The City of West Fargo was recognized as one of 48 Tree City USA communities in North Dakota during the 2017 Trees Bowl and Awards Ceremony Saturday, Sept. 23, for urban forestry management activities in 2016. This is the City of West Fargo’s 33rd year earning this honor.
The City of West Fargo earned this designation by meeting four core standards of sound urban forestry management: Maintaining a tree board or department, having a community tree ordinance, designating urban forestry funding and celebrating Arbor Day. In 2016, the City of West Fargo urban forestry management program planted 935 trees, pruned 200 and removed 75, and organized public education activities on Arbor Day and during Night to Unite.
The City of West Fargo also earned the Tree City USA Growth Award this year. The Growth Award is awarded to communities who have qualified as a Tree City USA for at least two years and completes activities in education and public relations, partnerships, planning and management and tree planting and maintenance. The city earned points for implementing a safety training program for the forestry crew, as well as updating the inventory process with software and mobile devices to better track urban forestry efforts.
The Tree City USA program was created in 1976 to provide a framework necessary for communities to manage and expand their public trees through an urban forestry program. According to the National Arbor Day Foundation, a commitment to urban forestry provides communities with reduced costs for energy, stormwater management and erosion control; lower energy consumption; higher property values; greater social connections among neighbors and improved community pride.