Redmond among 14 Oregon Tree City USAs to receive Growth Awards

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Fourteen Oregon Tree City USAs, including Redmond, have received Growth Awards from a national organization – the Arbor Day Foundation – for showing higher levels of tree care and community engagement with their urban forestry programs and activities during 2020.

To be eligible for the award, a city must have been enrolled as a Tree City USA for at least one year. In 2020, some 69 Oregon towns and cities qualified as a Tree City USA.  

The Growth Award program is designed to help communities build upon their Tree City USA status and grow their urban forestry programs. Several activities qualify, such as:

• revamping a tree ordinance
• conducting a tree inventory
• holding a tree fair for the public
• improving social equity outreach

Each activity is worth from 1 to 10 points. Communities must describe their activities and add up their points. Communities must score at least 10 points in each category to earn a Growth Award. 

La Grande has received the Tree City USA Growth Award more times than any other Oregon city – 29. Others receiving the award for activities in 2020 and the number of times they’ve been honored were:

Portland – 24

Medford – 19

Beaverton – 17

Eugene – 16

Salem – 15

Corvallis – 12

Wilsonville – 11

Grants Pass – 10

Albany – 4

Cottage Grove – 4

Milwaukie – 2

West Linn – 2

Redmond – 1

Several of the cities are also marking milestone anniversaries as a Tree City USA. Oregon’s first Tree City USA – Salem – is celebrating 45 years of holding that status. Medford is marking 25 years as a Tree City USA, Corvallis and Tigard are each at 20 years, Banks and Brownsville are at 15 years each, and Roseburg and Milwaukie have each reached the 5-year milestone.

The Oregon Department of Forestry administers the Tree City USA program in Oregon, on behalf of the Arbor Day Foundation. ODF Urban and Community Forestry Assistance Program Manager Kristin Ramstad is thrilled to see the engagement in Oregon communities around urban trees.

“Even though in 2020 the pandemic was very disruptive, forcing the cancellation of many in-person events, many Oregon cities and towns were still able to get a lot done in terms of improving tree care. And cities became very creative in engaging with the public while keeping social distance,” said Ramstad.

More information about the awards program is here.