TO: Chuck Bennett, Mayor
THROUGH: City Council
FROM: Steve Powers, City Manager
SUBJECT:
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Arbor Week Proclamation
Ward(s): All Wards
Councilor(s): All Councilors
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
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ISSUE:
Mayor proclaims April 9th through April 15th as Arbor Week as Salem achieves its 41st year as a Tree City USA and completes its Year of the Tree celebration
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Information only
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SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND:
For the past 41 years, the City of Salem has been recognized as a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation. Through this designation, the Foundation recognizes Salem's efforts to retain, care for, and educate the public about Salem's trees. The annual issuance of an Arbor Day Proclamation (Attachment 1) is part of the public's education and a reaffirmation of the City's ongoing commitment to support urban trees.
Forty-one years ago, Salem and only 16 other cities across the United States met the four standards required to become a Tree City. For all 41 years, Salem has continued to meet these same four annual standards:
1. Maintained a Tree Board or Department;
2. Maintained a Tree Care Ordinance;
3. Maintained a Community Forestry Program with an annual budget of at least two dollars per capita; and
4. Hosted an Arbor Day Observance and Proclamation.
In 2015, Salem was also declared a Sterling City by the Arbor Day Foundation in recognition of the City’s leadership in community forestry.
Last year, in honor of Salem achieving 40 years as a Tree City and its status as a Sterling City, then-Mayor Anna Peterson proclaimed 2016, as Year of the Tree. The goal of this year-long celebration was to inspire greater appreciation of trees in general and for the community forest in Salem specifically. This celebration began in April 2016 and ends in April 2017.
FACTS AND FINDINGS:
The first full week of April each year is designated Arbor Week per Oregon Revised Statute 336.015 as a time to encourage the planting, protection, and preservation of trees and shrubs.
To celebrate the Year of the Tree, a full year of events have been conducted between April 2016 and ending April 2017. A Salem Tree City USA logo was developed and used for all events. Events included a tree-related poster and photograph contests, lectures, story time readings, tours, tree trivia night, and tree planting events. Award-winning posters have been used to create a new calendar. Thousands of people participated in the various events to show their appreciation of Salem’s trees. A calendar of the events is attached to this report (Attachment 2).
The Year of the Tree was a very successful outreach effort organized and run by Public Works staff to promote knowledge and appreciation of the trees around us. Salem, along with many other cities around the world, recognizes the importance of trees in our communities. We know trees create shade to, cool our homes during summer months, cool streams and rivers, and provide better water quality for people and aquatic life. Trees are also help clean pollution from the air and water, reduce stormwater run-off, and provide beauty to the urban area.
Salem has achieved another year in the Tree City USA program and continues as a Sterling City because the City and its residents have shown their support for our community forest.
Robert D. Chandler, PhD, PE
Assistant Public Works Director
Attachments:
1. Tree City USA 2017 Proclamation
2. Tree City USA 2016-2017 Calendar of Events
3/20/17