Tree City communities honored as Arbor Week approaches

Oregon’s Arbor Week – as designated by the Oregon Legislature – is the first full week of April.

This year, some 56 Oregon cities are being recognized as Tree City USA communities.

Tree City USA is a program of the National Arbor Day Foundation sponsored by the Oregon Department of Forestry. It recognizes cities that develop programs to plant and care for trees.

“Trees are important to the quality of life here in Oregon, where we have some of the most productive forestland in the world and some of the most livable cities around,” says Paul Ries, who manages the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Urban and Community Forestry Program. Trees and forests enhance quality of life by providing fish and wildlife habitat, shade, wood products, clean, healthy streams, and by raising property values, adds Ries.

> Congratulations to these cities
A new city has been added to Oregon’s Tree City list this year, that of Stanfield, located in central Oregon. In addition, a grand total of fifty-five Oregon “Tree Cities” earned recertification this year.

They are:

Albany Creswell Klamath Falls Redmond Ashland Dallas La Grande Rogue River
Independence Baker City Eagle Point Lake Oswego Salem Bandon Eugene Lebanon Sandy Banks Forest Grove Lincoln City Seaside Beaverton Echo Madras Sherwood
Gervais McMinnville Sisters Toledo Brownsville Grants Pass Medford Sunriver Troutdale Coburg Gresham Sweet Home Tualatin Coos Bay Happy Valley Monmouth Talent Veneta Corvallis Philomath Tigard West Linn Central Point Newport Oregon City Cottage Grove Irrigon Portland Tillamook Wilsonville

Tree City USA: requirements and milestones
Tree City USA is a national program of the Arbor Day foundation, and there are roughly 3,400 communities in the U.S. currently certified.

The 4 standards of becoming a Tree City USA are:
Each city must have a tree board or department, as well as a
Tree ordinance
Spend $2 per capita on their tree program
Host a proclamation and celebration for Arbor Day

Some milestones this year: Oregon’s Ashland and Baker City are each celebrating 30 years as Tree Cities, and Sunriver, Oregon celebrates 35 years.

Tree campus USA
Your college campus can receive annual Tree Campus USA recognition by meeting five standards, and two- and four-year accredited colleges and universities meeting these standards will receive recognition materials to showcase their dedication to the campus environment.

This year, two Oregon college campuses were certified as Tree Campus USA for the first time: they are Ashland’s Southern Oregon University and Portland State University. Oregon State University in Corvallis recertified as well.

“Congratulations to all of three of these colleges demonstrating outstanding dedication and care to the trees on their campuses,” says Ries.

To be recognized as a Tree Campus U.S.A., college campuses must meet five standards.
These include:
1) Creating a Campus Tree Advisory Committee
2) Having a Campus Tree Care Plan
3) A Campus Tree Program with dedicated annual expenditures
4) Hosting an annual Arbor Day Observance
5) Have a Service Learning Project

General tree care reminders
Mulch your trees, as it helps prevent soil temperature and moisture fluctuations during summer months, softens rain penetration during winter, and discourages weeds. Add a depth of 4 to 6 inches of mulch around the base of the tree, leaving 3-4 inches around the base of your tree mulch-free.

Fertilizing at the time of planting is not necessary, but the tree should be deeply watered after planting. Also, newly-planted trees should always receive regular watering for 3 years following planting.

More information:
More information about trees can be found online at : http://www.treesaregood.com/

To learn more about Arbor Week, visit: http://www.arborday.org/celebrate/