Michigan's green-thumbed communities are gearing up again for recognition as the state's Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has opened applications for the Tree City USA program. Until Dec. 31, cities and other establishments like utilities, educational, and health care campuses can submit for the accolade, which celebrates urban forestry achievements.
These programs, backed by the Arbor Day Foundation, highlight the critical role of trees in urban spaces, offering more than pretty scenery. They're about health, economics, and environmental stewardship, according to the Department of Natural Resources. In 2024, the program saw a surge in participation with 131 Michigan communities and 17 campuses participating. Applying is now all digital, a shift from paper, so all interested need to hop on to the online portal to get into the mix.
To qualify, there's a checklist of requirements that applicants must tick off. These include the presence of a dedicated tree board or department, a public tree care ordinance, a minimum of $2 per capita annual public tree management spending, and firm plans for an Arbor Day observance and proclamation. And while logging individually planted trees is encouraged as part of Michigan's grand plan to plant 50 million trees by 2030, it won't sway your Tree City status.
