SOMERVILLE, MA – The City of Somerville was named a 2019 Tree City USA award winner for the 25th time by the Arbor Day Foundation in recognition of the City’s commitment to urban forest management. The City also received its fifth Tree City USA Growth Award for showing environmental improvement and a higher level of tree care.
Somerville earned its Tree City USA status by meeting the program’s four requirements: having a tree board or department, a tree care ordinance, an annual forestry budget of at least $2 per capita, and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.
“I’m proud that we’ve continued to invest in both protecting the trees we have and adding to our tree canopy every year,” said Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone. “Trees aren’t only a quality of life issue; they are crucial in our efforts to fight and mitigate climate change.”
In 2019 the City took several steps to expand its existing tree canopy and protect existing trees including planting 378 trees citywide, completing a new tree inventory, and adopting changes to the tree preservation ordinance including protections for private trees.
The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation, the U.S. Forest Service, and the National Association of State Foresters. More information about the program is available at http://www.arborday.org/TreeCityUSA.
Unbelievable! They cut all the trees down in my mothers yard on vernon st without even at notice. Then a week later they announce tree preservation plan! Typical do one thing, and say a completely opposite just to satisfying the voters on the left!
I know, makes no sense. Plus it is a city not the country. They keep planting trees where I am and then once they grow a little they pull them out and plant again. We have that much money to waste? And the city needs two tree arborists? We have so much money to spend?