Tree City USA, Tree Campus Higher Education, Tree Line USA
Our community forests and trees provide many ecosystem services and benefits, making our communities better places to live. We want to join you in celebrating these benefits and your work managing this valuable resource. Apply for Tree City USA, Tree Campus Higher Education or Tree Line USA recognition.
The Arbor Day Foundation’s (ADF) has several national annual recognition programs to recognize communities and organizations that celebrate the benefits trees provide and meet basic, foundational tree management standards. The National Association of State Foresters and the ADF have a partnership agreement to promote and manage the Tree City USA, Tree Campus Higher Education and Tree Line USA programs. In North Carolina, as a part of this agreement, the N.C Forest Service (NCFS) Urban and Community Forestry program promotes the programs, provides technical assistance and reviews and approves applications for final approval by the ADF. NCFS staff will also provide award presentations at awardee Arbor Day celebrations upon request.
A community or organization must apply to achieve and maintain a recognition each year. Applications for the current year are accepted electronically through the ADF’s application portal. The annual application schedule is as follows and you will be notified of progress, problems and results as the process progresses.
- September – Application portal opens.
- Nov. 1 – The NCFS begins application reviews.
- Dec. 31 – Application period closes.
- Mid-January – NCFS review of all applications is completed and submitted to the ADF for review and approval.
- End of January – The ADF completes their application review.
- Mid-February – The ADF mails award materials to awardees.
Tree City USA
The Tree City USA program is a national program that provides the framework for community forestry management for cities and towns across America. Communities achieve Tree City USA status by meeting four core standards of sound urban forestry management each year: maintaining a tree board or department, having a community tree ordinance, spending at least $2 per capita on urban forestry and celebrating Arbor Day.
Review the Tree City USA "Additional Standards Details" and "Resources to Help You Apply" webpages found here in detail to work to achieve, maintain and apply for Tree City USA.
The N.C. Forest service defines an Arbor Day celebration as follows: a publicized, public event recognizing the celebration of Arbor Day in its title and publicity where the Arbor Day proclamation is read and a ceremonial tree is planted.
Supporting documents to be provided include:
- Event agenda
- Event marketing
- Arbor Day proclamation
- Picture of eventgoers planting the ceremonial tree
Once a community has been a Tree City for one year, a community is eligible to apply for a Tree City USA Growth Award in its second consecutive year. The Tree City USA Growth Award is an opportunity to participate in activities that recognize environmental improvement, encourage higher levels of tree care and strengthen your community tree care programs. For a list of eligible activities, check out the Tree City USA Growth Award Activities.
Tree Campus Higher Education USA
The Tree Campus Higher Education USA program is a national program that supports effective tree management at two- and four-year accredited colleges and universities. The campuses achieve Tree Campus Higher Education status by meeting five core standards developed to promote healthy trees and student involvement: maintaining both a Campus Tree Advisory Committee and a Service Learning Project for students, having both a campus tree care plan and a campus tree program with dedicated annual expenditure, and celebrating Arbor Day.
Review the Tree Campus Higher Education webpage and the Additional Standards and Resources in detail to work to achieve, maintain and apply for Tree Campus Higher Education.
The N.C. Forest service defines an Arbor Day celebration as follows: a publicized, public event recognizing the celebration of Arbor Day in its title and publicity where the Arbor Day proclamation is read and a ceremonial tree is planted.
Supporting documents to be provided include:
- Event agenda
- Event marketing
- Arbor Day proclamation
- Picture of eventgoers planting the ceremonial tree
Tree Line USA
The Tree Line USA program is a national program that promotes sound utility pruning practices by recognizing best practices in public and private utility arboriculture, demonstrating how trees and utilities can coexist for the benefit of communities and citizens. Utilities achieve Tree Line USA status by meeting five core standards that balance the demands of expanding utility needs alongside the benefits of providing adequate care for our urban forests: quality tree care, annual worker training, tree planting and public education, a tree-based energy conservation program and an Arbor Day celebration.
Review the Tree Line USA standards in detail to work to achieve, maintain and apply for Tree Line USA.
The N.C. Forest service defines an Arbor Day celebration as follows: a publicized, public event recognizing the celebration of Arbor Day in its title and publicity where the Arbor Day proclamation is read and a ceremonial tree is planted.
Supporting documents to be provided include:
- Event agenda
- Event marketing
- Arbor Day proclamation
- Picture of eventgoers planting the ceremonial tree