Trees not only provide beauty and shade, they help clean particulate matter from the air and make communities healthier. They provide cost-savings in stormwater management and create a healthier ecosystem. They sequester carbon dioxide, increase property values, stabilize soils, reduce erosion and moderate heat islands.
Springfield is a designated Tree City USA, a program sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation and other partners. There are four requirements: a tree board or department, tree-care ordinance, annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation. Tree City USA is a tool to increase public awareness and commitment to preserving a community’s urban forest.
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Springfield Urban Forestry Commission members resign
Through the leadership of the Urban Forestry Commission, Springfield reinvigorated its Tree City USA designation and received six Tree City USA “growth awards” in recognition of increased levels of tree care and community engagement.
This article appears in The state of the state.
