WORCESTER—Worcester’s efforts to grow and maintain a healthy urban forest has once again earned national recognition. For the 39th year in a row, the city has been named a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation, and for the 26th consecutive year, it has received the accompanying Growth Award—honors that highlight efforts to build a more sustainable and resilient tree canopy.
“These recognitions are a continuation of the steps the Department of Public Works & Parks and the Worcester Urban Forestry Tree Commission are using to revitalize the Urban Forest for future generations,” wrote Commissioner of Public Works and Parks John Westerling in a letter to the city manager and council.
The awards, presented in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Urban and Community Forestry Program, are given to communities that meet standards for urban forestry, including having a tree board, a comprehensive tree management program, and annual Arbor Day observations. Worcester’s long-running status as a Tree City reflects what city officials called an “efficient and effective street tree management program.”
The city’s efforts are now guided by the recently completed Urban Forest Master Plan, which outlines strategies for expanding tree cover and improving long-term tree health. Commissioner Westerling credited Certified Arborist Brian Breveleri and the Forestry Operations Team for their leadership and dedication.
As part of this continued work, Worcester celebrates Arbor Day on Friday, April 25, at 10 a.m. in Elm Park, near the playground. The event includes the planting of two native American elm trees and one London plane tree. But the celebration is only part of a broader spring planting effort: more than 300 additional trees are set to be planted across the city, with priority given to Environmental Justice neighborhoods and census tracts designated under the American Rescue Plan Act.
Partners in the Arbor Day event and planting initiatives include the Worcester Urban Forestry Tree Commission, the Green Worcester Advisory Committee, the Massachusetts DCR, the USDA, Greater Worcester Land Trust, National Grid, and the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill.
“The enhancement of our city’s urban forest is not only aesthetically appealing,” Westerling wrote in an Arbor Day announcement, “but promotes a healthier and more ecologically balanced environment.”
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