The City of Fort Atkinson was named a 2022 Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation to honor its commitment to effective urban forest management.
Fort Atkinson has achieved Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements: maintaining a tree board or department, having a tree care ordinance, dedicating an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capital and hosing an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.
The Fort Atkinson City Council declared Arbor Day in the City of Fort Atkinson as Friday, April 28. The Foundation encourages nation-wide celebrations of this event through volunteerism and community events. The City of Fort Atkinson and the Foundation are encouraging many different types of celebrations, including hiking in forests, learning about trees, drawing one’s favorite trees, and planting trees. More information on celebrations may be found at https://celebratearborday.com.
According to Tom Williamson, Superintendent Department of Public Works, for this 31st year, the City of Fort Atkinson has continued to invest in maintaining its tree management and treeplanting program meeting the requirements and expectations of the Tree City USA program.
“Tree City USA communities see the positive effects of an urban forest firsthand,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “The trees being planted and cared for by Fort Atkinson are ensuring that generations to come will enjoy a better quality of life.”
The Arbor Day Foundation is the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees, with more than one million members, supporters and partners. Since 1972, almost 500 million Arbor Day Foundation trees have been planted in neighborhoods, communities, cities and forests throughout the world. More information on the Arbor Day Foundation can be found at www.arborday.org.
