Tree City USA 40th Anniversary Celebration Ways to Celebrate

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1 Tree City USA 40th Anniversary Celebration Ways to Celebrate The Tree City USA program turns 40 in The Tree City USA program is an Arbor Day Foundation program in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters, the United States Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry program, and over 3,400 communities that are Tree Cities. There communities are home to more than 135 million Americans. This program promotes and celebrates sustainable management and care of trees where we live. It encourages community pride, education and individual action that improves forest resources and quality of life in our State Foresters and their agencies are essential to the success of the Tree City USA program by providing technical and administrative assistance to communities in their states. In turn, the Tree City USA program can help states implement strategies and achieve goals in their Forest Action Plan. Participation in the 40 th Anniversary Celebration is voluntary. If interested in participating, each state, island and territory should set a five-year goal to increase Tree City USA participation and activity by communities in their jurisdiction. Goals should be aligned with each state s Forest Action Plans, be achievable, and able to be tracked. Each jurisdiction will identify the goal(s) that fit their needs; those goals will be monitored nationally through community enrollment in the Tree City USA program. Goal setting considerations How many eligible communities in your states are not yet a TCUSA? What goals and strategies are important to your Forest Action Plan? Are there potential partners or organizations in your state you can enlist? Examples of goals Increase the number of Tree City USA communities in the state Increase the number of Arbor Day celebrations in the state Increase outreach and training for Tree Boards and volunteers Increase TC USA outreach in the state (PSAs, social media, new releases) Examples of how states are implementing the TC USA 40 th celebration Each participating state/ island/territory should determine a goal based on their unique circumstances. Below are examples of some states approaches. Kentucky Kentucky calculated the five year ( ) average number of TC USA communities in the state to set a base level. The 5-year average is 33 The target goal is to increase the total number of TC USA communities to 40 over the next five years resulting in a 20% increase. Page 1 of 5

2 An analysis of the state s communities identified specific communities that have completed 3 of the 4 TC USA requirements (most are missing an ordinance). The State Forester s staff will work with partnership organizations to reach the challenge goal. Alabama Alabama is interested in outreach to communities as well as increasing the number of TC USA Alabama reviewed past participation in the program and found a previous high of 108 active communities compared to today s 80 TC USA They identified a goal of increasing the number of TC USA communities from 80 to 120 over the next five years. To reach this 50% increase would require adding 8 communities each year. A starting point for recruiting new communities is reaching out to past participants and reviewing their programs. The Alabama Urban Forest Association would be a key partner in the effort. Nebraska Nebraska analyzed CARS data and looked at companion TC USA data (provided by ADF) that identified TC USA They decided to target larger (CARS) managing communities and communities that are almost there in terms of the TC USA requirements. The goal would be to increase TC USA communities by and focus on communities with populations between 1,000 and 5,000. The Nebraska Forest Service, the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum and Re-Tree Nebraska, among others would work together on this effort. Massachusetts Massachusetts is interested in increasing engagement of existing TC USAs through outreach, more Arbor Day events and tree planting. One strategy is to increase contact with each TC USA by having a state forestry staff at their events. Massachusetts has active Council members who represent the Massachusetts Tree Wardens and the Massachusetts Arborist Association who can assist with webinars on tree boards and becoming a TC USA. They average between TC USA communities each year and have set a goal to increase that number by at least 10% with a stretch goal of 20% in the next five years. Lapsed TC USA communities are one of the initial focal areas. Arizona Arizona has increased the recognized TCUSAs by 22% in the last three years (from 22 to 27). However, there are a large number of unincorporated communities within the state that are not eligible for the program, which means we may be very close to capacity. GOALS 1. Using data obtained via a TCUSA needs assessment completed this year (2015), training modules will be developed to address gaps and needs identified by communities currently in the program. Developed trainings will be provided to TCUSAs during years 1, 3 and 5 (2016, 2018, and 2020), and will cover a variety of topics. 2. Partnering with ACTC (a local non-profit), Tree Campus USA s, and the Tree Line USA utilities, we will plant 40th Anniversary commemorative trees in each of our TCUSAs and on our Tree Campuses. These commemorative trees will also be submitted for recognition to our Page 2 of 5

3 Heritage Tree program (part of the Arizona Magnificent Tree program), where their future will be tracked/recorded over the coming years. 3. Increase the total program participation by 15-20% in 5 years (total 4-5 new communities). Missouri Tree City USA is turning 40 in 2016 and we have been challenged to set a five year goal of increasing Tree City USA participation and activity of our state s MDC Forestry Division challenges itself to two primary goals with several strategies to achieve these goals. These goals are achievable and can be tracked. GOALS new Tree City USA s in the state over 5 years 2. 40% increase in Growth awards each year STRATEGIES 1. Extra training for staff and partner cities to get them most recent information on program 2. Mentoring from staff community foresters to resource foresters 3. Training for tree boards and encourage volunteers to attend 4. Work with other statewide recognition programs to include Tree City USA in their programs 5. Media releases and social media recognizing existing and new Tree City USA s 6. Foresters work plans include reaching out to 3 or more new or infrequently contacted communities 7. Specifically work with each existing Tree City USA to review their work and look for potential growth awards NORTH DAKOTA s Five-year Strategy - Draft When the Tree City USA program began in 1976, 42 U.S communities enrolled in the program, and three of those were North Dakota cities: Fargo, Grand Forks, and Mandan. Page 3 of 5

4 North Dakota has maintained a proud history of Tree City USA involvement, with a sustainable program that includes communities located all across the state. Now with a roster of fifty one Tree Cities USA where 67% of the state s population resides, North Dakota is prepared to meet the challenge of increasing Tree City USA participation and activity with a Five-year Strategy which aligns with the state Forest Action Plan (FAP): Goal 1: Increase outreach and training for Tree boards and volunteers Goal 1 aligns with FAP Issue 5 - Promote species diversity and forest health practices in communities, as well as FAP Issue 6: Increase awareness of the benefits of and threats to forest resources Conduct a Tree City USA / Tree Care workshop in each of 4 different Tree Cities USA each year for the five-year duration of the challenge. Partner with local tree board, NDSU Extension, SCD, and other advocacy groups to conduct the workshops. Utilize ADF Handbook for Tree Board Members and Tree City USA Bulletins as training materials. Provide a tree for planting in each of the 20 host cities to promote species diversity. The planting sites will be marked with a plaque to designate the commemorative trees in recognition of the 40 th Anniversary of Tree City USA. Success metrics: Number of workshops; number of workshop participants; number of trees planted Goal 2: Increase Tree City USA outreach in the state Goal 2 aligns with FAP Issue 6: Increase awareness of and benefits of forest resources Recognize the 40 th Anniversary of Tree City USA within the Governor s State Arbor Day Proclamation. Utilize Tree City USA Bulletin 22, Tree City USA : Foundation for Better Tree Management, to deliver a consistent message to communities about the benefits of and how to become a Tree City USA. Highlight North Dakota Tree City USA successes by posting Arbor Day & local forestry program events on NDFS Facebook page. Feature stories from ADF Faces of Urban Forestry. Utilize League of Cities monthly publication, City Scan, to promote Tree City USA. o City Scan reaches leaders in communities across the state o Feature soundbites from current ND TC USA community leaders and residents Annually, during the five-year challenge, offer a Tree City USA webinar to promote the program. Partner with ND League of Cities to utilize the on-going webinar series. Encourage veteran Tree City USA communities to mentor non-tree City USA Page 4 of 5

5 Success metrics: Number of Facebook postings; number of Facebook views; number of webinars; number of webinar participants; number of mentoring Tree City USA communities; number of new Tree City USA communities Goal 3: Increase the number of Tree City USA communities in North Dakota Goal 3 aligns with FAP Issue 5 - Promote species diversity and forest health practices in communities, as well as FAP Issue 6: Increase awareness of the benefits of and threats to forest resources. As part of the Great Plains Initiative, CTAP* inventories have been completed in over sixty communities throughout North Dakota. While many of these communities are already certified as Tree Cities USA, not all have achieved that status. Work with CTAP non-tree City USA communities to attain Tree City USA status, with a goal of two new Tree Cities per year during the five-year challenge. (Increase from current 50 to 60 TCUSA communities within 5 yrs.; a 20% increase) Utilize ADF Handbook for Tree Board Members and Tree City USA Bulletins as resources to attain the four Tree City USA standards: update city tree ordinances, develop forestry management plans, plan and celebrate Arbor Day celebrations. Utilize CTAP data to develop grant projects to promote species diversity. Encourage veteran Tree City USA communities to mentor non-tree City USA Provide a tree for planting in newly certified Tree Cities USA to promote species diversity. The planting sites will be marked with a plaque to designate the commemorative trees in recognition of the 40 th Anniversary of Tree City USA. Provide a set of Tree City USA Bulletins to each new Tree City USA Success metrics: numbers of new Tree Cities USA in North Dakota *CTAP: Community Threat Assessment Protocol Page 5 of 5