DES MOINES – Every year the Urban Forestry Awards luncheon recognizes cities, college campuses and utilities that demonstrate a variety of dedication to the importance of trees in their respective communities. Awards were presented April 12th at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny, on behalf of the Arbor Day Foundation and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
Tree City USA Award – To qualify for the Tree City USA award, a city must have either a city forester or an active city tree board, have a tree ordinance, spend at least $2 per capita annually for its community forestry program, and have a tree planting and maintenance plan.
The award recipients are Adel, Allison, Ames, Arnolds Park, Atlantic, Badger, Belle Plaine, Bettendorf, Bondurant, Boone, Burlington, Carroll, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Clarinda, Clinton, Clive, Coralville, Council Bluffs, Cresco, Dallas Center, Davenport, Decorah, Denison, Denver, Des Moines, DeWitt, Dubuque, Fort Dodge, Gladbrook, Glenwood, Greene, Grimes, Hampton, Hiawatha, Hopkinton, Hudson, Indianola, Iowa City, Jefferson, Johnston, Keystone, Livermore, Luxemburg, Manchester, Marion, Marquette, Mason City, Muscatine, Nevada, Newton, North Liberty, Odebolt, Oelwein, Onawa, Oskaloosa, Ottumwa, Pleasant Hill, Polk City, Red Oak, Rock Rapids, Sioux City, Spencer, Story City, Tipton, Urbandale, Van Horne, Washington, Waterloo, Waverly, Webster City, West Des Moines, Westphalia and Winterset.
Tree City USA Growth Award – To qualify for the Tree City USA Growth award, cities must provide education and public relations, partnerships, planning and management, and tree planting and maintenance in their community. The award recipients, which were also recipients of the Tree City USA award, are Bettendorf, Clarinda, Clinton, Coralville, Des Moines, Dysart, Hiawatha, Jefferson, Johnston, Marion, Mason City, Ottumwa, Polk City, Story City, Washington and Waverly.
Tree Campus USA Award – To qualify for the Tree Campus USA award, a campus must have a campus Tree Advisory Committee, a tree care plan, a tree program with dedicated annual expenditures, an annual Arbor Day observance, and a service learning project to engage the student body. The award recipients are Clarke University, Drake University, Hawkeye Community College, Iowa State University, Kirkwood Community College and the University of Iowa.
Tree Line USA Award – To qualify for the Tree Line USA award, a utility must meet five minimum requirements, including quality tree care, annual worker training, tree planting and public education, a tree-based energy conservation program, and an annual Arbor Day celebration. The award recipients are Alliant Energy, MidAmerican Energy and Waverly Utilities.