Tree City USA
The Tree City USA® program provides direction, technical assistance, public attention, and national recognition for urban and community forestry programs in thousands of towns and cities. Over 125 million Americans live in a Tree City USA!
There are four standards to meet to become a designated Tree City USA. They include:
For more detailed information and other funds available, visit the National Arbor Day Foundation site.
- Establish a Tree Board or department
- Write and adopt a Tree Care Ordinance
- Commit a minimum of $2 per capita annually to your community forestry program
- Celebrate Arbor Day
- Eligibility for additional grant monies from the Urban & Community Forestry program
- Honoring your community and demonstrating your commitment to a healthier environment
- Assistance managing your urban forest
- Benefit from a developed framework for action
- Educational opportunities across many tiers of individuals and organizations
For more detailed information and other funds available, visit the National Arbor Day Foundation site.
Tree Campus USA
The Tree Campus USA program recognizes colleges and universities that:
- Effectively manage their campus trees
- Develop connectivity with the community beyond campus borders to foster healthy, urban forests
- Strive to engage their student population by utilizing service-learning opportunities centered on campus, and community, forestry efforts
- Montana State University – Bozeman
- Blackfeet Community College – Browning (The First Tribal College in the Nation!)
- University of Montana – Missoula
Arbor Day
Montana recognizes Arbor Day on the last Friday in April!
On January 4, 1871, J. Sterling Morton proposed a tree-planting holiday called "Arbor Day" at a meeting of the State Board of Agriculture. The date was set for April 10, 1872. It was estimated that more than One Million Trees were planted in Nebraska on the first Arbor Day.
Arbor Day was officially proclaimed on March 12, 1874, and the day
itself was observed April 10, 1874. In 1885, Arbor Day was named a legal holiday in Nebraska and April 22, Morton's birthday, was selected as the date for its permanent observance. To find out more about Arbor Day's History, go to www.arborday.org.
Urban and Community Forestry offer grants for Arbor Day tree plantings. Check out the details here.
Find great ideas from the National Arbor Day Foundation.
Resources and Technical Assistance Information
National Tree Benefit Calculator - Find out what kind of benefits a single tree provides in your location on an annual basis!
The Arbor Day Foundation - The Arbor Day Foundation offers a variety of programs and resources, such as the Tree City USA Program, the Right Tree, Right Place selection tool, Tree Hardiness Zones, and more.
Other important Organizations that advocate to urban forestry:
The Arbor Day Foundation - The Arbor Day Foundation offers a variety of programs and resources, such as the Tree City USA Program, the Right Tree, Right Place selection tool, Tree Hardiness Zones, and more.
Other important Organizations that advocate to urban forestry:
- Alliance For Community Trees
- Sustainable Urban Forests Coalition
- International Society of Arboriculture
- American Forests
Technical Assistance:
Urban forestry personnel include a statewide coordinator and four regional urban forestry specialists.
The coordinator is responsible for the overall management of the program including grants administration, advisory council (MUCFA), recruitment and coordination; Professional training also available.
The regional urban and community forestry specialists directly assist communities with technical training (ex: tree care, planting, and pruning workshops; tree inventories; ordinance and management plan drafting; and volunteer coordination).
If you would like assistance with your local urban forestry program, please contact your region's Service Forester found here.