Published: April 08, 2008 10:36 am         

Cities, towns named ‘Tree Cities’

Goshen, Middlebury, Nappanee, Syracuse and Elkhart are among 61 Hoosier cities and towns recognized by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry, as Tree Cities USA for outstanding management of urban forests.

Of those municipalities recognized, 14 also have received the Growth Award, which exemplifies a higher standard of excellence for urban forestry management activities.

“In 2007, Indiana's 61 Tree Cities planted more than 10,938 trees, removed 6,269 and pruned 19,296,” said John Seifert, state forester. “These municipalities are to be commended for utilizing the urban forest as a tool to enhance economic development, environmental health and quality of life in their community.”

The Tree City USA program has been in existence in Indiana since 1984, when Bloomington met the criteria and became the first Tree City in Indiana. In 2007, six new cities earned recognition for the first time: Avon, Dyer, Geneva, Russiaville, Westfield and Vincennes.

To achieve Tree City USA status, communities must draft and pass a public tree-care ordinance, designate a municipal department and tree advisory committee, spend at least $2 per capita on their tree-care program and have an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.

“Becoming and remaining a Tree City is not an easy task,” said Pam Louks, state community and urban forestry coordinator. “Since 2004, we have lost two Tree Cities each year. Out of the 568 cities and towns in the state, these 61 are truly unique in that they are making a concentrated effort to care for their urban forest, which cleans the air we breathe and the water we drink.”

Tree Cities for 2007, with an asterisk denoting a Growth Award, include: Anderson, Angola, Auburn, Avon, Beech Grove, Bedford, Berne, Bloomington*, Carmel*, Chesterton, Columbia City, Crown Point, Culver*, Decatur, Delphi*, Dyer, East Chicago, Edgewood, Elkhart, Evansville*, Fort Wayne*, Fortville, Fremont, Geneva, Goshen, Greencastle, Greendale, Greenfield, Grissom Air Reserve Base, Huntington*, Indianapolis*, LaPorte, Lafayette, Madison*, Michigan City*, Middlebury*, Mishawaka, Montpelier, Mount Ayr, Muncie, Munster, Nappanee, Nashville, New Harmony, Noblesville*, North Manchester, Richmond, Rochester, Russiaville, Salem, South Bend, Syracuse*, Terre Haute*, Tipton, Valparaiso, Vincennes, West Lafayette, Westfield, Whiting, Winamac and Zionsville.

These communities will be formally recognized by Department of Forestry staff during this month and next at Arbor Day ceremonies throughout the state. The National Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of StateForesters sponsor the program, which now includes 3,216 Tree Cities nationally with 503 receiving the Growth Award.

For more information on urban forestry and how to become a Tree City USA, contact (317) 915-9390 or urbanforestry@dnr.IN.gov.