize environmental improvement and higher levels of tree care in Tree City USA communities. Urbana Illinois is enveloped by a thriving urban forest whose summer canopies shade the town in rich green hues and excite the city with spring pastels and fall brilliance. This pleasurable description highlights a community dedicated to its urban forest and greenspace. "Trees make a world of difference in our communities," John Rosenow, The National Arbor Day Foundation's president, said. "An effective community forestry program is an ongoing process of renewal and improvement--a program of tree planting and care that continues through the years. The Tree City USA award is an excellent indication that there is a solid foundation for that process of improvement."

The City of Urbana has been committed to the National Arbor Day Foundation's "Tree City USA" program since its inception in 1976. Of the 41 charter members, Urbana is one of only 17 cities nationwide to maintain the program's ongoing requirements. This has earned the city the distinction of being a Tree City USA community year after year.

The City of Urbana has established a Cooperative "Share-The-Cost" Tree Planting Program which was designed to provide an incentive to plant more trees and promote local beautification efforts.

Urbana boasts of having 95% of its parkways planted in trees, a comprehensive forestry management plan, parking lot landscape ordinances, a cooperative tree planting program, public/private greenspace partnerships and capital improvements as well as downtown tax increment financing districts (TIF) which consider tree planting and greenspace as a part of infrastructure development.

With over 100,000 public and private community trees, one can understand why Urbana be"Leaves" In Trees.

For a city to earn the distinguished Tree City, USA award, four standards must be met on an annual basis:

1. Allocate a minimum budget of two dollars per capita for community tree care.
2. Formalize and maintain a citizen tree board to develop and improve tree management practices.
3. Implement and oversee a community tree ordinance that serves as a community's guidelines and objectives for urban tree management.
4. Declare observance of a community Arbor Day through formal proclamation from the community's mayor and a public event that promotes trees.

Comments or inquiries about this page may be directed to City Arborist Michael J. Brunk at 384-2393 .

Urbana has received national recognition by being named a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters every year since 1976