City Celebrates Continued Tree City USA Recognition

The City is proud to continue its long-standing recognition as a Tree City USA community, a designation it has held since 1984. Evanston has also earned the Tree City USA Growth Award for more than 20 consecutive years in recognition of its ongoing commitment to urban forestry and environmental stewardship.

To qualify as a Tree City USA community, municipalities must meet several standards established by the Arbor Day Foundation, including maintaining a tree board or department, spending at least $2 per resident on public trees, planting at least one tree for Arbor Day, officially proclaiming Arbor Day, and submitting an annual application.

Evanston consistently exceeds these requirements by planting hundreds of trees each year, maintaining a comprehensive public tree inventory, and employing expert staff dedicated to managing and protecting the City’s urban canopy. These efforts contribute to Evanston’s continued achievement of Growth Award status.

This year’s Arbor Day celebrations included a community tree giveaway, a volunteer mulching event at the Ladd Arboretum, and a ceremonial tree planting near the Ecology Center, which will take place later in May. City staff will plant an Alaska cedar, a redbud, and a white oak, the official state tree of Illinois.

Although Arbor Day was officially observed in Evanston on Friday, April 24, the City’s commitment to trees and environmental sustainability continues year-round.

For additional information, call/text 847-448-4311 or simply dial 3-1-1 while in Evanston.